Getting History Right

[NW Mailing List]

This discussion seems a bit too animated for me although I will add a few
observations.

First, with regard to correcting the text, no one has yet mentioned the
author, who should have a say over the introduction of any and all
corrections or the inclusion or production of an errata sheet. If by
"history" one means the incorrect identification of a place, a wrong date,
etc...these changes I would hope must still be discussed with the author or
editor before the production of an errata sheet. Changes to a text are a
complicated and very expensive undertaking although this "discussion" seems
to have moved on to the creation of an errata sheet.

Second, regarding proof reading, many railroad themed publications have
problematic standards and contain evidence of little or no proof reading.
I purchased a book last year (for the record, NOT a N&WHS publication) that
contained a typo and misspelling in the FIRST SENTENCE of the introduction.
This is something that did not completely surprise me as books from that
publisher often contain numerous mistakes. The presence of such errors do
however, as an earlier poster noted, raise larger questions about the
veracity of the text. In academic publishing proof readers and editors are
still on the job although those people are paid for their time and the
standards are very high. I might be willing to proofread a book for the
society in the future.

Finally, while it is true not everyone has access to the internet, the
society website is the least expensive and easiest way to deal with past
and future publishing problems. My suggestion would be to include a note
card in future editions that alerts readers to the presence of an online
errata sheet for the volume in question on the N&WHS website.  I would
think that a person with enough funds to purchase the volume in question
would also hopefully be able to access the society website at a computer at
a local public library if they do not have their own computer.

Best,

Gerard

Gerard J. Fitzgerald
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