Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ian Fleming: The man who created James Bond

If it is a James Bond movie, I have seen them all and have read a couple of the Bond books. With all due respect, Sean Connery is #1.Having not read the Fleming bio, I picked up a copy and did so. Had no idea of the complexity of Mr. Fleming and what it entailed over his lifetime. Rather than delve into the details a bit I would simply say that it is an outstanding bio and a book that should be on your "must read" list.

I certainly take my hat off to Mr Lycett for taking the time and having the patience to collect this monumental pile of biographic information whilst interviewing dozens of now mostly forgotten celebrities. It seems, however, that there was a lot of quid-pro-quo in this, with everyone demanding the biographer that they would only offer their opinions of Fleming if they were also written about extensively into the book.The book is also written in strict chronological order like a journal of events instead of also concentrating on themes, as well as giving little reflection to the facts. As such, close friends like Noel Coward and Ivar Bryce keep being mentioned in passing instead of being given a proper review of how they came to mean so much to Fleming.As such, far from being a fascinating biography about the creative energies of Ian Fleming, as the title implies, this book is more like a detailed diary of every single irrelevant visit from friends or tiffs that the Great Spymaster ever had with them, as well as every single passing illness and even tummy upset that he ever endured, leaving one to keep asking the question, “So what ?”All of this means that even the most ardent James Bond movie and Ian Fleming books fan has to mercilessly wade through mountains of irrelevance to get to the juicy currants that should have been extracted to make a proper autobiography that one can genuinely enjoy reading.

Slow at first, but intriguing as you read. What a strange, selfish and toffee nosed individual, but a great writer.Basically lazy, but maybe most writers are like that?!

This biography is worth reading for two very good reasons:The most obvious is to get a look at the man who created one of the greatest iconic figures of the 20th Century. "Bond, James Bond" is usually on every list of popular and enduring characters from the previous century and his simple introduction is normally cited as the most memorable movie line in cinema history. The 007 machine is still very much alive in the 21st Century with all of Fleming's adventures in print and the secret agent still drawing millions at the box office with last year's "Casino Royale."The second fascinating reason for reading this biography is the author's frank and open access to Fleming's family and friends. A great deal is revealed through their interviews as well as their diaries and letters.When I read through the reviews for the hardcover edition, I found some complaints about the constant name-dropping throughout the book, but that was their world. Ian's wife Ann seemed to live to socialize and while most of the names probably mean very little to most readers today, some still jump out--from mobsters like Lucky Luciano to real intelligence figures like Allen Dulles, former CIA boss.This is a sharp, genuine look at Bond's creator after decades of mythmaking about the life of Ian Fleming.As the quote on the cover says, "This is an exemplary biography, beautifully written, fast-paced and extremely perceptive."

Ian Flemming wasn't just the inspiration for 007. He and the British MI6 helped the United States create our O.S.S. and C.I.A. during and after WW2. This work will help you understand this "entanglement."