Racist words in ‘James Bond’ novels should be changed – criticism of America’s most dangerous man

British author Ian Fleming’s “James Bond” novels will be reissued for the 70th anniversary of the book series, with terms and references that today might be considered offensive removed and changed.

This was confirmed by the company Ian Fleming Publications, which is owned by Fleming’s descendants and manages the rights to the novels and short stories about secret agent 007. De Telegraaf had previously reported on the controversial changes.

Ian Fleming Publications (IFP) announced that “some racist words now likely to cause much offense” have been changed, “remaining as close to the original text and time as possible”. The new edition books should also include the warning that the novels were written at a time when some concepts and attitudes that could be problematic today were commonplace.

The changes aren’t just controversial among “James Bond” fans. The Flemish biographer Andrew Lycett was also critical. “It is never good to change what an author has written. This smacks of censorship,” Lycett wrote in The Independent. Certain passages in the “James Bond” novels no longer seem contemporary. It’s a testament to the attitude of the author – and society – at every turn, whether Shakespeare, Dickens or Ian Fleming.”

Ian Fleming Publications said the changes were based on the US edition of the 1954 novel Live And Let Die. Fleming herself then agreed to changes for US publication because some terms in the novel “were already problematic in America in the mid-1950s “. The other books are now also based on this model. A few remained completely unchanged, including Ian Fleming’s 007 debut Casino Royale from 1953.

Previously there were discussions about adaptations to children’s books by Roald Dahl. The responsible publisher eventually announced that it would also publish an unaltered edition of the classics. Lycett also suspects financial motives for the publishers. Time is running out for Ian Fleming Publications. In 2034, 70 years after the death of author Fleming, copyright expires. Then “James Bond” goes into the public domain and anyone can publish the novels in any modified form. (aeg/sda/dpa)