The Waterstone’s Cardiff launch of darkness is where the stars are (Cinnamon Press, 2008), a poetry collection by Patrick Jones, was cancelled yesterday as the result of pressure from a religious group, Christian Voice.
Read what independent publisher, Cinnamon Press, has to say here.
Read the BBC article here.
Letters of protest may be sent to:
Waterstone’s Managing Director
Gerry Johnson
gerry.johnson@waterstones.com
Tel: 020 8742 3800
Tags: books, darkness is where the stars are, poetry, writers, writing
November 13, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Great publicity for darkness is where the stars are, but I think Waterstone’s have done themselves a disservice.
November 13, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Thanks for your support Michelle – it measn a lot to Cinnamon Press and to patrick that right inded people of all faiths and none think that free speech is vital to any civilisied society
November 13, 2008 at 10:38 pm
This is another reason why putting our faith in the “free market” is not automatically a guarantee for freedom. Disgusting.
November 13, 2008 at 10:58 pm
“Imagine books and music and movies being filtered and homogenized. Certified. Approved for consumption. People will be happy to give up most of their culture for the assurance that the tiny bit that comes through is safe and clean. White noise.”
- Chuck Palahniuk
November 13, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Fantastic that you’ve blogged about this, Michelle. So many of us here in Cardiff are in a state of shock (and outrage). I’m about to fire off my email of protest to Waterstone’s…
November 14, 2008 at 8:14 am
My God. I am absolutely gobsmacked. In England? Really a big fuss needs making about this. I am going to write to Waterstones.
November 14, 2008 at 8:38 am
I’ve just bought a copy of of the book direct from Cinnamon. I’ll let you know if I get a reply from Waterstones but I’m not holding my breath. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, M.
November 14, 2008 at 11:15 am
Brilliant blog, there’s a video on YouTube you can go to http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YDp0lNDZukM that includes a response to Waterstone’s from Cinnamon Press.
Warm Regards,
Rowan & Cinnamon Press
November 14, 2008 at 3:46 pm
More and more the younger generation is turning to atheism as a result of this kind of reactionary behavior on the part of the religious right. It is so common where I am in the US,
this religious watchdog mentality. I do expect change in future years, though.
Ironic, since our country was founded in part because of a desire for the right to express one’s religious views freely.
November 20, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Well the reactionary behaviour is pretty dreadful of course, but what’s more shocking is Waterstone’s response to it. I mean it’s not as if there was even any money in their blocking the poetry reading – quite the opposite in this country. It’s cowardly capitulation to a zealot with a tiny constituency. Fortunately the Welsh Assembly has no such qualms:
http://cosmodaddy.wordpress.com/2008/11/18/welsh-assembly-defeats-christian-zealot/
November 20, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Thank you for the link, Jason.