Question on Carrie text in books

[grazman]

Was wondering if any Stephen King fans can help me with this - I read Carrie a few months ago whilst listening to the audio mp3 with Sissy Spacek reading and noticed a few differences in the text whilst reading along. THere were a few names changed like in the first few pages of the story - Westover and Lewiston were replaced with Andover or Boxford - names like Donna Thibodeau and her sister Mary Lila Grace was replaced with her sister Fern, Lila Grace - when it talks of Carrie going to Christian Youth Camp and in the other its Christian Church Camp - and many other little changes her and there.

Was wanting to know if one of these is a revised edition of the text, if so which is the original and which is the newer version.

Have also noticed this reading Salems Lot, a few little word changes here and there in different editions of the books. In the first chapter Ben (i) in the 1983 book he says he is seven years old, and in the 2007 illustrated book its changed to nine years old. Did King do revised versions of these books changing a few things here and there?

[Neesy]

Can't help you out with that one - sorry! I haven't read Carrie in decades. It may have been the first King book I read but I'm not sure. Maybe Miss Mod would know this as she seems to be "all seeing, all knowing" however she is so busy being moderator it's possible that this technical question may end up being answered by another member. Good luck! Happy Veterans Day or Remembrance Day or whatever you guys call it in the UK:smile2:

[Moderator]

Would have to compare them but don't have a transcript of the audio. Sometimes changes are made to correct continuity errors but I don't know if that's what's happened for the ones you've mentioned.

[grazman]

Would have to compare them but don't have a transcript of the audio. Sometimes changes are made to correct continuity errors but I don't know if that's what's happened for the ones you've mentioned.

Hi, its not just the audio ive noticed the changes on, have also got a book with the same changes. Heres the 2 different versions from 2 different Carrie releases (on page 2)

'She wished forlornly and constantly that Ewen High had individual—and thus private—showers, like the high schools at Westover or Lewiston. They stared. They always stared.'
She wished forlornly and constantly that Ewen High had individual—and thus private—showers, like the high schools at Andover or Boxford. They stared. They always stared.

and then further down the page there is also Jacuzzi whirlpool - and in the other book it says Jacuzzi whirlpool bath

If anyone's got a first edition of the book or early copy can you have a look and see which one it is. I've just bought the kindle version and it reads Andover or Boxford and Jacuzzi whirlpool bath so i'm guessing the first editions of the book must have been Westover and Lewiston and just Jacuzzi whirlpool.

[Moderator]

I'd have to go to his house to find the first edition as we don't have one here in the office but all three of the other editions we do have all say Westover or Lewiston and bath is omitted after whirlpool. I realize that doesn't explain why, but it does show the changes have been there through several printings.

[grazman]

Thanks, i guess it could just be slight differences in the UK and US versions of the books rather than alterations to the text.

[GNTLGNT]

....ch-ch-ch-changes!.....(sorry, I was overtaken by the spirit of a discorporeal Bowie)....:blush:

[kingricefan]

Hi, its not just the audio ive noticed the changes on, have also got a book with the same changes. Heres the 2 different versions from 2 different Carrie releases (on page 2)

'She wished forlornly and constantly that Ewen High had individual—and thus private—showers, like the high schools at Westover or Lewiston. They stared. They always stared.'
She wished forlornly and constantly that Ewen High had individual—and thus private—showers, like the high schools at Andover or Boxford. They stared. They always stared.

and then further down the page there is also Jacuzzi whirlpool - and in the other book it says Jacuzzi whirlpool bath

If anyone's got a first edition of the book or early copy can you have a look and see which one it is. I've just bought the kindle version and it reads Andover or Boxford and Jacuzzi whirlpool bath so i'm guessing the first editions of the book must have been Westover and Lewiston and just Jacuzzi whirlpool.


In my Doubleday 1st printing it has 'Westover or Lewiston.' Same thing in the 1st printing Signet paperback. No mention of 'bath' after whirlpool in either edition. Odd why there would be these types of changed made in the book. :umm: :dunno: Oh, and no mention of arc sodium lights on these pages! (Sorry, couldn't resist!!)

[grazman]

In my Doubleday 1st printing it has 'Westover or Lewiston.' Same thing in the 1st printing Signet paperback. No mention of 'bath' after whirlpool in either edition. Odd why there would be these types of changed made in the book. :umm: :dunno: Oh, and no mention of arc sodium lights on these pages! (Sorry, couldn't resist!!)

Thanks, i'm pretty sure now its the UK versions of Stephen King books that have these slight alterations. I've noticed lots of word changes here and there in Carrie, Salems Lot, The Shining, The Stand... etc. Dunno why the changes have been made in the UK, none of them are american words which us british cant understand and they aren't mistakes as they all appear in a 1984 edition, a 2007 edition and the new UK kindle edition. I'm still confused why they would change Westover or Lewiston into Andover or Boxford. Very stange.

[fredthe3rd]

The UK versions always seem to have US spellings, references to snacks and stuff not available in the UK, American English words etc, so I didn't think they changed the text at all for us.

I know they changed spellings and some words for American Harry Potter - but then they'd have to have the correct localised spellings in a children's book wouldn't they?

[not_nadine]

I'd have to go to his house to find the first edition as we don't have one here in the office but all three of the other editions we do have all say Westover or Lewiston and bath is omitted after whirlpool. I realize that doesn't explain why, but it does show the changes have been there through several printings.

Hey, Ms Mod! Don't trouble youself - I will go over to his house for you. He probably keeps the editions in the kitchen! :tongue:

[kingricefan]

Just checked my 1st printing UK paperback and they used 'Andover or Boxford' and put 'bath' after whirlpool. I can understand replacing 'trunk of a car' with 'boot of a car' but why change names of people/places? :dunno:

[grazman]

Just checked my 1st printing UK paperback and they used 'Andover or Boxford' and put 'bath' after whirlpool. I can understand replacing 'trunk of a car' with 'boot of a car' but why change names of people/places? :dunno:

Very strange. I've only checked the first 30 pages or so of Carrie and there is also things like when Desjardin and Mr Morton are in the office talking about the girls involved in the shower incident thing and in the american version the names are Donna Thibodeau and her sister Mary Lila Grace, etc.... and in the UK version it is Donna Thibeodeau and her sister Fern, Lila Grace (with a comma after Fern). Also on the same page it says in the US version 'he glowered at them happily', and in the UK version its 'he glared at them happily.

In future i think i'll buy US editions rather than UK in the future.