Penguin drops book as Sonia does not agree to changes in memoir

Hyderabad: Penguin Random House India will no longer publish the much-awaited memoir by Sonia Gandhi over alleged differences in “editorial changes,” which the Congress leader did not agree with, according to The Indian Express.

The publishing house, however, has denied the claims without providing the exact reason for not doing so. In a statement on Friday, August 28, it said, “Any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish ‘Belonging’ because the author declined editorial changes does not accurately reflect the circumstances.”

The Indian Express, quoting sources, said the publishing house wanted specific “editorial changes and deletions” in “a part of the manuscript” that Sonia Gandhi rejected.

Penguin was always ‘willing and keen to publish the book’

Penguin Random House India said as a publisher, it has a right and responsibility to fact-check and provide recommendations that are “in the best interests” of the authors’ books. “This is a normal part of the publishing process,” the statement read.

It said that throughout the discussions, the publishing house remained “willing and keen to publish the book.” It added that it will not comment further on the confidential discussions held with Gandhi.

Other Indian publishers are now vying to take Penguin’s spot, with HarperCollins reportedly close to finalising a deal to distribute and publish the memoir in India.

The Memoir

Alfred A Knopf, an American publishing house part of Penguin Random House, announced on August 18 that Gandhi’s Belonging: A Journey of Love will be published on November 10. Knopf had announced there would be 100,000 copies of the book in the first print run.

In a statement issued through Knopf, Gandhi described the book as a homage to her family’s humanness. “Much has been written about my family, but few narratives were able to reach into the truth of their motivations, their actions and even their very human failings,” she said

“In many ways, this book is a homage to their humanness. My story also offers readers a unique perspective of the social and political changes I have witnessed for six decades in the beautiful country of my belonging.