How come many people are shocked to find out the original title of the book And then there were none?

Question

Ten Little Indians was the second title.
I am talking about the original title

But is Changing an authors intended words a crime?

Answer 1

The title was changed for purely marketing reasons. They decided with the passage of time the original and even the second title just would not sell as well with the public. It's a matter of publisher's greed versus author's talent. In this case, I don't think the changes they made really did any harm to the book, and I believe they were made with Christie's permission. It's when the publisher does it without the author's permission and it affects the writing that it becomes wrong to do.

Answer 2

I found a book by Christie called Murder in Retrospect and it was pretty old, it took me a while to find out that it was being sold as Five Little Pigs. I might be surprised to hear of a change in the title of a book but would probably not be shocked. An author or publisher can take such a decision anytime and I believe they have a right to do so.

Answer 3

I don't think it's a crime, but i don't think it should have been changed. Even though it may not be socially accepted terminoligy, it's still freedom of speech. I think it also serves to illustrate society at the time that certain novels were written. Subject matter, themes, even titles can be very reflective of social issyues and ways of thinking at a given time in history.

Answer 4

well, in this morally/socially/whatever accepted language a girlfriend/wife is an unpaid sex provider. It sounds worse than the word in original title.

Answer 5

Because that word is no longer acceptable in today's society.