Edition removes Mark Twain's 'offensive' words

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A new edition of Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "Tom Sawyer" plans to replace the N-word with "slave" in an effort not to offend

readers.

Twain scholar Alan Gribben is working with NewSouth Books in Alabama to publish a combined volume of the books in February. He says the N-word appears 219 times in "Huck Finn" and four times in "Tom Sawyer."

Gribben says he has used "slave" instead of the N-word at public readings and found audiences to be more accepting.

Other Twain scholars blasted his decision and Gribben has received a flood of hateful e-mail accusing him of desecrating the novels.

Twain scholar Stephen Railton, a University of Virginia professor, said Gribben was well respected, but called the new version a terrible idea.