Agatha Christie novels edited to remove potentially offensive language

Mar 27, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer/Editor)

Another set of classic books are set to be rewritten based on language that could be considered offensive. Straight Arrow News has already reported on Roald Dahl, Ian Fleming, and R.L. Stine books being altered. Now, Agatha Christie’s books will be read a little differently.

Christie’s novels are the latest classics to become censored. Christie’s “Poirot” and “Miss Marple” mystery novels will have language rewritten and some sections removed entirely.

Descriptions of characters’ appearances have been taken out. Terms such as “Oriental,” “Jewish,” “Natives,” and “Gypsy” have been removed.

Similar edits were made to Roald Dahl books and R.L. Stine’s popular “Goosebumps” series. In Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, a disclaimer paragraph is now included off the top that warns content could be considered offensive by modern readers.

Publishing house HarperCollins has approved the revisions for new prints of Christie’s novels.

Agatha Christie is no longer around to approve such edits of her work. She was born in 1890 and died at the age of 85. She is considered a pioneer author in murder mysteries.

Tags: Books, Roald Dahl

KARAH RUCKER: ANOTHER SET OF CLASSIC BOOKS ARE SET TO BE RE-WRITTEN BASED ON LANGUAGE THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE. WE’VE ALREADY TOLD YOU ABOUT ROALD DAHL, IAN FLEMING, AND R.L. STINE BOOKS BEING ALTERED. NOW AGATHA CHRISTIE’S BOOKS WILL READ A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.

IT’S THE LATEST CLASSIC COLLECTION TO BECOME CENSORED – CHRISTIE’S POIROT AND MISS MARPLE MYSTERY NOVELS WILL HAVE LANGUAGE REWRITTEN AND SOME SECTIONS REMOVED ENTIRELY.

DESCRIPTIONS OF CHARACTERS’ APPEARANCES HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT. TERMS SUCH AS “ORIENTAL”, “JEWISH”, “NATIVES”, AND “GYPSY” HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

SIMILAR EDITS WERE MADE TO ROALD DAHL BOOKS AND R.L STINE’S POPULAR GOOSEBUMPS SERIES. AND IN IAN FLEMING’S JAMES BOND NOVELS – A DISCLAIMER PARAGRAPH IS NOW INCLUDED OFF THE TOP THAT WARNS CONTENT COULD BE CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE BY MODERN READERS.

PUBLISHING HOUSE “HARPER COLLINS” HAS APPROVED THE REVISIONS FOR NEW PRINTS OF CHRISTIE’S NOVELS.

AGATHA CHRISTIE IS NO LONGER AROUND TO APPROVE SUCH EDITS OF HER WORK.SHE WAS BORN IN 1890 AND DIED AT THE AGE OF 85 – CONSIDERED A PIONEER AUTHOR IN MURDER MYSTERIES.