Book Review: For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond
This is a review of For Your Eyes Only – Ian Fleming and James Bond (published April 7, 2008). This book is an interesting work about both James Bond and his creator, and is intended to be a companion piece to the current exhibit at the Imperial War Museum in London (see “Ian Fleming’s “James Bond” Letters Fetch Nearly $30,000 at Auction“).
Overview (from the publisher)
Synopsis
A riveting look into the world of James Bond and his creator, published on the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth.
In For Your Eyes Only, Ben Macintyre reveals where the world of Ian Fleming ends and the world of James Bond begins. Macintyre looks at the actual people on whom the writer based his fictional creations-friends, colleagues, lovers, and, of course, the notorious villains. Exploring the tradition of spy fiction past and present, with specific attention to the Cold War, Macintyre explains how Bond was based on the realities-and fantasies-of Fleming’s life as a wartime spymaster and peacetime bon vivant.
Stylishly illustrated, For Your Eyes Only features a collector’s dream of gadgets, costumes, props, and storyboards from the films-Daniel Craig’s bloodstained shirt from Casino Royale, the Aston Martin DB5, complete with weaponry-as well as memorabilia from Fleming’s personal archive: his smoking jacket, the manuscript for Casino Royale, his golden typewriter, his guns, and much more.
Biography
Ben Macintyre is a columnist and associate editor at the London Times. He has worked as the newspaper’s correspondent in New York, Paris, and Washington. He now lives in London with his wife and three children. Agent Zigzag, the true story of a WWI double agent, was a recent Sunday Times bestseller.
Book Facts (from the publisher)
# Hardcover: 224 pages
# Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (April 7, 2008)
# ISBN-10: 0747595275
# ISBN-13: 978-0747595274
# Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.9 x 0.9 inches
Written Content (8/10)
Of course, there are countless books about James Bond that have been written. This one is quite a solid and entertaining read, as it does cover some new/unique ground in its approach. The book does a great job of showcasing Fleming’s real life in the context of Bond, giving some ideas as to how fact informed and inspired fiction.
Visual Collateral (6/10)
While the book is very much about the story of Fleming and Bond, it includes a number of great photographs, new and old.
Of particular interest to readers of this blog are those pages showcasing original props and wardrobe from the films. While certainly not a “coffee table book”, nor vastly comprehensive – really there are only a handful of photos of original props and wardrobe – but what is included are very cool pieces and the photography is excellent.
In short, excellent quality, just not very many compared to works that are more visually driven.
Here are a few sample photos from the book:
Presentation/Quality (7/10)
The book itself is of a standard hardcover with dustcover design. It is over 200 pages, and is well laid out.
Overall Value (5/10)
The retail price is $34.95, which is high compared with similar books. This can be purchased at a discounted price from online retailers such as Amazon.com for less than $25. In any event, I think a retail price of $20-25 would be more appropriate (pre-discount).
Conclusion and Overall Rating (7/10)
For me, this is a a great book and I am glad I bought it. It is a very insightful work if you have interest in the real world that influenced the now iconic character of James Bond.
If you are seeking something purely out of interest of original props, I would recommend checking it out at a brick and mortar store first to see it it meets your expectations.
Jason De Bord