- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: John Murray (24 Oct 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0719568153
- ISBN-13: 978-0719568152
- Product Dimensions: 25.1 x 19.8 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 493,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
‘I wish Henry had written this book three years ago. It really does tell you everything you need to know about Ian Fleming and the creation of James Bond, the most popular English literary hero of the 20th century. It's not just for Bond nuts, though, the fantastic material from Fleming's own archives give you a vivid picture of the world that Bond sprang from.’
(Charlie Higson, author of 'Young Bond' series )‘You come away from James Bond unsure where Fleming ends and Bond begins ... excellent ... It points out how Fleming was playing with the notion of a character built out of consumption’
(GQ )‘Excellent ... an absolute must for all fans ... a totally unique look at 007 and his creator’
(Charles Helfenstein, CommanderBond.net )'Much more interesting than an uber-fan's scrapbook'
(Sunday Telegraph/Seven, Michael Prodger )For Your Eyes Only
M reached for his in-basket and took out a file of signals. Without looking up he said "Look after yourself."
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you've ever ploughed your way through a Ian Fleming biography just to get to the part where he creates Bond - this is the book for you. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this volume gives a real taste of the era when Fleming was alive and creating the James Bond novels. Access to the Ian Fleming archive gives the book a lavish feel, and plots, characters and backgrounds to the stories are given in-depth but entertaining analysis. The 007 films have long cast a shadow over the original source material, which has always been wittier and more interesting in many ways. At last, Chancellor's book addresses the balance.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I like this book. The author has really thought about how it should look and styled it in a way that looks retro-60s. The writing is a breeze but incredibly informative, putting into one work many observations others have made about Bond and adding some fresh air. There are real period-piece pictures throughout - very nice.
Chancellor hits the nail on the head by tying Bond directly to the consumerism of the age - the 1960s, explaining Bond's mass appeal to the masses. It gives a great deal of time to the books but there a real problem emerges.
The books have almost nothing to do with the 1960s, the films nothing to do with the 1950s - with which the Bond books deal. So, while Chancellor assures us that Bond's success was due to the changing appetites of consumers, this did not take place until the 1960s. Therefore, a large part of this book is a decade out on its conclusions. Yes, some 1950s influences are mentioned but it seems to suggest that everything in the sixties was swinging (they often weren't)and Bond swung with them. So, a confusion emerges, is the book about the books or the films?
But, as I have to like this book, this is easily forgiven: the sixties were the birthplace of shallow consumerism and the Bond character was - as Chancellor suggests - propelled along by their success. Just be sure to check on the 1950s and Bond: that decade really did exist.
There is one BIG problem. Because this is the official history and clearly supported by the Ian Fleming Foundation, some areas are entirely glossed over. Chancellor gives us a brief biography of Fleming but sometimes touches on really serious stuff and then simply moves on - as if to say, 'I better not put that in'. For example, The Spy Who Loved Me was awful and Fleming suggests (he does in other Bond works) that women like the 'tang of semi-rape'. Andrew Lycett's Ian Fleming is far more direct - and far less influenced - in this respect.
On balance, a very good and lovely to have book. It deals in detail with the critics and the books but the literary era of the 1950s (the setting for most of the Bond books) is not explored. In fairness, they weren't as much fun as the 1960s, and this means that this book will give the 1960s onwards filmgoers access to the 1950s books A good place to start peeling back the layers.
Chancellor hits the nail on the head by tying Bond directly to the consumerism of the age - the 1960s, explaining Bond's mass appeal to the masses. It gives a great deal of time to the books but there a real problem emerges.
The books have almost nothing to do with the 1960s, the films nothing to do with the 1950s - with which the Bond books deal. So, while Chancellor assures us that Bond's success was due to the changing appetites of consumers, this did not take place until the 1960s. Therefore, a large part of this book is a decade out on its conclusions. Yes, some 1950s influences are mentioned but it seems to suggest that everything in the sixties was swinging (they often weren't)and Bond swung with them. So, a confusion emerges, is the book about the books or the films?
But, as I have to like this book, this is easily forgiven: the sixties were the birthplace of shallow consumerism and the Bond character was - as Chancellor suggests - propelled along by their success. Just be sure to check on the 1950s and Bond: that decade really did exist.
There is one BIG problem. Because this is the official history and clearly supported by the Ian Fleming Foundation, some areas are entirely glossed over. Chancellor gives us a brief biography of Fleming but sometimes touches on really serious stuff and then simply moves on - as if to say, 'I better not put that in'. For example, The Spy Who Loved Me was awful and Fleming suggests (he does in other Bond works) that women like the 'tang of semi-rape'. Andrew Lycett's Ian Fleming is far more direct - and far less influenced - in this respect.
On balance, a very good and lovely to have book. It deals in detail with the critics and the books but the literary era of the 1950s (the setting for most of the Bond books) is not explored. In fairness, they weren't as much fun as the 1960s, and this means that this book will give the 1960s onwards filmgoers access to the 1950s books A good place to start peeling back the layers.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
There are scores of books around about the James Bond movie series, however, this one is unusual in that - bar a few rare paragraphs - it focuses almost entirely on the books that inspired the movies. This is a long overdue concept and a fascinating read.
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