The Novels of D. E. Stevenson

A Sampling Of Covers and Editions

Popular Paperback Editions (US)

Miss Buncle's Book 1964 The cover is a photograph.	Vittoria Cottage	The Marriage of Katherine 1965 The price was 75¢.	House on the Cliff 1966 The cover is a photograph.

Sarah Morris Remembers 1967	The House of the Deer 1971 The cover is a photograph.	Gerald and Elizabeth 1969 Thanks to KKorg

Other Paperback Editions (US)

Mrs.Tim Flies Home 1974 Holt Rinehart and Winston	Still Glides the Stream Avon Paperback

Differences in Editions

British Editions Versus US Editions

Differences in UK and USA Versions of Five Windows by Lisa

I was able to do a side by side comparison. There are a lot of extra descriptions missing (usually one or two sentences at the end of a paragraph). It may be just because David's father is a minister and David is therefore a "son of the manse", but there are also several discussions of biblical texts/religious opinions that are cut out, a couple of examples: when David goes back as an adult to church and hears his father's sermon. In the Collins edition, there are 3-4 more relatively long paragraphs of the actual sermon, not just the one paragraph that "Father took as the subject for his sermon Paul's Second Letter to Timothy." and it seems to emphasize that fact that his father had the same gift of communication that David has, as he realizes at the end of the chapter. Another long snip is when David goes to dinner at Jan's with Barbie & Nell.They are discussing the boarders at his former boarding house, and how miserable they were. Janet suggests that perhaps it's something to do with money, but David disagrees and that's the end of the discussion. The Collins has a full additional page of discussion that Barbie starts off saying, "I can tell you why people are miserable and discontented and why they haveto show off and behave like morons. It's because they aren't Christians."

"But, Barbie-----", began Nell."They don't believe in God," declared Barbie. And the discussion goes on about faith, "do you realize that if we had the right sort of faith we could move mountains?" says Barbie.

There are also little Biblical references cut out, for instance, when David spends the night on the hill with Malcolm, "The sheep looked alike to me, but Malcolm knew them apart quite easily and they knew him and were not frightened when he approached." The Collins continues with, "He was like the Good Shepherd in the parable, I thought. The parable came alive for me that night."

There are also a couple of other very large "non-religious" snips of several pages -- one about Dochie, whom David helped out at the garage, and a whole chapter/plot line about Miles as an adult and trying to write a book himself. (Miles is also at the dinner David gives for the girls, but that's completely edited out of the US version.)

What bothered me most, tho' was the one or two sentence deletions -- I learned just a bit more detail that filled out the pictures of most of the characters in the book, and it didn't make sense why they were deleted. My husband wondered if it had to do with the editor's perception of Americans.Lisa

Many DES readers have noticed that some editions of her books have been abridged. There are sometimes differences in British versus USA editions, but there are also some changes and omissions in some paperback editions. Here are some observations of some of her readers on this subject.

Differences in Music in the Hills by Jerri
In the UK versions of Music in the Hills, etc. the grand family in the region is named Shaw, and the Inn is the Shaw Arms, while in the U.S. versions the name is Steele and the Steele Arms. Thus the Shaw/Steele Tower. This is most confusing to me.

Differences in The Blue Sapphire by Barbara
I got an Ace paperback copy of The Blue Sapphire from the bookseller two days ago and dived right in. Am in shock -- are all the Ace paperbacks "edited" (i.e. bowdlerized)? I have The Blue Sapphire almost memorized; it is more than a little disconcerting to be reading what is supposed to be the same book and keep tripping over what I think it should say and what is actually in the book.

The Fontana and Ace Paperback Editions by Kristi
I know the Fontana's were at least sometimes abridged because a passage I like in The Two Mrs. Abbots (in which Elmie Boles thinks Marksie's cooking pots must be silver because they are so polished and Marksie says that they look that way when one keeps them clean and polished) was missing from the paperback.

I am comparing my US ACE paperback with my Collins UK hardback, and quite a bit is missing in the first pages. Not essential stuff yet, but to me, it is all essential! The second paragraph of the book, for instance, in paperback says, in its entirety, "It seemed to young William that India offered him the best chance of making his fortune." The Collins books says "It seemed to young William that India offered him the best chance of making his fortune (in those days India was a mysterious land, a land full of gold and jewels and fabulous riches) so to India he went, working his passage upon a trading-ship and The first paragraph of chapter two in Ace paperback ends with the sentence "....And on summer afternoons the ladies would join the party and tea would be served on the little stage." This ends with the sentence "A delightful water-color sketch of one of these alfresco gatherings still hands in the morning-room of Amberwell House," in the Collins edition. For those of us interested in seeing how often DES mentions writing or painting in her work, this is significant. (And we are not interested in just counting up references, these things demonstrate her interest and awareness of art.) The last sentence of the next paragraph ends "Henry then settled down to enjoy the fruits of his labours, he died at the age of ninety-four and was succeeded by his son, William Henry." in the UK edition. In Ace it ends "Henry was succeeded by his son, William Henry."

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