Fleming was not James Bond, but even before his death in 1964 the character Fleming created had taken on a life of his own in books, films, and myth. Well educated, from a wealthy, upper-crust family, Fleming was a desk-bound naval intelligence officer, mediocre stock broker, and newspaper correspondent before writing Casino Royale at age 44, the same year he married and fathered a son. Thirteen more Bond books followed, two posthumously, and the 17th Bond film came out in 1995. Lycett, a British foreign correspondent for various newspapers, had access to more papers and people than did John Pearson in his Life of Ian Fleming (1966). He has produced a thoroughly researched, definitive portrayal of a complex man who was rarely at peace with himself, a man who had a worldwide network of friends and acquaintances but died at age 56 in self-imposed loneliness. Lycett has also succeeded in separating the author from the phenomenon while putting both in the context of their times. Recommended for biography, literature, and cultural history collections.Roland Person, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
Sportsman, womanizer, naval commander, world-traveler, and spy, the creator of the Cold War's archetypal secret agent was infinitely more complex and interesting than his iconic fictional character, Agent 007. Fleming's wide-ranging and exciting life inevitably provided the plausible backdrop for his Bond novels. Highly regarded in British naval intelligence for his international contacts, he master-minded numerous top secret operations, including “Golden Eye,” which is uncovered here for the first time. He was also fundamental in shaping the prototype CIA. Two months before his wedding to Ann O'Neill, the widow of a friend with whom he'd carried on a passionate affair for fifteen years, Fleming sat down to write his first book, Casino Royale, in order to soothe his nerves. Thus began the long line of Bond novels for which he would earn lasting fame.
Sportsman, womanizer, naval commander, world-traveler, and spy, the creator of the Cold War's archetypal secret agent was infinitely more complex and interesting than his iconic fictional character, Agent 007. Fleming's wide-ranging and exciting life inevitably provided the plausible backdrop for his Bond novels. Highly regarded in British naval intelligence for his international contacts, he master-minded numerous top secret operations, including “Golden Eye,” which is uncovered here for the first time. He was also fundamental in shaping the prototype CIA. Two months before his wedding to Ann O'Neill, the widow of a friend with whom he'd carried on a passionate affair for fifteen years, Fleming sat down to write his first book, Casino Royale, in order to soothe his nerves. Thus began the long line of Bond novels for which he would earn lasting fame.
Ian Fleming: The Man behind James Bond
Ian Fleming: The Man behind James Bond
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940169902150 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Blackstone Audio, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 04/07/2010 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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