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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can I share this book with my children despite who it's by?

99 replies

DadDadDad · 19/04/2015 14:13

"Every Picture Tells a Story" is a book about famous paintings with reproductions of a number of interesting and striking examples. The author adds humorous child-friendly commentary, and as he is an artist himself, he adds further sketches and insights (including a few autobiographical details). We've had it for years and I've always thought it a good book to share with children (although my DC seem to have limited interest in the subject Hmm).

Anyway, your eyes have probably jumped straight here to the "punchline", that the author is Rolf Harris - there he is smiling with some children on the cover. In a way, I don't have a problem with it - the work stands on its own whatever horrible things the author has done. But would you just throw it in the bin? The AIBU is: "AIBU to leave a book with RH's face and name on the cover lying around where children will read it, despite its completely innocent content?".

OP posts:
mikado1 · 19/04/2015 14:50

I suppose vivavia what meant was that if it's something special that she was looking forward to showing her dc it's a bit different than going out and buying eg the dvd mentioned above or putting on something to do with him for the sake of it.. maybe it doesn't make sense but it's how I feel about two little boys-it has special memories for me of my dad singing it to us and I find it hard to think I can't pass it on.

MargotLovedTom · 19/04/2015 14:51

Dd3 has recently revived her love of The Wiggles and has taken to watching clips on YouTube. Her favourite at the moment is Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport with RH. I have no issue with her watching it; she has not asked a single thing about him.

If you feel uncomfortable with having the book then bin it. You said your dc have limited interest in it anyway.

Vivacia · 19/04/2015 14:51

You can pass the song on mikado.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 19/04/2015 14:53

William Mayne isn't primarily known as a fairy tale anthologist. He wrote children's fiction. He won awards and was one of my favourite writers when I was about 12/13. I still have all the books I read then and would have had no problem with my children reading them, although he was subsequently convicted of sexual abuse of young girls (primary aged).

Once someone is dead, their work stands alone and on its own merits, unless what they did in life is so heinous that nothing whatever of their work is preserved. To take a totally made up example, suppose Hitler had gone further with his artistic training and ambitions and painted a beautiful painting, I can't imagine that any art gallery in the world would want it on display with his name on it.

However, Gauguin, who had some very unhealthy relationships with young women in Tahiti, has work on show in most of the world's major galleries.

Where do we draw the line? It's a very interesting and difficult question.

Original poster
DadDadDad · 19/04/2015 14:55

I see you can buy the RH book on Amazon. One review - 5 stars!

OP posts:
Original poster
DadDadDad · 19/04/2015 14:59

Gasp0de - interesting comments - thanks. I'm glad you said it was an interesting and difficult question, as I was worried there would be a more black-and-white response, condemning anything associated with a convicted sex abuser.

Here's a test: who would want to be seen reading this: www.amazon.co.uk/Hows-About-That-Then-Savile/dp/1905080301

OP posts:
mikado1 · 19/04/2015 15:00

Thanks vivacia..

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 19/04/2015 15:02

This is a hard one.

For a start the horrifying fact is, if you stopped consuming music, art and literature by artists who had never sexually, physically or emotionally abused anyone you would have a pretty limited cultural life. 99% of my spotify playlist would go and I'm a pretty conscientious consumer.

I would now never knowingly contribute to the financial success of someone known to abuse women or children but otherwise I do divorce the art from the artist. Rosemary's Baby and The Pianist are great cinematic works despite who directed them.

DinkyDye · 19/04/2015 15:09

I wouldn't. I was disappointed when l had to stop singing 'tie me kangaroo down sport' to dd. He's a convicted paedophile and I'm not happy sharing anything of his with my dd.

MargotLovedTom · 19/04/2015 15:11

I wouldn't have been seen reading that Jimmy Savile book anyway, regardless of what we now know.

It is an interesting discussion really. I wonder if there are many die hard Lost Prophets fans who still love and listen to the music on a regular basis (other than ridiculously obsessive ones who want to marry that hideous man).

RitaCrudgington · 19/04/2015 15:12

I'm not particularly sensitive about being asked vivacia. It's simply that I want my "baby"'s bedroom to be a safe and happy place so I don't want a picture in it of a man who caused so much suffering to a young girl. It's just an aesthetic thing, much like not fancying all those pictures of skulls on toddler boy T-shirts that were around a few years ago.

ImNameyChangey · 19/04/2015 15:13

I'm of the opinion that art is art and we must separate the abuser from the creation if the creation is wholesome.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 19/04/2015 16:04

Grid someone actually say on this thread that a lot of men think what Rolf Harris did was OK?

Fuck. I knew that but it's depressing when it's there in black and white and unchallenged.

IHeartKingThistle · 19/04/2015 16:10

RH didn't write Two Little Boys mikado which helps.

TheRealAmandaClarke · 19/04/2015 16:11

Its not that great a book.
I couldnt be looking at his fucking smug face. And I wouldnt want t endorse/ validate his work.
But yanbu if you dont feel like that.

AndWhenYouGetThere · 19/04/2015 16:12

I'd keep and use the book. Maybe cover it so his face and name are less prominent.

DowntheTown · 19/04/2015 16:14

I have that book! Loved it as a kid and think it helped contribute quite a bit to my love of art. I remember copying pictures out of it.

It's a really nice intro to lots of works of art.

I've shared it with my eldest, and am planning on sharing it with other two.

I will just completely skirt around the author issue, they won't pick up on it.

Bloodybridget · 19/04/2015 16:15

Off topic (slightly), I'm so shocked about Marion Zimmer Bradley - had no idea.

Dawndonnaagain · 19/04/2015 16:16

It is an interesting debate, but we need to be sensible about it. Harris is an abuser, his work isn't abusive. It's awful that he used it to get himself in a position to be able to abuse, but it does need seperating.
If you're not happy sharing such things with your dd Dinky don't go to musuems or walk past the BBC buildings and for heaven's sake don't ever let them use the Gill Sans typeface.

Original poster
DadDadDad · 19/04/2015 16:16

Tony - no, I briefly challenged it by saying many men (including me) didn't think it OK.

OP posts:
Penfold007 · 19/04/2015 16:20

Would you read Alice in Wonderland with your children or let them see the film?

TheRealAmandaClarke · 19/04/2015 16:21

Hmm. Thinking about it, yes, it's a dilemma as pp have said.
But on balance I think having one's work (esp the arts) revered is a priveledge, one which can be revoked if one is found to be an abuser.

Dawndonnaagain · 19/04/2015 16:22

There is no real consensus on Dodgson, Penfold.

Muskey · 19/04/2015 16:24

Would you have the same qualms about Alice in Wonderland as Lewis Carol was probably a child abuser. Go back a hundred years and you might be having the same issues with Oscar Wilde because he had been imprisoned for being a homosexual. likewise how many of us were happy to watch Gary glitter when we were children. A good book is a good book regardless of who the author is or was

Andrewofgg · 19/04/2015 16:24

Lewis Carroll photographed young girls fully frontally naked - and one of the boys Oscar Wilde went to bed with was 14, illegal then, illegal now.

But that's no reason to stop enjoying their work, is it?