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The Man with the Golden Typewriter: Ian Fleming´s James Bond Letters
Fergus (Ed) Fleming
€ 15.31
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Description for The Man with the Golden Typewriter: Ian Fleming´s James Bond Letters
Paperback. .
On 16 August 1952, Ian Fleming wrote to his wife, Ann, `My love, This is only a tiny letter to try out my new typewriter and to see if it will write golden words since it is made of gold'. He had bought the gold-plated typewriter as a present to himself for finishing his first novel, Casino Royale. It marked in glamorous style the arrival of James Bond, agent 007, and the start of a career that saw Fleming become one of the world's most celebrated thriller writers. And he did write golden words. Before his death in 1964 he produced fourteen bestselling Bond books, two works of non-fiction and the famous children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang. Fleming's output was matched by an equally energetic flow of letters. He wrote constantly, to his wife, publisher, editors, fans, friends and critics, charting 007's progress with correspondence that ranged from badgering Jonathan Cape about his quota of free copies -- a coin was tossed; Fleming lost - to apologising for having mistaken a certain brand of perfume and for equipping Bond with the wrong kind of gun. His letters also reflect his friendships with contemporaries such as Raymond Chandler, Noel Coward and Somerset Maugham. Before the world-famous films came the world-famous novels. This books tells the story of the man who wrote them and how he created spy fiction's most compelling hero.
Product Details
Publisher
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format
Paperback
Publication date
2016
Condition
New
Weight
335g
Number of Pages
400
Place of Publication
London, United Kingdom
ISBN
9781408865507
SKU
V9781408865507
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 7 to 11 working days
Ref
99-28
About Fergus (Ed) Fleming
Fergus Fleming is Ian Fleming's nephew. He is the author of several other non-fiction books including Barrow's Boys, Killing Dragons and Ninety Degrees North. He is also the co-publisher of Queen Anne Press.
Reviews for The Man with the Golden Typewriter: Ian Fleming´s James Bond Letters
Ian Fleming writes with a kind of pushing, bloodcurdling elegance. His thrillers are models of fastidious murder
New York Times
Fleming is splendid; he stops at nothing
New Statesman
Entertaining and revealing
The Times
Constantly entertaining ... still so much here to amuse and inform ... But it is Fleming's replies to his picky readers that supply the most fun ... The most sobering and self-effacing appraisal of Fleming's achievements emerges from his correspondence with Raymond Chandler, to which Fergus Fleming devotes a brilliant chapter
Observer
It has great appeal ... These friendly, knockabout letters are a treat, although the steely eyed attention of the editors makes it difficult to go back to the Bond books with a straight face ... Writing to fans and friends, Fleming is modest, quick-witted and able to stand at substantial ironic distance from the books he refers to as opuscula
Sunday Telegraph
To anyone who has ever worked on a book - writing one, editing one, marketing one, publishing one - or, heck, even just read one, this volume is a giant stalk of catnip ... Irresistible... Fergus Fleming, Ian's nephew and an author in his own right, writes the introduction and serves as the collection's Jeeves throughout, providing his services when droll and illuminating context is required but otherwise quietly stepping out of the way
New York Times
A revelation ... The letters are full of good jokes ... Interesting and entertaining
Nicholas Lezard
Guardian
If Bond was Fleming's carbon copy, then this book is the photographic negative of the novels ... Edited and elaborated upon by his nephew Fergus, this book collates those letters, painting a fascinating portrait of Bond's creator, revealing a man of keen wit and charm ... they progress in tandem with the Bond saga, offering insight into his bestselling series
Gentleman's Journal
New York Times
Fleming is splendid; he stops at nothing
New Statesman
Entertaining and revealing
The Times
Constantly entertaining ... still so much here to amuse and inform ... But it is Fleming's replies to his picky readers that supply the most fun ... The most sobering and self-effacing appraisal of Fleming's achievements emerges from his correspondence with Raymond Chandler, to which Fergus Fleming devotes a brilliant chapter
Observer
It has great appeal ... These friendly, knockabout letters are a treat, although the steely eyed attention of the editors makes it difficult to go back to the Bond books with a straight face ... Writing to fans and friends, Fleming is modest, quick-witted and able to stand at substantial ironic distance from the books he refers to as opuscula
Sunday Telegraph
To anyone who has ever worked on a book - writing one, editing one, marketing one, publishing one - or, heck, even just read one, this volume is a giant stalk of catnip ... Irresistible... Fergus Fleming, Ian's nephew and an author in his own right, writes the introduction and serves as the collection's Jeeves throughout, providing his services when droll and illuminating context is required but otherwise quietly stepping out of the way
New York Times
A revelation ... The letters are full of good jokes ... Interesting and entertaining
Nicholas Lezard
Guardian
If Bond was Fleming's carbon copy, then this book is the photographic negative of the novels ... Edited and elaborated upon by his nephew Fergus, this book collates those letters, painting a fascinating portrait of Bond's creator, revealing a man of keen wit and charm ... they progress in tandem with the Bond saga, offering insight into his bestselling series
Gentleman's Journal