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  1. 'Fantastic Physics' of 007 Book Shipping

    By Matt Weston on 2005-10-28

    Death Rays, Jet Packs, Stunts, and Supercars

    ‘Death Rays, Jet Packs, Stunts, and Supercars’ by Barry Parker

    October has seen a flood of all-new James Bond books released, and the good news is, they keep on coming.

    On the heels of Kate Westbrook’s (aka Samantha Weinberg) The Moneypenny Diaries and Henry Chancellor’s James Bond: The Man and His World (see CBn’s review), Amazon.com is now shipping Death Rays, Jet Packs, Stunts, and Supercars: The Fantastic Physics of Film’s Most Celebrated Secret Agent by Barry Parker.

    The 288-page hardcover book, which is published by The Johns Hopkins University Press, examines the physics behind 007’s gadgets, cars and stunts.

    From the dustjacket:

    James Bond would have died a thousand deaths if not for Q, the genius behind the pen grenades and weaponized sports cars that have helped Britain’s most famous secret agent cheat death in twenty films. Here Barry Parker demonstrates how science and technology have been as important to 007 as good looks, shaken martinis, and beautiful women.

    Using entertaining sketches and nontechnical language, Parker explains the basic physics behind the gadgets, cars, and stunts in a number of Bond films, from the jet packs in Thunderball to the dynamics of daredevil bungee jumping in GoldenEye.

    If you’ve ever wondered whether the laser could have actually cut Bond in half (Goldfinger), if a wristwatch could really unzip a woman’s dress (Live and Let Die), or whether your car could do the 360-degree barrel roll from The Man With The Golden Gun, this book is for you.

    Top 5 Bond Stunts of All Time; Q and His “Amazing” Devices; The Bond Cars in All Their Glory; Moonraker and Bond in Space; The Walther PPK and the Ballistics of Bond; and The Neptune and Battles Aquatic.

    Since its announcement in June, the book has undergone a change in cover art, replacing a caricature of Albert Einstein with one of Sean Connery.

    Amazon.co.uk is presently listing a 30 December 2005 release date.

    • Order Death Rays, Jet Packs, Stunts, And Supercars: The Fantastic Physics Of Film’s Most Celebrated Secret Agent from Amazon.com ($16.50)
    • Pre-order Death Rays, Jet Packs, Stunts, And Supercars: The Fantastic Physics Of Film’s Most Celebrated Secret Agent from Amazon.co.uk (£16.50)

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