Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Friday said it is not the publisher of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's much-anticipated memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' in India, while denying reports that it decided against publishing the book after Gandhi declined proposed editorial changes.
The clarification came after reports claimed that Penguin Random House India had opted out of publishing the memoir following disagreements over “editorial changes and deletions” sought by the publisher in a section of the manuscript.
In an official statement, the firm said, “Penguin Random House India is not the publisher of Belonging in India. 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 publishing house said fact-checking manuscripts and providing editorial recommendations were part of the normal publishing process.
“As a publisher, it is both our prerogative and our responsibility to fact check and provide authors with recommendations that are in the best interests of their books. This is a normal part of the publishing process,” it said.
Penguin Random House India also said it had remained “willing and keen to publish the book” during its discussions with the author.
“Throughout the relevant discussions, Penguin Random House India's position was that we remained willing and keen to publish the book,” it said.
Random House India said it would not comment further on confidential discussions with the author.
Belonging is scheduled for international release on November 10 through Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Knopf has announced an initial print run of one lakh copies.
The memoir is expected to chronicle Gandhi's journey from her childhood in post-war Italy to her move to India and marriage to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. It is also expected to cover major events in her life, including the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, as well as her entry into public life and her years at the centre of one of India's most prominent political families.
In the publisher's announcement, Gandhi said much had been written about her family, but few narratives had explored the truth of their motivations, actions and human failings.
“My story also offers readers a unique perspective of the social and political changes I have witnessed for six decades,” she said.