Pre-order 'James Bond: The Secret World Of 007'

The upcoming reprinted edition of James Bond: The Secret World of 007 by DK Publishing and Alastair Dougall is now available to pre-order at both Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

The book was last reprinted in 2006 for the release of Casino Royale and with Daniel Craig’s second James Bond film, Quantum of Solace due out this October, it seems another update is in store.

The official blurb follows:

Bond is back – new edition of this thrill-packed dossier on the world’s most famous spy. Become an expert on the extraordinary career of 007 and get the inside scoop on his missions, from defeating the power-mad schemes of Dr. No to the mysteries of Casino Royale and go behind the scenes of his latest movie, Quantum of Solace through unseen photography. Starting with a foreword penned by M herself, uncover the world of Bond, the world’s most famous secret agent. Spectacular photographs reveal the secrets of many of Bond’s amazing gadgets, racy vehicles and racier eye-candy. Explore the lairs of the supervillains he has defeated and follow bullet-by-blow accounts of some of his most death-defying chases and battles. Investigate 007’s distinctive style, his complicated love life and relationships with other members of M16 from M to Q and Miss Moneypenny. It’s a thrill-a-page 007 adventure.

James Bond: The Secret World of 007 is scheduled for release on 1 October 2008 in the UK and 20 October in the US.

Pre-order online:

• Order the UK hardback edition of James Bond: The Secret World of 007 from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the US hardback edition of James Bond: The Secret World of 007 from Amazon.com

We’ll keep you updated as further information develops.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest literary James Bond news and coverage. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

Goldeneye's 'Bond Suites' Previewed At Imperial War Museum

As reported last month on CommanderBond.net, big plans are being put into motion for Goldeneye, Jamaica, the seaside villa where 007 creator Ian Fleming often resided when writing his James Bond novels.

The island getaway is now being prepped for its transformation into a $120 million (£60 million) resort for sports stars, rock musicians, businessmen and others who can afford the price.

The Jamaica Gleaner reports that current owner Chris Blackwell was at the ‘For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond’ exhibition at the Imperial War Museum in London this past Wednesday to give attendees an exclusive preview of the Goldeneye ‘Bond Suites’.

‘The event represented a unique chance to meet with the people who discovered and created this ultimate Caribbean getaway–Jamaica–and those in attendance were given private tours of the first-ever retrospective exhibition of Fleming’s life, called “For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond”,’ said PURE International’s chief executive officer, Sean Collins (click here for a preview photograph).

The original press release from PURE International follows:

OWN YOUR PIECE OF THE GOLDENEYE LEGACY
– PURE International Exclusive Agents for Luxurious Goldeneye Resort –

Leading overseas luxury specialist PURE International is offering purchasers the exclusive chance to own one of a handful of properties at Goldeneye, one of the most sought after retreats in the world. Formally the home of Ian Fleming, where he created James Bond in January 1952, the Goldeneye estate was acquired in 1977 by music and entertainment entrepreneur Chris Blackwell and since then has been turned into a luxury destination resort; loved and frequently visited by celebrities, political figures and musicians.

Covering 100 acres of heavenly coastal land, Goldeneye now offers a collection of just 80 Lagoon Villas, Beach Cottages, Bay Cottages, Island Cottages, Bond Suites, all set around Ian Fleming’s former home, a natural lagoon and the established world class resort facilities. These stylish properties boast interior spaces of up to 5,000 sq ft and form one of the most attractive and exclusive lifestyle and investment opportunities in the Caribbean.

“Our clients expect exclusivity, discretion and unrivalled levels of service in the world’s most exceptional destinations. Owning a property at Goldeneye will deliver this at every level,” says Sean Collins, CEO of PURE International. “The opportunity to own one of these homes is the chance to become part of a unique and legendary legacy. With only a handful of properties available in one of the world’s most stunning locations there really is only one chance to be amongst the first to call Goldeneye home.”

The legacy…
Having visited Jamaica on a World War II intelligence mission, Ian Fleming fell in love with the island and returned to build his own home. He escaped nearly 11 winters at Goldeneye between 1953 and 1964 eventually writing all of his 14 ‘007’ thrillers at the estate. Today the retreat is a highly acclaimed boutique ‘Island Outpost’ resort part of Blackwell’s growing luxury destination group.

“The properties now being marketed at Goldeneye will continue this impressive heritage,” adds Collins. “We expect the historic lifestyle that this Caribbean destination has to offer will attract buyers from across the globe.”

The project…
Goldeneye will benefit from the wealth of planned spa, dining, yoga and tennis facilities, which are part of the Island Outpost resort. In addition to the terra firma sporting activities, the properties’ proximity to the lagoon and Caribbean Sea means that a wide range of water activities are also available including jet skiing, ocean kayaking, snorkeling and fishing. Goldeneye also features its very own sheltered beach and beautiful natural secluded coves.

Just like the original Goldeneye estate properties, all of the new homes effortlessly blend considerable outside spaces with the light filled living areas and all feature direct or nearby waterside access. One and two bedroom ‘Beach Cottages’ will be nestled against the main beach; one and two bedroom ‘Bond Suites’ are sleek glass, polished concrete and brushed steel apartments with plunge pools or roof terraces and views to kill. Lavish three and four bedroom ‘Lagoon Villas’ feature private pools and decks, with some enjoying guest cottages that add further entertaining spaces. ‘Bay Cottages’ on the Western tip of the Goldeneye peninsula have private white sand beaches and decks over the sea to dock small boats and stunning ‘Island Cottages’ are located on their own private island.

Jamaica resurgence…
In the past five years improvements to Jamaica’s infrastructure have helped to attract direct foreign investment of more than £560m for tourism development. The construction of two major new highways and the expansion of Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport will continue to strengthen the tourism renaissance this country is currently experiencing.

Getting there…
There are numerous airports across the UK and Ireland which provide direct, 10 hour flights to Jamaica. Kingston and Montego Bay international airports are both a 2 hour drive away from Goldeneye and all guests can be collected and brought to the resort. Alternatively direct shuttles via helicopter can be arranged and take no longer than 30 minutes.

Prices for the properties at the development start at £375,000* ($750,000) for a one bedroom Bond Suite and range up to £1,598,400* ($3,200,000) for a 4 bedroom Lagoon Villa. For further sales information please contact PURE International on t: 020 3031 2860 or visit www.pureintl.com

*Subject to currency fluctuation, correct at time of writing

For further press information please contact:

Lloyd Hughes Tel: 020 3031 2860 [email protected]
Kate Bermon Tel: 020 3326 0526 [email protected]

About PURE International

PURE International offers a range of specialist services for the sale and marketing of luxury property in recreational destinations worldwide. Since its inception in 2004 PURE has established wholly owned offices in the UK, Ireland, UAE, Canada and Switzerland, a partner office in Holland and has a growing database in excess of 20,000 people. The company has sold over of 600 residential real estate units with a value of £400 million and has won several high profile awards including the Homes Overseas Gold Award for Best Estate Agency Marketing 2006. The current value of schemes offered by PURE is £3 billion.

About Island Outpost

Owned by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records and Palm Pictures, Island Outpost is a high-end luxury resorts company, which is renowned for its offering of character, stunning surroundings and high quality services. The group includes Goldeneye, Strawberry Hill, Jake’s, and The Caves in Jamaica, Pink Sands in The Bahamas and an exclusive selection of villas.

About Goldeneye Visitors

Visitors to Goldeneye over the years include Bill and Hilary Clinton, Kate Moss, Jonny Depp, Sean Connery, Naomi Campbell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Sadie Frost Cindy Crawford, Harrison Ford, Pierce Brosnan, Sting, Bono, Bob Marley, Errol Flynn, Evelyn Waugh, Lucian Freud, Katherine Hepburn, Sir Laurence Olivier, Sir John Guilgud, Sir Anthony Eden and more.

‘The properties now being marketed at Goldeneye will continue this impressive heritage,’ said Collins at the Bond event. ‘We expect the historic lifestyle that Jamaica has to offer will attract buyers from across the globe.’

‘The unique heritage of Goldeneye was, of course, a major factor in our desire to be involved in the project. However, of equal importance was Chris Blackwell. Chris is not a normal property; he is passionate about Jamaica and Goldeneye, he understands the nature of the resort intuitively and will ensure that the new Goldeneye is as magical for owners and guests as it is today.’

Stay tuned to the CBn main page for all the latest James Bond-related news.

Cover Art For 'Ian Fleming's Secret War'

Back in March, CommanderBond.net first announced that yet another title would be added to an already crowded list of James Bond book releases this year. Now the cover artwork for that book–Craig Cabell’s Ian Fleming’s Secret War–has been revealed online at Amazon.co.uk.

Specific details related to this forthcoming book remain slim and while there is still no official blurb, CBn earlier made some educated guesses for what to expect:

A recent Worthing Herald article noted that Cabell was then currently working on two books–one related to James Bond and the other on 30AU.

30AU, or 30 Assault Unit, was a unit set up by Fleming during World War II in 1942, when he was the personal assistant to the director of naval intelligence. It’s goal was to undertake top secret intelligence-gathering missions, going in before Allied troops to make sure vital information was not destroyed.

Cabell stated that the unit served as inspiration to the ultimate creation of 007. He specified one particular soldier, Patrick Dalzel-Job, who, it is rumoured, ‘was a crack shot, could navigate a mini-submarine, could ski backwards and had a compass concealed in his button.’

Ian Fleming’s Secret War is due for release on 18 August 2008. The 224-page hardback, published by Pen & Sword Military, can currently be pre-ordered online:

• Order Ian Fleming’s Secret War from Amazon.co.uk

Keep watching CBn for all the latest literary James Bond news and coverage. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

Pre-order Sir Sean Connery's 'Being A Scot'

Following up earlier reports that Sir Sean Connery had planned to release his autobiography/memoirs in time for his birthday in August, fans can now pre-order Being A Scot from Amazon.co.uk (where the cover artwork can now be viewed).

Mixing a ‘frank account of Connery’s life with an esoteric take on Scotland’s history and culture,’ the 312-page long book will feature more than 400 photograghs from his personal collection.

Included are details on his childhood in a gaslit Fountainbridge tenement, learning golf from co-star Gert Frobe during the shooting of the third James Bond film, Goldfinger, and weekending with Billy Connolly, ‘the funniest man alive’.

Being A Scot will be published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson and is due for release on 21 August 2008. A paperback edition by Phoenix will follow on 6 August of 2009.

The official blurb follows:

“My first big break came when I was five years old. It’s taken me more than seventy years to realise that. You see, at five I first learnt to read. It’s that simple and it’s that profound. I left school at thirteen. I didn’t have a formal education… It has been a long return journey from my two-room Fountainbridge home in the smoky industrial end of Edinburgh opposite the McCowans’ toffee factory. There was no bathroom with a communal toilet outside. For years we had only gas lighting. Sometimes the light in the shared stairway would be out after some desperado had broken the mantle to bubble gas through milk for kicks.” Although he is an indubitably international superstar, Sir Sean Connery still knows the city of Edinburgh practically street by street from delivering the morning milk as a schoolboy. His round included Fettes College, where Ian Fleming had sent his fictional James Bond after he was expelled from Eton. Being A Scot is a vivid and highly personal portrait of Scotland and its achievements, which is self-revelatory whilst full of Sir Sean’s desire to shine light upon Scottish success and heroic failure.His personal quest with his friend and co-writer Murray Grigor has been to seek answers to some perplexing questions.

How did Scots come to devise so many new sports and games, or raise others to new heights? What gave fire to the Gothic tendency in Scottish literature? Why have so many creatively inventive and influential architects been Scots? Where did Scotland’s unreal blend of psychotic humour originate? And what about the national tradition of self-deprecation sometimes called the Scottish cringe? Sean Connery offers a correction to misconceptions that many believe are part of the historical record whilst revealing as never before his own vibrant personal history.

• Order the UK hardback edition of Being A Scot from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the UK paperback edition of Being A Scot from Amazon.co.uk

Stay tuned to CBn for all the latest literary James Bond news.

Video Interview: Charlie Higson On Young Bond

Following up yesterday’s report in which Young Bond author Charlie Higson spoke about the latest novel in his popular series, Hurricane Gold, a new video interview with the author is now available.

Being the first part of two, Higson discusses how he came to be associated with the Young Bond series: a way of reinventing the literary James Bond, meeting members of the Ian Fleming family, why he took the job and more.

Click below to watch:

The paperback edition of Higson’s Hurricane Gold was published on 28 May, the Ian Fleming centenary, and can be ordered online:

• Order the UK paperback edition of Hurricane Gold from Amazon.co.uk

Stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Hurricane Gold and Young Bond coverage.

Cover Artwork For Sir Roger Moore's 'My Word Is My Bond'

Cover artwork for Sir Roger Moore’s My Word is My Bond: A Memoir has now been revealed at Amazon.co.uk.

Following the initial announcement of the book back in October 2007, this memoir/autobiography is scheduled to be released on 2 October in the UK and 4 November in the US.

The book will be ghostwritten by Gareth Owen, Sir Roger’s personal assistant. He said: ‘Turning 80 is a milestone, a time to reflect. It’ll be a frank and fun book, but he’s not interested in digging the dirt.’

My Word is My Bond will be published by Michael O’Mara Books in the UK and HarperCollins in the US.

The official blurb:

The quintessential suave hero, Roger Moore has had an extraordinary career that has spanned seven decades, from early television to the golden age of Hollywood and on to international superstardom.

Dashing, handsome and every inch the archetypal English gentleman, he is unforgettable as The Saint, as Lord Brett Sinclair in The Persuaders! and, of course, as James Bond, making seven blockbusting films as arguably the most debonair of the 007s.

For the first time, Roger shares his recollections of playing some of the world’s most famous roles alongside a host of legendary stars. With myriad stories from his personal life–from his childhood in London and experiences during the Second World War, to the happy and turbulent times in his later life. Along with anecdotes about his encounters with the stars and his wonderful memories from the heyday of Hollywood, My Word is My Bond is as frank, funny and disarmingly charming as the legend himself.

• Order the UK hardback edition of My Word is My Bond from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the UK paperback edition of My Word is My Bond from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the US hardback edition of My Word is My Bond from Amazon.com

Stay tuned to CommanderBond.net for complete coverage of all the latest literary James Bond news.

Charlie Higson Talks 'Hurricane Gold'

While yesterday saw Sebastian Faulk’s Devil May Care marking the centenary of Ian Fleming, another James Bond novel was released: the paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s Hurricane Gold.

First released back in September of last year, the fourth novel in Higson’s monumentally popular Young Bond series finds James in Mexico where he encounters several of the world’s deadliest gangsters and a female villainess named Mrs. Glass. Along the way, he teams up with a girl named Precious Stone while trying to escape.

Higson sat down with the BBC News to discuss his novel as well as the wide appeal of the James Bond character.

‘[Bond’s] a fantasy creation of the man we would all like to be,’ Higson describes. ‘He always knows what to do in any given situation. He knows how to order fine wines and food in restaurants, he knows how to chat up women, he’s always got the best car and designer outfits.’

‘Ever since he was created in the Fifties he’s been changed by each generation to represent the male aspirations of that generation.’

Higson also discussed how elements like sex and death–things that would be considered normal in a Fleming Bond adventure–need to be treated slightly differently in a story like Hurricane Gold.

‘It is slightly tricky,’ he reveals. ‘The key ingredients of James Bond are smoking heavily, drinking heavily, driving fast cars, shooting people, lots of women–not anything you can have a 13-year-old kid in a series of children’s books doing.’

‘I did have lunch with him. He’s still hoping he can maintain a dignified distance from it all. I’m not sure he’s going to be able to. Once you step into the world of Bond you tend to get consumed by it.’ – Charlie Higson on discussing 007 with Devil May Care author Sebastian Faulks

‘So I try and get those elements into the books one way or another, whether it’s him doing it or other people. But certainly [I want] to immerse himself in that world where those things happen.’

Focusing specifically on the violence, Higson detailed how he manages to evade some common problems: ‘That’s the one side you can get away with. The kids love it. I try to put the violence into perspective and have a moral framework, but by setting Hurricane in a faraway location like the Caribbean I can get away with a little bit more.’

When the inevitable “Are there going to be Young Bond movies?” question came up, Higson said to expect Young Bond to remain in literary form, at least for a while.

‘The main thrust of these books was to get kids reading, and also to remind people of the literary origins of James Bond. We didn’t want to rush into making films, because the kids would just want to watch the films. There are discussions ongoing but it may be some time.’

Stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Hurricane Gold and Young Bond coverage.

Michael Gillette Discusses The Bond Girl Book Covers

Casino Royale

As CommanderBond.net readers are no doubt aware, today marks the official republication of all 14 of Ian Fleming’s original James Bond novels with brand new cover art.

With the ‘2008 Centenary Edition’ label and released under the new Penguin 007 imprint, these new releases may quickly come to be known as the Bond girl covers thanks to the artwork created by designer Michael Gillette.

In a Mediabistro article, Gillette discussed how he came to create the covers for the latest set of Bond reprints.

He said: ‘I was approached by Jon Grey, a designer whom I knew socially from my time in London. The concept was devised by Penguin and Jon; they initially asked me to paint a girl for Casino Royale and see if I was keen to try the type too. I realized that this was a great opportunity to produce “the total look” as it were. I decided that within the limitations, that they should all be different colours to inject some instant variety.’

The Spy Who Loved Me cover

Gillette further recalls that he pitched three different Bond covers to the Ian Fleming estate before getting the go ahead. He then worked on the covers over a three-month period.

‘It was a very hectic period,’ he said, ‘and it seemed that I was always in catch up mode, finishing one and starting the next immediately. Ideally I’d have taken 4-5 days on each: a day to plan, a day painting the girl, one for the type and then another to hone it all.’ At the end of the process, he actually went back to repaint Casino Royale since he felt the finished set differed substantially enough from his initial designs for this particular cover.

The new Bond hardbacks sporting the Gillette covers are available now in the UK and can also be ordered online from Amazon.co.uk:

Keep watching CBn for all the latest literary James Bond news and coverage. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

Sebastian Faulks On The Appeal Of James Bond

With Sebastian Faulks’ new novel Devil May Care out in stores and the centenary reprints of Ian Fleming’s original James Bond novels officially released today, fans of the literary 007 should have plenty to keep them occupied with in the upcoming weeks.

In a recent NPR article, Faulks discussed what particular aspects of a Bond novel made Fleming’s British spy most appealing to him.

Devil May Care

Describing his experience of reading all 14 in chronological order when first approached to write a new Bond adventure, Faulks said: ‘What they had above all was the sense of a man in terrible danger. Within 20 pages you feel your heart beginning to beat a bit faster, and you’re worried for this guy. Fairly quickly I began to think this is something that I could have a lot of fun doing.’

‘When you read the books in chronological order, you see just how appealing [Bond] must have been to Britain in the late 1950s and early 1960s,’ he continued. ‘Suddenly along comes this guy who is jetting off all over the world, the sun is always shining. And the adventures that he has make it seem like Britain is still–or was still–a real power in the world.’

‘It does remind someone of my age, how I grew up, expecting in Western Europe to be annihilated more or less anytime in the Cold War. … There is still resonance in that: the resourcefulness of one rather coldhearted–but very quick-witted–man pitted against a huge, vast implacable enemy.’

The article also includes yet another excerpt of Devil May Care; chapter 1 in this case. So if you haven’t decided whether or not to give Faulks’ 007 a try, click here.

Keep your eyes glued to the CommanderBond.net main page for complete coverage of Devil May Care and all the Ian Fleming centenary events.

Ocean Sky Aviation's Licence To Thrill In 'Quantum of Solace'

European private jet charter, management and brokerage company Ocean Sky Aviation today announced their involvement in the forthcoming 22nd James Bond film, Quantum of Solace.

The Bond film will feature eight jets from the company–more than any other film in the 007 franchise.

Ocean Sky Aviation Announce “LICENCE TO THRILL” With Starrng Role

Ocean Sky Aviation, Europe’s fastest growing private jet charter, management and brokerage company is thrilled to announce its involvement with the 22nd James Bond film, Quantum of Solace due out at the end of October.

EON Productions, the movie company behind the film used 8 Ocean Sky jets in total: A Bombardier Challenger 604, four Lear jets, a Gulfstream GV, a Cessna Citation V and a Hawker 800.

The film has particular significance because it will feature more jets than any other in the 46 year history of the Bond movie franchise. It is also 100 years since Bond creator Ian Fleming was born.

Head of Sales and Marketing for Ocean Sky Aviation, Niki Rokni says “It’s the perfect association for us. We pride ourselves on offering elegance and cutting edge excellence, and this is all evident in the film. We could not be happier.”

The filming was completed this year, but was not without its challenges.

Rob Elliott, Director of Flight Operations for Ocean Sky, handled the practical arrangements and also put the Ocean Sky owned Challenger, G-OCSC, through its paces for the film.

“We also really did invest time and care in making sure it was all safe, especially one landing in Panama at a place not used to our type of jets. We sent one of our senior captains, Andreas Kollberg, out there in advance and he came back with nearly 300 photographs and video of the runway. He also assessed safety hazards, which in this case included flocks of huge vultures with six feet wingspans.”

Ocean Sky’s reputation as a Hollywood friendly aviation company has spread after the James Bond filming experience. “Word has got around Hollywood and we’re now talking with two other major productions.” says Rokni.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for the most up-to-date and complete overage of Quantum of Solace.