European publishers refuse to change Roald Dahl’s books

The European publishers of Roald Dahl’s books have slammed the decision to change the author’s works, arguing that his stories will “lose all their power” if watered down.

The European publishers of Roald Dahl’s books have slammed changes of the author’s works after they were rewritten to remove language now deemed too offensive.

The writer’s Dutch publisher De Fontein said they will not make changes arguing that his stories will “lose all their power” if his language is watered down.

“Exaggerations are a figure of speech with him: if a person is fat, it represents gluttony and excess,” Joris van de Leur, the director of De Fontein told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph.

“Children understand what such literary hyperbole is. They really don’t think all fat kids are greedy. Roald Dahl is the reason I came to work at this publishing house. His humour is second to none.

“Fortunately, we have the freedom to see what that means for our translations. We will be careful not to detract from Dahl’s humour.”

French publishing house Gallimard expressed a similar sentiment, telling The Daily Telegraph in a statement that the revisions “only concern Britain”.

“We have never changed Roald Dahl’s writings before, and we have no plans to do so today,” the publisher said.

The European publishers of Roald Dahl’s books have slammed changes of the author’s works.

Roald Dahl’s book are some of the most loved and successful works for children.

It comes as UK publishing company Puffin hired sensitivity readers to make changes to certain portions of the author’s wording in the UK editions as part of an effort to ensure the books “can continue to be enjoyed by all today”.

References to people being “fat” and “ugly” have been removed from much loved works including Matilda, The BFG and James and the Giant Peach.

The Oompa Loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are also now gender neutral.

Many in Britain have criticised the move.

Outspoken broadcaster Piers Morgan slammed the decision during his show Piers Morgan Uncensored.

“The thought police have taken a meat cleaver to some of the best-loved children’s stories of all time,” he said on the program.

Author Salman Rushdie took to Twitter to blast the book edits.

“Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship. Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed,” he tweeted.

Oompa Loompas are now gender neutral.

The Roald Dahl Story Company, which owns the works, has defended the decision, concluding that “it’s not unusual to review the language” used in stories of the past and that the changes were “small and carefully considered”.

“We want to ensure Roald Dahl’s wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today,” a spokesman for the company told Fox News Digital.

Dahl and his work have come under scrutiny in recent years for antisemitic comments he made prior during his career.

His family issued an apology 30 years after his death for the “prejudiced remarks”, saying in a statement that they “stand in marked contrast to the man we knew and to the values at the heart of Roald Dahl’s stories, which have positively impacted young people for generations”.

Despite his history, many believe the edits to his works are too far, with authors and readers online denouncing them as “stupid,” “pointless” and “totalitarian censorship”.

– With Fox News