Although this AP story is mostly about a new edition of Wheelocks Latin, the text most often used in college Latin classes, it mentions the publishing industrys need to continue with new editions, even when not needed. A new edition of Wheelock will soon appear (the first edition appeared in 1956):
"There are photographs, maps and eye-pleasing layouts. Exercises reflect the latest pedagogical theory. Readings feature fewer battlefield dispatches and more emphasis on women and everyday life. There is even a dirty poem by Catullus.
Wheelocks also has a Web site, e-mail discussion groups and, soon, online audio recordings.
The times, they are a-changing, says Richard LaFleur, the University of Georgia classicist who took over the editorship of the series in the mid-1990s following Wheelocks 1987 death. We want to keep up with the changes.
Latin, however, hasnt changed for 2,000 years. And where publishers see essential updates, critics of high textbook prices often wonder if new editions arent just a ploy to raise prices."
Planned obsolescence in Latin textbooks?