Censorship
The book has never been reprinted following its initial print run, as a result of religious censorship.
In line with its Christmas theme the book contained several pieces based on the Christian nativity story, including:
- The Gospel According to a Sheep by Richard Curtis with additions by Douglas Adams. This tells the story of the nativity night from the point of view of a sheep that gets eaten as part of the celebrations, and therefore has a slightly jaundiced view of the whole affair.
- The Young Ones' Nativity Play in which the characters from The Young Ones act out the nativity story in typically irreverent style.
- Jesus' Birthday in which Jesus is portrayed as a grumpy and mischievous child in a modern household.
Nicholas Winterton MP led a campaign to ask W.H. Smith not to stock the book. Christian groups took offence, and attempted to get the book withdrawn. They picketed bookshops and threatened to sue for blasphemy. Eventually they prevented the book from being reprinted by applying pressure on the publisher, Collins. Collins held the rights to print certain versions of the Bible and it was threatened that these would be withdrawn. Douglas Adams complained that, as a result, considerably less money was raised for famine relief.
Read more about this topic: The Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book
Famous quotes containing the word censorship:
“... a phallocentric culture is more likely to begin its censorship purges with books on pelvic self-examination for women or books containing lyrical paeans to lesbianism than with See Him Tear and Kill Her or similar Mickey-Spillanesque titles.”
—Robin Morgan (b. 1941)
“... censorship often boils down to some male judges getting to read a lot of dirty books—with one hand.”
—Robin Morgan (b. 1941)
“The censorship method ... is that of handing the job over to some frail and erring mortal man, and making him omnipotent on the assumption that his official status will make him infallible and omniscient.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)