Bloomsbury USA faces another race row over book cover

[Blue_Tires]

Source: the guardian

Bloomsbury USA's decision to feature a white girl on the cover of Jaclyn Dolamore's debut novel Magic Under Glass, which stars a dark-skinned heroine, has sparked controversy across the internet and accusations of "white-washing", just five months after the same publisher was forced to back down over a similar controversy.

Magic Under Glass, a young adult novel, is the story of a "foreign" music hall girl, Nimira, hired by a sorcerer to sing with a piano-playing automaton. But she finds that a fairy has been trapped inside the clockwork automaton, and the two fall in love. Although Dolamore's heroine is described in the book as black-haired and brown-skinned – and the official trailer for the novel shows her as such – the cover chosen by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books shows a white, brown-haired girl. The choice has provoked outrage from bloggers and commentators, particularly following the publisher's decision (later reversed) last year to feature a white girl on the cover of Justine Larbalestier's novel Liar, about a black girl.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/21/bloomsbury-race-row-book-cover

[Number23]

1. SSDD. I'm still getting over Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl in 'A Mighty Heart'

Angelina -

Mariane -

Ah, the magic of Hollywood... :eyes:

[firedupdem]

2. LOTS of other actresses could have played that part.

But racism is dead....whatever!

[Number23]

3. Do you remember Troy Beyer?

She's a dead ringer for Mariane.

And yes, I know she doesn't have anywhere near Angelina's box office pull. But at the rate we're going, it will be 1000 years before a black actress is even given the opportunity to have that kind of box office sway.

[firedupdem]

4. Remembered the face but not the name...

wow, she would have been perfect in that role.