Ian Fleming would have wanted Bond books to be edited, estate says

Ian Fleming would have wanted his James Bond books to be edited so modern readers can enjoy them, his estate has said.

Their defence comes after The Telegraph revealed the 007 thrillers have been stripped of potentially offensive racial terms following a review by sensitivity readers.

The books are set to be reissued in the Spring of 2023.

Defending the decision to alter the books, the Fleming estate said it acted for “readers’ enjoyment” and “new audiences”.

It said: “Some racial words likely to cause great offence now, and detract from a reader’s enjoyment, have been altered, while keeping as close as possible to the original text and the period.”

Ian Fleming Publications added: “In James Bond, Ian Fleming created one of the most famous literary characters in history. His books deserve to be read and enjoyed as much now as when they were written.

“We believe the new Bond editions will extend their pleasure to new audiences. We are certain that is something Ian Fleming would have wanted.”

It said there was a discussion before a decision was made to edit the books, adding: “As the author’s literary estate and now publishers, what responsibility did we have, if any, to review the original texts? We consulted with a number of external parties but ultimately decided that, rather than making changes in line with their advice, it was instead most appropriate to look for guidance from the author himself.”

Fleming himself authorised changes to a US edition of Live and Learn Die in the 1950s, and the estate said this was the example they followed, after consulting with “external parties”.  This includes, the Telegraph understands, sensitivity readers.

The statement comes following a backlash against the changes, which removed it reworked and number of depictions of black people in the Bond books.

The Telegraph revealed that in addition to these changes a disclaimer would accompany the new editions, cautioning readers about their content.

It is understood to state:  “This book was written at a time when terms and attitudes which might be considered offensive by modern readers were commonplace.

“A number of updates have been made in this edition, while keeping as close as possible to the original text and the period in which it is set.”

Dated references to other ethnicities remain, such as Bond’s racial terms for east Asian people and the spy’s disparaging views of the Korean character Oddjob.

References to the “sweet tang of rape”, “blithering women” failing to do a “man’s work”, and homosexuality being a “stubborn disability” also remain.

The Bond changes came after passages from Roald Dahl’s books were purged on the advice of cultural sensitivity experts hired by Puffin.