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H**S
A must read for all James Bond fans!
Edward Abel Smith's latest book (be sure to read his first also) is a compelling, educational and well-written book covering the life behind the author of the world's favourite fictional spy character. The book cleverly uses the titles of the James Bond novels as chapters and references back, in a chronological order, to Ian Fleming's life and the influence on the 007 books. There is a treasure trove of wonderful insights into how and why Fleming typecast James Bond as he did.For me, the most interesting aspect of this remarkable book is the 'behind the scenes' access to Fleming's life before, during and after he brought James Bond to life through his writing. For example, and at this stage I should say 'spoiler alert(!)', I had no idea how influential Ian Fleming was during WW2, to the point of writing a plan for the establishment of what is now known as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the US. The father of James Bond essentially created the CIA! Remarkable.A fascinating read with sadly, an unhappy but factual end to it with the final pages covering the demise of the Fleming family through ill health, fading relationships and suicide. A must read for all James Bond fans to get deep into the detail of where our dashing and daring 007 was created.
M**T
Great book, great author
Mr Able Smith gave a talk on this book - fascinating. A very good read
R**R
An ideal gift for Bond fans.
Ian Fleming’s Inspiration: The Truth Behind The Books is a biography and shows us how much of Fleming’s real life experiences influenced and can be found in his creation of the James Bond stories.Written in easy-to-read chapters which show the connections between either a novel or short story written by Fleming, Edward Smith has formulated an interesting look at one of Britain’s most famous fictional spies.I was fascinated by Fleming's career through journalism, then in a role as assistant to the Head of Naval Intelligence during the war. Here he gained much of his inspiration for the spy elements of his books. After the war, Fleming bought a property in Jamaica, and his love for this country shone through in his books, with several of them featuring Jamaican settings.I also discovered that Fleming wrote Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang. Thinking back to the film version of this book, I can now recognise some of Fleming’s themes such as gadgets and inventions, plus the darker side of war and spying, and of course a beautiful leading lady.With the legacy that is James Bond living on, even after the author’s death, this book would make an ideal gift for Bond fans.
A**H
Excellent
This is a wonderfully well researched and insightful book which reveals the connections between Ian Fleming's own experience and the Bond book plots. Abel Smith deals sensitively with Fleming's private life and realistically pieces together the connections which make the Bond stories so compelling.
D**E
Amazing
Amazing book.
A**N
Truth stranger than fiction
I’m not particularly a James Bond fan, and certainly enjoy the books more than the films, but this fascinating exploration about Ian Fleming’s life and how it relates to the fictional character he created I found both absorbing and enlightening. If some of Bond’s exploits seem far-fetched then this book shows how real-life can also sometimes seem far-fetched. It’s an insightful biography, demonstrating how Fleming drew on his own experiences for his books and one that will appeal both to the die-hard Bond fan, who will find much to interest them here, as well as to the general reader. A really good read.
M**J
Not an easy read
I purchased this for my husband as he likes all things regarding 'James Bond'. He struggled to read the book & hasn't finished it but put it on the bookshelf to maybe return to at another time!
S**L
Poor
This really is not very good. A short book of limited research with lots of material taken from a small number of books. Is there anything in it that is actually new?Good idea but it seems rushed and misses out on many pieces of research that one assumes would be in it.The best thing about it is the cover which is very good.
R**N
Historical background for the Bond novels
Well researched book about the historical background for the Fleming Bond novels. Just wish it was checked for typos, i.e. "court marshall" instead of the correct "court martial".
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