Today's award goes to the proof-reading department of Penguin Group Australia.
The publishing company was forced to pulp and reprint 7000 copies of Pasta Bible last week after a recipe called for "salt and freshly ground black people" – instead of pepper – to be added to tagliatelle with sardines and prosciutto.
The exercise will cost Penguin $20,000, the head of publishing, Bob Sessions, said. At $3300 a letter, it's a pricey typo.
Stock will not be recalled from bookshops because it would be "extremely hard" to do so, Mr Sessions said. Copies remained on the shelves in city bookshops yesterday, selling for $20.
Mr Sessions could not understand why some readers had found the slip offensive.
"We're mortified that this has become an issue of any kind and why anyone would be offended, we don't know," he said.
There's more at the link.
Perhaps this should be a double award: to the proof-readers for not catching the mistake, and to Mr. Sessions for gross insensitivity!
Peter
I can see the embarrassment over so big a gaffe, but I really don't see how anyone could find this offensive.
ReplyDeleteIt's obviously so over the top that no reasonable person could believe it was intentional.
Snort!
ReplyDeleteSomeone always finds a reason to be offended.
Hoo boy... sometimes things just get TOTALLY out of hand :-) Agree with AD and DB both!
ReplyDelete