2906: And Then There Were None Dec 5, 2024

Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None holds the distinction of being not only the best-selling mystery novel of all time but also a text with a complex history of title changes, reflecting shifting cultural sensitivities. Originally published in 1939 under the title Ten Little N******, the book took its name from a British nursery rhyme central to the plot. In the United States, the title was softened to Ten Little Indians, another reference to the rhyme, though also incredibly racially insensitive. By the mid-20th century, recognising the inappropriateness of these terms, the book was renamed And Then There Were None, derived from the rhyme's final line and resonating with the novel's chilling denouement. The rhyme is crucial to the plot of the book, and features heavily, but many editions will now write “ten little soldiers…” instead.