Ok, my first post in a long time is about Harry Potter. Sue me.
The New York Times reported yesterday that along with toxic toothpaste and deadly pet food, China struggles to regulate a growing corner of the fraudulent market: Harry Potter books.
Some are pretty straightforward, like photocopies or unauthorized translations of the American version. Others are far more creative--entire books written by citizens and distributed illegally by publishers. My favorite Chinese additions to the series: "Harry Potter and the Hiking Dragon" and "Harry Potter and the Big Funnel." Awesome.
Of course, this is part of a much larger piracy issue in China--literary infringements are often bypassed by the government, which prefers to "fight harder [against] banned publications, like pornography, political books, such as things written about the leadership, the government, and historical matters like the Cultural Revolution," says Wei Bin, editor of the Writers' Publishing House, which examines book piracy.
So to infiltrate the Chinese system, disguise your controversial propaganda as Harry Potter fodder. Look for "Harry Potter and the Unfiltered Google" or "Harry Potter and the Elusive Civil Liberties" on bookshelves soon.
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