I got home late tonight and checked my e-mail, there was a link from my step mom to some old book that was being published again here in Iceland. Anyway, the link was to protest the book. I don't recall reading this book as a kid but I remember the song being sung in school. I found some blogs about the book and was completely shocked, it's a book translated from English and the name of it is "Ten Little Niggers". WTF, and people are calling this book a work of art and republishing it is holding on to our history and culture. I DON'T THINK SO! (Even thought the Icelandic translation isn't as cruel as the English version, it's the fact that this book has a racist history and it is not something you market as a children's book).The fact that my society is accepting this book and it might be read to kids makes me feel sick. Is this really my heritage? I feel like my country's mentality is similar to a sad little ignorant Ku Klux Klan town in the South; except we're close to the arctic and have nicer homes.
This is the text which is in the book....
Ten little nigger boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were Nine.
Nine little nigger boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were Eight.
Eight little nigger boys traveling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were Seven.
Seven little nigger boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were Six.
Six little nigger boys playing with a hive;
A bumble bee stung one and then there were Five.
Five little nigger boys going in for law;
One got into Chancery and then there were Four.
Four little nigger boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three.
Three little nigger boys walking in the Zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were Two.
Two little nigger boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was One.
One little nigger boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were None.
