"When you publish a book, it's the world's book. The world edits it"

This quote by Philip Roth speaks with the concept that once a book is published, it is no longer the author's alone. It is now open to the interpretation and criticism of the world. The author has relinquished control of the book and it is now in the hands of the general public. The world will now edit the book, not simply in the sense of making modifications to the text, but in the sense of how it is gotten and interpreted. The author needs to accept that the book will be evaluated and critiqued by the public, which the general public's opinion of the book will shape its legacy. The author should be prepared to accept that the world will modify the book in ways that they might not have meant.