Significance of missing line (was: HBP paperback)

[sbursztynski]

No: HPFGUIDX 156164

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at ...> wrote:
>
> snipping from Susan's post:
> > > American edition, 591-592: "He cannot kill you if you are already
> > > dead. <<
> 
> > What I find intriguing is this other *extra* portion in the 
> American 
> > edition that is missing from the British (if I'm reading the 
> Lexicon 
> > summaries correctly):
> > 
> Nor 
> > > would the Death Eaters be surprised that we had captured and 
> > > killed your mother -- it is what they would do themselves, after 
> > > all. <<
> > 
> 
> 
> Potioncat:
> It is such a big difference! I thought it was only the first part 
> that was different. That JKR allowed the change for any reason---and 
> didn't make sure it was done in both---makes no sense. 
> 

Sue here:

It's not impossible that the change was made for the US edition on the demand of the US 
publisher. This happens often with books from overseas, because publishers in the US 
seem to think their readers won't get certain subtle implications (though I must admit I will 
need to re-read before I decide if there is any implication here.I have only read the novel 
once, just after it came out). Sorry to say this to US readers, but your publishers don't have 
a lot of respect for you. :-(  A well-known Australian writer, John Marsden, for excample, 
wrote a novel in which it was made fairly clear, through implication, that the heroine had 
had acid thrown at her face in a family quarrel. The US publishers decided this wasn't good 
enough and he had to *write*  the scene in which it happened, especially for the US 
edition. You won't find it in any other edition.

 Even in HP, the title Sorcerer's Stone is meaningless in the context of the story, but the 
publishers didn't think US readers would understand what a Philosopher's Stone was, even 
though it was explained in the book. 

You need to get on to them and let them know you don't appreciate being thought 
dumb. :-)