So, how does this sort of thing work in the publishing world?

I would have assumed that when an author makes a book deal with a publisher did it gives them the right to print the author's work with limits potentially on the number of copies or how long they had the printing rights- sort of like licensing agreements work.

If that was the case, they wouldn't be able to change anything without the author's consent, but it sounds like they can. What are his rights in this case? It's his name that they slap on the cover as the author can he demand that they remove it if the work has been edited without his consent?