Websters recalls 11 million books
Dan Whelan
Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: Fourth Mistake
Merriam-Webster, publisher of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, was forced to recall 11 million copies of the 2008 edition of the dictionary due to errors and additions inserted by its former copy editor.
Derek Saucerhamm, lead copy editor for Merriam-Webster, is being sued by his former employer for $237.1 million, the overall price for every copy being recalled.
"It is unbelievable that a person with such power would choose to abuse it on his last product before retirement," said John Morse, president and publisher of Merriam-Webster. "Mr. Saucerhamm had been with us for the past 47 years, and had been provided with a generous retirement package, but this is how he repays us."
Saucerhamm's corrections were not at all subtle, including his personal opinion on such topics as Medicare, teenagers and retirement, or as he puts it, "when a hardworking man is forced to leave his job so some snot-nosed punk can ruin the legacy built over the past half century."
Though the edition has many controversial entries within the text, the book is a cult favorite, due to entries like, "Annoying S.O.B.- See 'Andy Dick.'"
"There have been thousands of requests for these books on Craigslist," said Jim Buckmaster, CEO of Craigslist.com. "People are paying ridiculous amounts of money and trading their valuables for a dictionary that, in conventional views, is useless. I have seen someone who is offering their Wii for a copy."
Saucerhamm feels his actions are completely justified as a response to his former employer. He believes he will not be able to survive on Social Security with the instability of the economy.
"After spending more than two-thirds of my life working in a profession that pays nothing, and finally moving up to a position I deserve, I get a gold watch and shove out the door," Saucerhamm said. "After refusing to respond to complaints, I sent a message they understood."
The first error discoveries were made by Bob Blench, a member of Saucerhamm's copy editing staff.
Derek Saucerhamm, lead copy editor for Merriam-Webster, is being sued by his former employer for $237.1 million, the overall price for every copy being recalled.
"It is unbelievable that a person with such power would choose to abuse it on his last product before retirement," said John Morse, president and publisher of Merriam-Webster. "Mr. Saucerhamm had been with us for the past 47 years, and had been provided with a generous retirement package, but this is how he repays us."
Saucerhamm's corrections were not at all subtle, including his personal opinion on such topics as Medicare, teenagers and retirement, or as he puts it, "when a hardworking man is forced to leave his job so some snot-nosed punk can ruin the legacy built over the past half century."
Though the edition has many controversial entries within the text, the book is a cult favorite, due to entries like, "Annoying S.O.B.- See 'Andy Dick.'"
"There have been thousands of requests for these books on Craigslist," said Jim Buckmaster, CEO of Craigslist.com. "People are paying ridiculous amounts of money and trading their valuables for a dictionary that, in conventional views, is useless. I have seen someone who is offering their Wii for a copy."
Saucerhamm feels his actions are completely justified as a response to his former employer. He believes he will not be able to survive on Social Security with the instability of the economy.
"After spending more than two-thirds of my life working in a profession that pays nothing, and finally moving up to a position I deserve, I get a gold watch and shove out the door," Saucerhamm said. "After refusing to respond to complaints, I sent a message they understood."
The first error discoveries were made by Bob Blench, a member of Saucerhamm's copy editing staff.
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