My letter to Penguin re drive-by bio of Hillary ([e-mail])

[scottxyz]

email to: [e-mail]
background info here: http://mediamatters.org/items/200506200004

Sir/Madame:

What made you think that, in this age of instant Internet communication, people would fail to discover Penguin's connection to a libelous, un-fact-checked book about Hillary Clinton?

Your audience has always consisted of educated people who are interested in reading quality writing. Around the world, the 'Penguin' imprimatur has always stood for fine literature.

Well, it used to. Now you're just another sleazy, fact-free publisher out to make a quick buck by spreading lies and slander about important public figures.

I have purchased hundreds of Penguin books over the years. ... I have a degree from ... and I earn a fair amount of money. I was your target demographic.

Was, no longer am. I see your target demographic is now the trash, the uncouth and unlettered who tune into Fox, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage and the like.

Enjoy your new bedfellows. Unless you voluntarily admit your mistake publicly, and withdraw that libelous book on Hillary from print, I certainly will NEVER buy another Penguin book again.

Sincerely,
Scott _______
_______, ___

[tuvor]

1. I was wondering why they'd sully their rep with this garbage. n/t

[Kurovski]

2. It's really suprising.

What gives?

Freedom of speech is one thing, making up crap is another.

Are they listing it as Fiction?

[lenidog]

3. Actually its being published by one of their subsidiaries and not

Penguin itself.

[tuvor]

4. That would be, like, one of their children, right?

Shitty parents.

[lenidog]

6. In the end its all about business

Lots of companies set up subsidiaries to print or make things that the parent company wont. Disney started Touchstone pictures because they wanted to make PG-13 and R rated movies. People had a fit about that when it first started. If you feel strongly about it then send a letter but in this case it probably wont do any good because many times the subsidiaries have control over their own products which means that Penguin might not be able to interfere. Best thing to do is to send it to Sentinel Publishing who is the actual publisher of the book. Penguin doesn't even have the book listed on their web site.

In the end I see it this way its freedom of speech and if Hillary finds it libelous then she will sue and a jury will decide. I am going to keep reading Penguin Books because if I drop a publisher or movie company because they make something I find offensive, wrong or just awful then I am going to run out of reading and viewing choices real damn quick.

[cosmicdot]

5. consider cc'ing the parent company: Pearson plc

http://www.pearson.com/investor/contacts.htm