[Project] The Apple Cart, by George Bernard Shaw
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Asher Smith
Dec 28, 2025, 3:25:12 AM12/28/25
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My next production will be The Apple Cart, continuing on my George Bernard Shaw project. It was released in 1930, so I'll be able to create/publish a repo in the new year, but there is already a transcription on PG AU (link) and scans on IA (link) so I can see that it looks like a pretty standard Shaw production (e.g. I'll need to add a lot of apostrophes).
The PG AU transcription includes a few afterwords made up of interviews/statements of Shaw to various publications; these are not present in the scans of the original publication. I am not convinced that there is any real merit in including these, especially given that there is a preface as well in which Shaw lays out a number of his views, so I am going to exclude them unless somebody objects.
Asher Smith
Dec 28, 2025, 3:49:25 AM12/28/25
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There's also this note that precedes the preface, but I'm assuming that it should be cut out and the relevant information just put into the long description.
Alex Cabal
Dec 28, 2025, 2:18:08 PM12/28/25
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OK, this is not public domain YET, so let's not discuss it in the public
mailing list until Jan 1. At that time you can create a new repo and
send the link so we can create a project.
On 12/28/25 2:49 AM, Asher Smith wrote:
> There's also this note that precedes the preface, but I'm assuming that
> it should be cut out and the relevant information just put into the long
> description.
>
> ebooks03/0300431h.html>) and scans on IA (link <https://archive.org/
> details/dli.ernet.504120>) so I can see that it looks like a pretty
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mailing list until Jan 1. At that time you can create a new repo and
send the link so we can create a project.
On 12/28/25 2:49 AM, Asher Smith wrote:
> There's also this note that precedes the preface, but I'm assuming that
> it should be cut out and the relevant information just put into the long
> description.
>
> Screenshot 2025-12-28 at 21.45.51.png
>
> On Sunday, December 28, 2025 at 9:25:12 PM UTC+13 Asher Smith wrote:
>
> My next production will be /The Apple Cart/, continuing on my George
>
> On Sunday, December 28, 2025 at 9:25:12 PM UTC+13 Asher Smith wrote:
>
> Bernard Shaw project. It was released in 1930, so I'll be able to
> create/publish a repo in the new year, but there is already a
> transcription on PG AU (link <https://gutenberg.net.au/
> create/publish a repo in the new year, but there is already a
> ebooks03/0300431h.html>) and scans on IA (link <https://archive.org/
> details/dli.ernet.504120>) so I can see that it looks like a pretty
> standard Shaw production (e.g. I'll need to add a lot of apostrophes).
>
> The PG AU transcription includes a few afterwords made up of
> interviews/statements of Shaw to various publications; these are not
> present in the scans of the original publication. I am not convinced
> that there is any real merit in including these, especially given
> that there is a preface as well in which Shaw lays out a number of
> his views, so I am going to exclude them unless somebody objects.
>
> --
>
> The PG AU transcription includes a few afterwords made up of
> interviews/statements of Shaw to various publications; these are not
> present in the scans of the original publication. I am not convinced
> that there is any real merit in including these, especially given
> that there is a preface as well in which Shaw lays out a number of
> his views, so I am going to exclude them unless somebody objects.
>
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> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/25d1cee1-307b-48c0-8d29-bebfa6dd29a2n%40googlegroups.com
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> standardebooks/25d1cee1-307b-48c0-8d29-bebfa6dd29a2n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
Asher Smith
Jan 1, 2026, 1:53:07 PMJan 1
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Now it’s public domain, here’s a Github repo.
<td epub:type="z3998:persona">Balbus</td>
<td><i epub:type="z3998:stage-direction">Subsides with a shrug.</i>!</td>
<td epub:type="z3998:persona">Balbus</td>
<td><i epub:type="z3998:stage-direction">Subsides with a shrug.</i> !</td>
I prefer the introduction of a space and think it increases legibility, even though it’s less accurate to the scans, so have added that in an editorial commit.
I’m also struggling to get the LoC categories right; I hate having to do that manually. Only one of the entries for the book in the LoC catalogue has any categories (link), and they are:
- Subject
- Political science--Fiction (LCSH)
What I can’t tell how to do is find the subject IDs for those and to know which of them need to be included in the content.opf
Emma Sweeney
Jan 1, 2026, 2:32:39 PMJan 1
to Standard Ebooks
We include only LCSH subjects in the content.opf, so the only subject you would use from this page is `Political science -- Fiction`. Since the subject doesn't have a link to a page that contains the subject ID, the subject ID would be `Unknown`.
Emma
Alex Cabal
Jan 1, 2026, 3:59:38 PMJan 1
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OK, Robin will manage with Emma reviewing.
I don't really understand what the exclamation mark is supposed to
convey. What does it add that "Subsides with a shrug" doesn't already
indicate?
On 1/1/26 12:52 PM, Asher Smith wrote:
> Now it’s public domain, here’s a Github repo <https://github.com/
> ACBSmith/george-bernard-shaw_the-apple-cart>.
> works/23930890.html>), and they are:
> Satirical fiction (LCGFT) <http://id.loc.gov/authorities/genreForms/
> gf2023026105>
> Novels (LCGFT) <http://id.loc.gov/authorities/genreForms/gf2015026020>
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/51E61F35-01E7-4062-
> A0AC-A01B0BF416CC%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
I don't really understand what the exclamation mark is supposed to
convey. What does it add that "Subsides with a shrug" doesn't already
indicate?
On 1/1/26 12:52 PM, Asher Smith wrote:
> Now it’s public domain, here’s a Github repo <https://github.com/
> ACBSmith/george-bernard-shaw_the-apple-cart>.
>
> Here’s a fun one: in this play, Shaw uses a lot of bare exclamation
> marks instead of lines of dialogue to indicate action. Here’s an example
> of a clip from the scans and then a couple of options of how to typeset it.
> Here’s a fun one: in this play, Shaw uses a lot of bare exclamation
> marks instead of lines of dialogue to indicate action. Here’s an example
> of a clip from the scans and then a couple of options of how to typeset it.
> PastedGraphic-1.png
> <td epub:type="z3998:persona">Balbus</td>
> <td><i epub:type="z3998:stage-direction">Subsides with a shrug.</i>!</td>
> <td epub:type="z3998:persona">Balbus</td>
> <td><i epub:type="z3998:stage-direction">Subsides with a shrug.</i>!</td>
> PastedGraphic-3.png
> <td epub:type="z3998:persona">Balbus</td>
> <td><i epub:type="z3998:stage-direction">Subsides with a shrug.</i> !</td>
> <td epub:type="z3998:persona">Balbus</td>
> <td><i epub:type="z3998:stage-direction">Subsides with a shrug.</i> !</td>
> PastedGraphic-2.png
>
> I prefer the introduction of a space and think it increases legibility,
> even though it’s less accurate to the scans, so have added that in an
> editorial commit.
>
> I’m also struggling to get the LoC categories right; I hate having to do
> that manually. Only one of the entries for the book in the LoC catalogue
> has any categories (link <https://id.loc.gov/resources/
>
> I prefer the introduction of a space and think it increases legibility,
> even though it’s less accurate to the scans, so have added that in an
> editorial commit.
>
> I’m also struggling to get the LoC categories right; I hate having to do
> that manually. Only one of the entries for the book in the LoC catalogue
> works/23930890.html>), and they are:
> Subject
> Political science--Fiction (LCSH)
> Genre Form
> Fiction (LCGFT) <http://id.loc.gov/authorities/genreForms/gf2014026339>
> Political science--Fiction (LCSH)
> Genre Form
> Satirical fiction (LCGFT) <http://id.loc.gov/authorities/genreForms/
> gf2023026105>
> Novels (LCGFT) <http://id.loc.gov/authorities/genreForms/gf2015026020>
>
> What I can’t tell how to do is find the subject IDs for those and to
> know which of them need to be included in the content.opf
>
>
>
> What I can’t tell how to do is find the subject IDs for those and to
> know which of them need to be included in the content.opf
>
>
>
> --
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> A0AC-A01B0BF416CC%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
Asher Smith
Jan 1, 2026, 4:02:54 PMJan 1
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Thanks, Emma - that makes sense.
Alex - I have no idea, but there’s a whole range of them with different numbers of exclamation marks to indicate different levels of wordless emotion. Presumably you would perform them as varying levels of grunts or exclamations.
Alex - I have no idea, but there’s a whole range of them with different numbers of exclamation marks to indicate different levels of wordless emotion. Presumably you would perform them as varying levels of grunts or exclamations.
Alex Cabal
Jan 1, 2026, 4:13:30 PMJan 1
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Honestly I would just remove them. Especially if they're not in any
other GBS play we have.
other GBS play we have.
Asher Smith
Jan 1, 2026, 4:46:43 PMJan 1
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I’d prefer to keep them, actually, as Shaw is treating them differently than he treats stage direction lines without a persona. Though we don’t have any other examples in the corpus, this is the latest Shaw play that is in PD, and I can see that it also appears in the next play that will enter PD, The Millionairess—it appears like it’s a thing he’s started doing in his later works.
Asher Smith
Jan 2, 2026, 4:29:44 AMJan 2
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I’m getting close to wrapping this one up, but as usual the cover is proving to be a thorn in my side. Given that it’s about the King of England and set in the late 20th century (and about democracy vs royalty), either a painting of George V from the early 20th century or a crown itself would be ideal. I’d prefer this painting of George V or this still life of a crown, but alas I cannot find any PD proof of them in old books as they seem to never have been out of private ownership. Instead I have found these options for a painting of a king (one, two, three, four, five) and this painting of a crown (link).
My preference is for the last one (and I’ve uploaded it to the database). It’s not the right era or style of crown, but I think it looks the coolest and is just fine for the preface on the nature of democracy.
Alex Cabal
Jan 2, 2026, 3:21:55 PMJan 2
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OK!
On 1/2/26 3:29 AM, Asher Smith wrote:
> I’m getting close to wrapping this one up, but as usual the cover is
> proving to be a thorn in my side. Given that it’s about the King of
> England and set in the late 20th century (and about democracy vs
> royalty), either a painting of George V from the early 20th century or a
> crown itself would be ideal. I’d prefer this painting of George V
> <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_George_V_1911.jpg> or this
> still life of a crown <https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/old-
> masters-day-sale-2/an-allegory-of-wealth-and-temporal-power-still>, but
> collection/object/Portrait-of-William-I-King-of-the-
> Netherlands--475e80f783c46edc9d16e2dc7fbba58b>, two <https://
> www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/Portrait-of-William-III-King-of-
> the-Netherlands--1dc97a69a7d3b06c0426a59a49f5a1a2?tab=data>, three
> <https://kmska.be/en/masterpiece/king-willem-i>, four <https://
> collections.brightonmuseums.org.uk/records/5e9765d6c7e3110017476adf>,
> five <https://www.parismuseescollections.paris.fr/fr/musee-carnavalet/
> oeuvres/portrait-de-charles-x-1757-1836-roi-de-france-en-costume-de-
> sacre#infos-principales>) and this painting of a crown (link <https://
> open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KKSgb6220>).
>
> My preference is for the last one <https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/
> KKSgb6220> (and I’ve uploaded it to the database <https://
> standardebooks.org/artworks/david-hartmann/rudolf-iis-krone>). It’s not
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/33855AD5-FB7D-472D-
> AEDA-4F4EF13722FE%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
On 1/2/26 3:29 AM, Asher Smith wrote:
> I’m getting close to wrapping this one up, but as usual the cover is
> proving to be a thorn in my side. Given that it’s about the King of
> England and set in the late 20th century (and about democracy vs
> royalty), either a painting of George V from the early 20th century or a
> crown itself would be ideal. I’d prefer this painting of George V
> still life of a crown <https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/old-
> masters-day-sale-2/an-allegory-of-wealth-and-temporal-power-still>, but
> alas I cannot find any PD proof of them in old books as they seem to
> never have been out of private ownership. Instead I have found these
> options for a painting of a king (one <https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/
> never have been out of private ownership. Instead I have found these
> collection/object/Portrait-of-William-I-King-of-the-
> Netherlands--475e80f783c46edc9d16e2dc7fbba58b>, two <https://
> www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/Portrait-of-William-III-King-of-
> the-Netherlands--1dc97a69a7d3b06c0426a59a49f5a1a2?tab=data>, three
> <https://kmska.be/en/masterpiece/king-willem-i>, four <https://
> collections.brightonmuseums.org.uk/records/5e9765d6c7e3110017476adf>,
> five <https://www.parismuseescollections.paris.fr/fr/musee-carnavalet/
> oeuvres/portrait-de-charles-x-1757-1836-roi-de-france-en-costume-de-
> sacre#infos-principales>) and this painting of a crown (link <https://
> open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KKSgb6220>).
>
> My preference is for the last one <https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/
> KKSgb6220> (and I’ve uploaded it to the database <https://
> standardebooks.org/artworks/david-hartmann/rudolf-iis-krone>). It’s not
> the right era or style of crown, but I think it looks the coolest and is
> just fine for the preface on the nature of democracy.
>
> just fine for the preface on the nature of democracy.
>
> --
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Asher Smith
Jan 3, 2026, 3:33:12 AMJan 3
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Cool - in that case, this is ready for review.
I’ve done some photoshop to extend the table below the crown on the cover art so that it fits more nicely; I’m assuming that that’s OK.
I’ve done some photoshop to extend the table below the crown on the cover art so that it fits more nicely; I’m assuming that that’s OK.
Emma Sweeney
Jan 4, 2026, 1:32:56 AMJan 4
to Standard Ebooks
Great work! I filed some issues in the repository.
Vince
Jan 4, 2026, 1:58:27 AMJan 4
to Ebooks Standard
Up to Alex, of course, but I thought this has come up before and he said no. We remove text from first edition covers, and make minor color adjustments, but IIRC he didn’t want actual changes to the painting.
> On Jan 3, 2026, at 3:32 PM, Asher Smith <forlackofa...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> …
> On Jan 3, 2026, at 3:32 PM, Asher Smith <forlackofa...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> …
Emma Sweeney
Jan 4, 2026, 2:54:28 AMJan 4
to Standard Ebooks
There is a crown in Portrait de Charles X (1757-1836), roi de France, en costume de sacre by François Gérard. Here is a close crop:
Emma
Asher Smith
Jan 4, 2026, 3:15:08 AMJan 4
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Excellent catch, Emma. I didn’t even notice that it was in that portrait. Frankly that’s a much better crown for the period - I’ll change to that.
Emma Sweeney
Jan 4, 2026, 3:26:34 AMJan 4
to Standard Ebooks
OK, I'll add it to the art db.
Emma
Asher Smith
Jan 4, 2026, 4:27:12 AMJan 4
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Cheers! I’ve swapped the art and removed the old one from the commit history, so I think it’s ready for another review.
Emma Sweeney
Jan 4, 2026, 11:32:50 PMJan 4
to Standard Ebooks
I've reviewed again and submitted a couple issues.
Emma
Emma Sweeney
Jan 5, 2026, 5:03:12 PMJan 5
to Standard Ebooks
Alex, this is ready for you.
Emma
Alex Cabal
Jan 5, 2026, 5:14:59 PMJan 5
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This ebook was produced by Asher Smith. Thanks Asher!
Ebook URL:
https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/george-bernard-shaw/the-apple-cart
GitHub URL:
https://github.com/standardebooks/george-bernard-shaw_the-apple-cart
Ebook URL:
https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/george-bernard-shaw/the-apple-cart
GitHub URL:
https://github.com/standardebooks/george-bernard-shaw_the-apple-cart
Alex Cabal
Jan 5, 2026, 5:15:35 PMJan 5
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Great work Asher, thanks.
Remember to review the changes that modernize-spelling makes. In this
case it removed hyphens for what were two stretched-out words; I've
restored them.
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/0d214772-5a47-4cc7-8a62-9d1c24615bd9n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
Remember to review the changes that modernize-spelling makes. In this
case it removed hyphens for what were two stretched-out words; I've
restored them.
> --
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