British mystery author Agatha Christie’s work is the latest to have been slapped by a sensitive censor, and the move comes after weeks of controversy over adaptations of her works. Roald Dahland Ian Fleming and more.
New editions of the Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries published by HarperCollins have rewritten or removed some passages for modern audiences, particularly for passages about characters encountered outside the UK, according to The Guardian.
One example changes the word “native” to “local” while others remove racial slurs or racially offensive language, including the terms “oriental” and the “N-word”.
England, Devon, Glampton, Agatha Christie’s holiday home Greenway, The library, displaying Agatha Christie’s novels (Photo: Ducasse/Universal Image Collection via Getty Images) (Photo: Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The UK Telegraph reported that references to racially charged physical descriptions were also removed from the remakes, including those describing the characters as black, Jewish or gypsy.
One from the 1964 novel “A Caribbean Mystery” removed a reference to a hotel worker’s “beautiful white teeth,” while another from the 1937 “Death on the Nile” cut back a section complaining about children, removing one that says, “Their eyes are simply revolting, and so are their noses.” “.
Additional alterations included erasing references to Nubians in “Death on the Nile”, with one instance condensing “Nubian Mallah” to simply say “Mallah”.
English writer Lady Agatha Christie, in March 1946, poses for a photographer holding a notebook, at her home, Greenway House, in Devonshire. (AFP via Getty Images)
Similar adaptations of Dahl and Fleming’s classic novels caused a stir last month when allusions to racist, sexist, homophobic or homophobic language were omitted from the new editions, in order to keep the appeal to modern sensibilities.
Some, notably Dahl’s writings, have been modified to include more “unisex” terms.
Allergy readers have also clamped down on other popular series that are more recent, including cult favorite R.L. Stine. Horror series “Goosebumps” Published in the 1990s, references to weight, mental health, and race that could be considered offensive by modern audiences were removed and amended.
British mystery author Agatha Christie (1890-1976) autographs French editions of her books, circa 1950. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Stine has responded to accusations that he authorized the changes, tweeting earlier this month, “The stories are not true. I haven’t changed a word in ‘Goosebumps.’ I haven’t seen any changes.”
But mid-century authors such as Dahl, Fleming, and Christie became the focal point for softening offensive language to meet 21st-century ideals as culture becomes increasingly focused on diversity, inclusion, and acceptance.
Fox News Digital She reached out to HarperCollins for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Click here for the FOX NEWS app