Adapted for the 21st century
Publisher deactivated Agatha Christie novels

03/29/2023, 10:45 (updated)

The linguistic shift doesn’t stop at the greatest crime writer of all time. Some of his novels have been revised and republished due to insults or racism. Christie is not the first major literary figure to have this happen posthumously.

Several novels by British novelist Agatha Christie (1890-1976) appear to have been edited to remove passages of potentially offensive language. According to the newspaper “The TelegraphIn the case of the “Poirot” and “Miss Marple” cases that arose between 1920 and 1976, passages in new editions were revised or removed, according to the report. The aim was, therefore, to free the works from the language and descriptions that the modern public encounters. offensive.

According to the Telegraph, for example, in a new edition published recently, a passage featuring the figure of a British tourist venting her frustration on a group of children was edited. Several references to smiling people and comments about her teeth and physique have also been removed, more examples are given.

The works of Ian Fleming and Roald Dahl also changed.

Previously, works by other renowned authors had also been published. Ian Fleming’s (1908-1964) “Bond” books, for example, will be republished, adapted for the 21st century, as The Sunday Telegraph wrote in February. Some designations for ethnic groups and minorities on the books are simply no longer acceptable today. Certainly the debate about sexism, which the early parts of the film series also grapple with, should also play a role.

Therefore, the publisher Ian Fleming Publications has hired specialists to deal with the texts and identify the relevant passages. For these and other reasons, the works of Roald Dahl (1916-1990) “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” or “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) were later modified.

(This article was first published on Monday, March 27, 2023.)