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James Bond books by Ian Fleming to follow in the steps of Roald Dahl amid reports they will be edited for 70th anniversary of 007

First it was Roald Dahl, now the books of James Bond creator Ian Fleming are apparently being edited to suit modern sensibilities.

According to a report in the Sunday Telegraph, a number of racist and sexist terms are being removed ahead of the 70th anniversary of the author's most famous creation.

Author Ian Fleming's books are to be edited ahead of 70th anniversary. Picture; Philip Young
Author Ian Fleming's books are to be edited ahead of 70th anniversary. Picture; Philip Young

Fleming bought a property, White Cliffs, at St Margaret's Bay, near Dover, and was a member of Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich.

He also wrote parts of You Only Live Twice in the Duck Inn in Pett Bottom, near Canterbury.

The report says the books' publisher has commissioned a review by "sensitivity readers" to remove offensive terms.

Most notably, the N-word is removed - a term Fleming regularly used when referring to black people when he wrote the books which spawned the movie franchise during the 1950s and 60s.

In another incident, a striptease scene is removed in Live and Let Die.

Ian Fleming's former beach house at St Margaret's Bay
Ian Fleming's former beach house at St Margaret's Bay

The move comes hot on the heels of edits to Roald Dahl books to remove offensive terms for a modern audience.

References within the classic children’s books relating to weight, mental health, violence, gender and race have been cut and rewritten - critics to the move included Sir Salman Rushdie and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Publisher Puffin later confirmed it was to publish the Roald Dahl Classic Collection - a move to ensure the original versions remained in print.

Ian Fleming wrote a dozen 007 novels and a number of short stories. He died in Canterbury after suffering a heart attack in 1964.

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