The Life of Ian Fleming

By John George Pearson

Book Overview

It is now 50 years since the premiere of Dr No, the very first Bond film, with Sean Connery introducting 007 as the glamorous secret agent who would become the single most profitable movie character in the history of cinema. But James Bond was invented by one man, Ian Fleming, a wartime intelligence officer and Sunday Times newspaper man who lived to see only the very beginning of the Bond cult.

John Pearson's famous biography remains the definitive account of how only Ian Fleming could have dreamed up James Bond, for he led a life as colourful as anything in his fiction, which in turn became a covert autobiography. Charming, debonair and a ruthless womaniser, globetrotting from wartime Algiers to beachside Jamaica, Fleming was as elusive and opaque as his imaginary creation.

In his new introduction, John Pearson examines the extent to which Fleming's character informs even the most recent movie portrayals of his hero, and how Bond himself has achieved immortality beyond his creator's wildest dreams.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1448208068
• ISBN13: 9781448208067
• Release Date: April 2013
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Length: 518 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The Man with the Golden Typewriter

John Pearson's biography of Ian Lancaster Fleming tells all about the checkered career of this writer. Fleming's grandfather became a millionaire through his banking investment trusts in American railroads. Fleming's father was a banker, country squire, Member of Parliament, and Major. Young Ian was the second son and a difficult child who had troubles at schools. Fleming was sent to Europe to learn French, German, and Russian; all practical skills for his future as a reporter (spy trials in Moscow) and Commander in Naval Intelligence during WW II. Fleming set up an "Intelligence Commando" to quickly seize information from freshly captured enemy command posts. "Advance Unit 30" was commemorated in the "AU 30" license plate on Goldfinger's limousine. Great success came around 50 with his action novels, and the films of these stories. These films have been successes for over 40 years, even when they repeat earlier stories and the action scenes therein. Fleming had an important career as a journalist before his fame as the author of "James Bond". He often used the names of friends and relatives for characters in his books. "Quarrel" was based on Red Grant, whose name was used for the killer in "From Russia With Love". When these novels gained popularity after 1961 "James Bond" was criticized for his cruelty, hedonism, and amorality. When you read this biography you will understand the basis for this fictional character. Fleming was a model for some of these deeds, but "James Bond" is the fantasy character Fleming wanted to be (pp.177-178). The last half of this book covers Fleming's last twelve years, when he found fame and fortune as an author. The continuing films keep his memory alive, unlike John Buchan or E. Philip Oppenheim. The existing censorship at the time prevented any mention of Ian Fleming's meeting with J. Edgar hoover in July 1941. Fleming brought Dusko Popov, Yugoslav playboy, Nazi spy, and British double-agent to tell of Popov's orders to spy on Pearl Harbor. Hoover wasn't interested, and Popov was then forced to leave the country.

An Enlightening Work

This book is the best account of the author of the James Bond novels, Ian Fleming's, life yet. Written in 1965-1966, it is the one and only biography of Fleming that was written with true research by the author. Pearson's biography is also drawn on personel expiriences (he worked with Fleming on the Sunday Times for many years). Many excerpts of interviews with people who knew Fleming, or stayed at his house Goldeneye, have been included, and statements by close friends are plentifull. This book is to be read for pleasure, other biographies of Fleming (e.g. Andre Lycett's Ian Fleming: the man behind James Bond) are to be navigated through using an index. An excellent book.

Glosses over some aspects of his life

This book was written while Fleming's wife Anne was still alive, so out of respect for her, many details of his affairs during their marriage were left out. Otherwise, this is a fantastic account of the life of this amazing man, the details of his career in Naval Intelligence during WWII are fascinating. The little points you see here and there that are later reflecting in one of his Bond novels are always neat to pick up on.