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Jewel postponed, confirms Gibson Square
01.01.70 | Philip Jones
Gibson Square has finally confirmed that it has postponed the launch of Sherry Jones' Islamic novel The Jewel of Medina, following a fire-bombing of the publisher's office and home two weeks ago.
The Bookseller reported last week that the novel's UK publication was in "suspended animation", and this week reported that author Sherry Jones' trip to Frankfurt as part of an author tour had been cancelled. A statement put out by Gibson Square Publishers said: "We respect Sherry Jones's decision. In her view the best thing to do is to postpone her visit and the publishing of the novel in Britain."
It added: "We appreciate that she will continue to make time available to any interested British groups to dispel misinformation about The Jewel of Medina. We hope that they will get in touch with us to receive further information about her hopes for her novel to foster greater understanding of Islam for Western readers. Despite the controversy of the past two weeks, Sherry Jones' intention remains as it was from the start to engage with a current debate in a positive way."
Gibson Square will fill the opening in its schedule by focusing on other forthcoming titles: Malcolm Gluck's The Great Wine Swindle, Diana Mitford's The Pursuit of Laughter, former BBC war-correspondent Alan Pearce's Playing it Safe, Walter Scott's Napoleon, Elinor Burkett's Golda Meir, and The Rotten State of Britain by economist Eamonn Butler in Spring 2009.'
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Censorship wins - bring on the book burnings
Looks like Allah is turning out to be one heck of an
editor...Problem is, I don't think the majority of people in this country believe in him.
A sad day when other people's delusions get in the way of the day-to-day mechanics of a democracy.
I do not need a group of fantasists with low-intellects determining what I can read, watch and think.
Isn't this Britain?
The only way to 'dispel misinformation about The Jewel of Medina' is to publish it. I think someone has lost their bottle. I feel for Sherry Jones; getting pissed on by publishers just because of some fundamentalist nutters.
I'm sure Sherry Jones is old and wise enough to realise that writing a novel around a wife of the Prophet Muhammad could prove problematic. Personally, I respect Gibson Square's stance as to push forth with publication could result in the real possibility of the loss of life. I doubt Gibson, or Jones want to have blood on their hands. I'm sure many of the "freedom of speech" commentators on this site would be quick to blame the publisher and retailers choosing to stock the title should, heaven forbid, a member of their family be caught in a "fundamentalist nutter's" fire-bombing.
No, Anon. I would blame the murdering thugs that placed the bomb - just like any other right minded person
Anon...Why don't you save the snide asides for the religous wallies who got us to this ridiculous point?
Of course freedoms come at a price...
But being held to ransom by these twits???
Mary Whitehouse is alive and well and wearing a burka
Come on...
Shame, as it was one of the books the supermarkets may not have done at half price or possibly not have stocked at all, so we could all have made some proper money on it!
Although I don't like to be held to ransom, and don't get me wrong, I place the blame for any fire-bombing purely at the feet of the bombers themselves, I am not willing to stock the title - for the sake of my own life as well as the life of my staff. It is too big a risk for me and I would be irresponsible to do so, especially given my store is located in a community with a with a high proportion of ethnic minorities, in particular Muslims. I am all for free speech and, perhaps, if someone wished to order a copy, I may choose to do so but I value the life of my staff a lot higher than
Dont forget Gibson Square's office is his home with wife and kids .
A no-brainer to cancel I think . Just a disaster for our freedom- but we new that when we allowed muslims to run a country within a country and not integrate .
We run scared of these guys and there is no going back .
Dont blame Gibson Sq.
Don't worry Anon, can't see any loons crashing a flaming Lagonda through the portals of your esteemed emporium.
lets write books on Holocaust Denial and see what happens?
Any publishers willing to publish that? Gibson Square stands for free speech maybe I should approach them?
I agree with the archbishop that we should adopt elements of Shariah Law in order to better our lives. More than half the UK population is on anti-depressants. Maybe we need an alternative to this democracy/hypocrisy!!
Kash, if you are not a narrow minded islamofacist you are doing a good job at appearing so.
Kash...The Archbishop...Fundamentalists...Read your bedtime fairytales and keep your religous delusions out of my face and life!
You are irrelevant!!! (except as a constant irritant to the sensibilities)
What I don't get is the blind faith these lunkheads subscribe to?
Surely if Allah, God etc are the big bad dieties we are being led to believe they are, shouldn't all copies of all offensive material vaporise on publication in a swirl of ecto-plasmic god-wrath?
Surely these big bad god-types would find it insulting that they are considered so ineffectual that a band of ill-educated psychotics (and yes, lets be honest, religous visions are a sign of mental illness!) are required to expedite their holy wrath on earth?
The undeluded need to dig their feet in and take stand or ignorant half-wits with a bellyful of misplaced purpose win the day.
Now the book is out in the USA, it's only a matter of time before someone scans it and makes it available to download for everyone to read or ignore (or start foaming at the mouth about) as they so desire.
I understand why they're halting publication but I certainly don't agree with it. Cowardice never led to anything good as far as I can recall. Why not just publish in a blaze of publicity and use the extra revenue generated by the curiosity sales to buy somne extra security? Let's get these religious imbeciles out in the open so we can get them in jail.
Calls to be bold from someone [like me] who doesn't give his name .Follow me I've right behind you .
, The publisher lives at his office , he is no coward .
I agree with you however, the islamofascisti gain oxygen everytime they gain publicity like this .
Bingo you make me laugh. A narrow minded Islamofacist? Ha ha On the contrary the narrow minds are of the western writiers who cant come up with better novels or ideas than to insult religion. Islam is open thats why is growing as the fastest faith in America...oops and the world!
Time you go and play bingo again!
Jimmy my friend Allah/God is not like us humans to exact revenge for the minutest of our sins. Surely if he was to do so then non of us would be on this earth. He will give you respite till you think you are free, only of a sudden will it come to you.
The judgement seat is closer than you think? You sound like your in eager search thereof for the day of reckoning? On the contrary what preparation have you done?
Jimmy when truth is hurled against falshood it knocks the brain out of falsehood. You need to read with an open mind and open the eyes of your heart and not just your head. www.harunyahya.com Take a look and see how misled the West have really been. Why do you call truth irrelavant?? Most westerners know little about Christianity let alone what do you know about Islam apart from what the media spoon feeds you.
Your way of life which is mon-fri work and saturday sunday club and get drunk isnt really a life now is it?
Alcohol costs the UK taxpayer and Police hundreds of Millions a year just keeping sickos of the streets, unforunately my money goes towrds that too.
Booksellers and publishers have a long and honourable tradition, of which I'm very proud, and makes our industry a little different.
I'd like to quote from a Bookseller who worked long before me, from back in 1974:
"If a bookseller refuses to stock or to order a book because it might possibly offend customers he can hardly be said to be doing his job. Political books, religious books, biographies, art books, to say nothing of the modern novel and many classics of literature, can bring down on the poor bookseller's head the wrath of an ignorant, biased or bigoted customer. Throughout the ages writers and purveyors of books have been persecuted and there are always those who would censor books without full appreciation of the consequences to mankind. There is all too much ignorant talk and writing on this subject, but our very freedom is at stake. The more simple-minded see the problem as the banning of a particularly objectionable book...but the step is short, as history has proved, to suppression of books on religion, political thought and free-thinking generally. So if freedom of expression is sometimes abused, it is better than Censorship. No individual or body, however well meaning or tolerant, can in the long term act as censor without causing grave injustice." (Thomas Joy - professional bookseller all his life).
Censorship wins - bring on the book burnings
Looks like Allah is turning out to be one heck of an
editor...Problem is, I don't think the majority of people in this country believe in him.
A sad day when other people's delusions get in the way of the day-to-day mechanics of a democracy.
I do not need a group of fantasists with low-intellects determining what I can read, watch and think.
Isn't this Britain?
The only way to 'dispel misinformation about The Jewel of Medina' is to publish it. I think someone has lost their bottle. I feel for Sherry Jones; getting pissed on by publishers just because of some fundamentalist nutters.
I'm sure Sherry Jones is old and wise enough to realise that writing a novel around a wife of the Prophet Muhammad could prove problematic. Personally, I respect Gibson Square's stance as to push forth with publication could result in the real possibility of the loss of life. I doubt Gibson, or Jones want to have blood on their hands. I'm sure many of the "freedom of speech" commentators on this site would be quick to blame the publisher and retailers choosing to stock the title should, heaven forbid, a member of their family be caught in a "fundamentalist nutter's" fire-bombing.
No, Anon. I would blame the murdering thugs that placed the bomb - just like any other right minded person
Anon...Why don't you save the snide asides for the religous wallies who got us to this ridiculous point?
Of course freedoms come at a price...
But being held to ransom by these twits???
Mary Whitehouse is alive and well and wearing a burka
Come on...
Shame, as it was one of the books the supermarkets may not have done at half price or possibly not have stocked at all, so we could all have made some proper money on it!
Although I don't like to be held to ransom, and don't get me wrong, I place the blame for any fire-bombing purely at the feet of the bombers themselves, I am not willing to stock the title - for the sake of my own life as well as the life of my staff. It is too big a risk for me and I would be irresponsible to do so, especially given my store is located in a community with a with a high proportion of ethnic minorities, in particular Muslims. I am all for free speech and, perhaps, if someone wished to order a copy, I may choose to do so but I value the life of my staff a lot higher than
lets write books on Holocaust Denial and see what happens?
Any publishers willing to publish that? Gibson Square stands for free speech maybe I should approach them?
Don't worry Anon, can't see any loons crashing a flaming Lagonda through the portals of your esteemed emporium.
Dont forget Gibson Square's office is his home with wife and kids .
A no-brainer to cancel I think . Just a disaster for our freedom- but we new that when we allowed muslims to run a country within a country and not integrate .
We run scared of these guys and there is no going back .
Dont blame Gibson Sq.
I agree with the archbishop that we should adopt elements of Shariah Law in order to better our lives. More than half the UK population is on anti-depressants. Maybe we need an alternative to this democracy/hypocrisy!!
Kash, if you are not a narrow minded islamofacist you are doing a good job at appearing so.
Kash...The Archbishop...Fundamentalists...Read your bedtime fairytales and keep your religous delusions out of my face and life!
You are irrelevant!!! (except as a constant irritant to the sensibilities)
What I don't get is the blind faith these lunkheads subscribe to?
Surely if Allah, God etc are the big bad dieties we are being led to believe they are, shouldn't all copies of all offensive material vaporise on publication in a swirl of ecto-plasmic god-wrath?
Surely these big bad god-types would find it insulting that they are considered so ineffectual that a band of ill-educated psychotics (and yes, lets be honest, religous visions are a sign of mental illness!) are required to expedite their holy wrath on earth?
The undeluded need to dig their feet in and take stand or ignorant half-wits with a bellyful of misplaced purpose win the day.
Now the book is out in the USA, it's only a matter of time before someone scans it and makes it available to download for everyone to read or ignore (or start foaming at the mouth about) as they so desire.
I understand why they're halting publication but I certainly don't agree with it. Cowardice never led to anything good as far as I can recall. Why not just publish in a blaze of publicity and use the extra revenue generated by the curiosity sales to buy somne extra security? Let's get these religious imbeciles out in the open so we can get them in jail.
Calls to be bold from someone [like me] who doesn't give his name .Follow me I've right behind you .
, The publisher lives at his office , he is no coward .
I agree with you however, the islamofascisti gain oxygen everytime they gain publicity like this .
Bingo you make me laugh. A narrow minded Islamofacist? Ha ha On the contrary the narrow minds are of the western writiers who cant come up with better novels or ideas than to insult religion. Islam is open thats why is growing as the fastest faith in America...oops and the world!
Time you go and play bingo again!
Jimmy my friend Allah/God is not like us humans to exact revenge for the minutest of our sins. Surely if he was to do so then non of us would be on this earth. He will give you respite till you think you are free, only of a sudden will it come to you.
The judgement seat is closer than you think? You sound like your in eager search thereof for the day of reckoning? On the contrary what preparation have you done?
Jimmy when truth is hurled against falshood it knocks the brain out of falsehood. You need to read with an open mind and open the eyes of your heart and not just your head. www.harunyahya.com Take a look and see how misled the West have really been. Why do you call truth irrelavant?? Most westerners know little about Christianity let alone what do you know about Islam apart from what the media spoon feeds you.
Your way of life which is mon-fri work and saturday sunday club and get drunk isnt really a life now is it?
Alcohol costs the UK taxpayer and Police hundreds of Millions a year just keeping sickos of the streets, unforunately my money goes towrds that too.
Booksellers and publishers have a long and honourable tradition, of which I'm very proud, and makes our industry a little different.
I'd like to quote from a Bookseller who worked long before me, from back in 1974:
"If a bookseller refuses to stock or to order a book because it might possibly offend customers he can hardly be said to be doing his job. Political books, religious books, biographies, art books, to say nothing of the modern novel and many classics of literature, can bring down on the poor bookseller's head the wrath of an ignorant, biased or bigoted customer. Throughout the ages writers and purveyors of books have been persecuted and there are always those who would censor books without full appreciation of the consequences to mankind. There is all too much ignorant talk and writing on this subject, but our very freedom is at stake. The more simple-minded see the problem as the banning of a particularly objectionable book...but the step is short, as history has proved, to suppression of books on religion, political thought and free-thinking generally. So if freedom of expression is sometimes abused, it is better than Censorship. No individual or body, however well meaning or tolerant, can in the long term act as censor without causing grave injustice." (Thomas Joy - professional bookseller all his life).