I have recently heard several reports concerning my book:[1]
1) from an Italian friend, who indicates that an edition has been on sale in his country since October [1968].[2]
2) from the Book Bulletin of 15 October [1968], which announces that the rights have been sold in Spain.
3) from different Parisian bookstores, customary distributors of "situationist" publications, who say that, since September, it has become extremely difficult to procure copies of your French edition, which is apparently out of print.
Thus, I am quite displeased.
It seems to me that this information, accompanied by a brief exposition of your subsequent projects, should rather have come from you.
Considering the style of the relations that I believe have been established between us and to our mutual satisfaction, I find it surprising that the moral rights of an author can be neglected to the point that one doesn't communicate to him the translation of a somewhat difficult text for the purposes of verification. From now on, I reserve the rights to judge the possible quality or deficiences of this Italian translation[3] and to be more amply informed. I ask you to take good note of the fact that I personally would like to supervise any other translations that will henceforth be undertaken.
I thus expect your guarantees on this point and your explanations for the rest.
Please accept, dear Sir, my distinguished salutations.
Guy Debord[1] Translator: The Society of the Spectacle, published by Buchet-Chastel in November 1967.
[2] La Societa dello spettacolo, Editions De Donato, Bari.
[3] Which was in fact deplorable.
(Published in Guy Debord, Correspondance, Volume 3, 1965-1968. Footnotes by Alice Debord, except where noted. Translated from the French by NOT BORED! September 2005.)