The Man With the Golden Touch: How the Bond Films Conquered the World

Back in October 2008, CommanderBond.net reported on a brand new book for literary 007 collectors to grab: The Man With the Golden Touch: How the Bond Films Conquered the World by Sinclair McKay.

We can now report that a paperback edition of the title has been announced and can currently be pre-ordered online at Amazon.co.uk.

The publisher’s blurb follows below:

When Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman set out to make what they expected to be the first of three or four movies based on the espionage novels of Ian Fleming they can hardly have dreamt that they were founding a business that would still be going strong nearly half a century later. Yet the role of James Bond, which transformed Sean Connery’s career in 1962 when Dr. No came out, still retained its star-making power in 2006 when Daniel Craig made his Bond debut in Casino Royale. This is the story of how, with the odd misstep along the way, the owners of the Bond franchise, Eon Productions, have contrived to keep James Bond abreast of the zeitgeist and at the top of the charts for 45 years, through 21 films featuring six Bonds, three M’s, two Q’s and three Moneypennies. Thanks to the films, Fleming’s original creation has been transformed from a black sheep of the post-war English upper classes into a figure with universal appeal, constantly evolving to keep pace with changing social and political circumstances.

Having interviewed people concerned with all aspects of the films, Sinclair Mckay is ideally placed to describe how the Bond ‘brand’ has been managed over the years as well as to give us the inside stories of the supporting cast of Bond girls, Bond villains, Bond cars and Bond gadgetry. This book covers the 45-year history of the world’s most successful film franchise. It shows how Eon Productions has kept James Bond abreast of the zeitgeist and at the top of the charts through 21 films featuring six Bonds, 3 M’s, 2 Q’s and 3 Moneypennies. It tells the stories behind the ‘Bond’ girls, the ‘Bond’ villains, the ‘Bond’ songs and title sequences, the ‘Bond’ cars and gadgetry.

This new paperback edition of The Man With the Golden Touch: How the Bond Films Conquered the World will be published by Aurum Press Ltd. on 25 March 2011 and will retail for £8.99.

Bond fans can currently pre-order online at a discounted price:

• Order the UK paperback edition of The Man With the Golden Touch: How the Bond Films Conquered the World from Amazon.co.uk

For up-to-the-minute literary James Bond coverage, always turn your browsers to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums.

Faulks on Fiction: The Secret Life of the Novel

A new book from James Bond centenary author Sebastian Faulks is on the horizon: Faulks on Fiction: The Secret Life of the Novel.

Faulks on Fiction will be published to coincide with a major BBC series (more on that in this CommanderBond.net article). The book will feature the Devil May Care author’s take on many enduring character types from over the centuries and ‘a unique social history of Britain’.

The full publisher’s blurb follows below:

The British invented the novel, with the publication of Robinson Crusoe in 1719 marking the arrival of a new and revolutionary form of art. But it’s equally true, as Sebastian Faulks makes clear in this remarkable book, that the novel invented the British: for the first time there was a form of art that reflected the experiences of ordinary people and provided characters that served as true cultural touchstones.

In The Secret Life of the English Novel, Faulks explores enduring character types from over the centuries—Heroes from Tom Jones to John Self, Lovers from Mr Darcy to Lady Chatterly, Villains from Fagin to Barbara Covett, and Snobs from Emma Woodhouse to James Bond—and shows us how they mapped and inspired the British psyche, and continue to do so.

Published to coincide with a major BBC series, The Secret Life of the English Novel is a subjective and opinionated look at the psychology of the British through their literature, and a unique social history of Britain from one of our most respected writers.

Faulks on Fiction: The Secret Life of the Novel is currently scheduled for a late 2010/early 2011 release date. The book can currently be pre-ordered in hardback, retailing for £20.00, from Amazon.co.uk:

• Order the UK hardback edition of Faulks on Fiction: The Secret Life of the Novel from Amazon.co.uk

For up-to-the-minute literary James Bond coverage, always turn your browsers to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums.

James Bond fans unite to get John Gardner's 007 back in action

GardnerRenewed.org

In the early-1980s, novelist John Gardner (1926-2007) undertook the impossible task of bringing Ian Fleming’s “master spy” James Bond 007 into the new decade, ending up with a product that reinvigorated the Bond literary franchise after many years of inactivity. First published by Glidrose Publications (currently Ian Fleming Publications) and Jonathan Cape in 1981, Licence Renewed was the first of 14 original James Bond novels written by Gardner.

May 2011 will mark the 30th anniversary of the release of Licence Renewed and in honor of this anniversary, a campaign to get all 14 of Gardner’s James Bond novels reprinted began on the CommanderBond.net Forums on April 16, 2010.

From 1981 to 1996, Gardner penned 14 original novels and 2 novelizations featuring James Bond 007. The majority of Gardner’s novels have been out of print for 20 or more years and COLD, Gardner’s final contribution to the series, hasn’t been in print since 1997!

The purpose of the “Reprint John Gardner’s 007 Now” campaign is to gather “followers” that wish to see these novels reprinted (complete with uniform cover art) in the near future.

GardnerRenewed.org

There are many ways to get involved and show your support. They include:

• Follow @GardnerRenewed on Twitter
• Vote in the CommanderBond.net Discussion Forums poll
• Voice your opinion on the CommanderBond.net Discussion Forums

If you’re unfamiliar with John Gardner’s literary 007 series, feel free to check out the following CommanderBond.net ‘Looking Back…’ series:

Fans can also participate in CBn’s Blades Library Book Club, where they can post their own reviews of Gardner’s Bond novels on the CBn Forums. Full details here.

As always, keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest literary 007 coverage and news.

Charlie Higson's Australian and New Zealand tour stops announced

Last month we reported on the various US locations Young James Bond author Charlie Higson would be visiting in May for his forthcoming book tour. Now, thanks to the always up-to-date Young Bond Dossier, we can bring you the details on several more in Australia and New Zealand.

Featuring book signings, discussions and more, this world tour will support the release of his fifth Young Bond adventure, By Royal Command, the SilverFin Graphic Novel and the non-Bond horror novel The Enemy.

Specific details follow below:

Thursday, 13 May

• 11:00am – Auckland Writers & Readers Festival, ABS Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
  Official website

Saturday, 15 May

• 2:30pm – Auckland Writers & Readers Festival, ABS Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
  Official website

Tuesday, 18 May

• 9:20am – Sydney Writers’ Festival, Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay, Australia
  Official website
• 4:30pm – The Children’s Bookshop, 6 Hannah St, Beecroft, Australia
  Official website

Wednesday, 19 May

• 9:40am – Sydney Writers’ Festival, Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, Australia
  Official website

Thursday, 20 May

• 11:00am – Melbourne Exhibition and Conference Centre, Melbourne, Australia
  Official website

• Order the US hardback of By Royal Command from Amazon.com
• Order the US hardback of SilverFin: The Graphic Novel from Amazon.com
• Order the US paperback of SilverFin: The Graphic Novel from Amazon.com
• Order the US hardback of The Enemy from Amazon.com
• Order the US paperback of Hurricane Gold from Amazon.com

Be sure to stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page (and our Discussion Forums) as more stops on Higson’s US book tour are announced.

Ian Fleming-signed James Bond novels hit the auction block

A forthcoming Bloomsbury Auctions sale in London means James Bond collectors can expect more valuable Ian Fleming first editions to hit the auction block.

Scheduled to take place on Thursday, 13 May, the English & Continental Literature, History and other Antiquarian Books; Modern First Editions auction will feature 37 James Bond lots in total, including Fleming’s Moonraker, Dr. No and Thunderball—many of them signed.

Bloomsbury Auctions is located at: Bloomsbury House, 24 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 1PP. For further details, phone +44(0) 20 7495 9494 or visit the official Bloomsbury Auctions website.

Details on selected James Bond lots follow below:

Lot 220 – Diamonds are Forever

Diamonds are Forever, first edition, original boards, dust-jacket, rubbed at edges, some restoration to spine ends and corners, 8vo, 1953.

Estimate: £500 – £700

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Lot 221 – Live and Let Die

Fleming (Ian) Live and Let Die, first edition, new endpapers, original boards, 8vo, 1954.

Estimate: £400 – £600

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Lot 222 – Moonraker

Fleming (Ian) Moonraker, first edition, signed and inscribed by jacket artist Kenneth Lewis on front free endpaper, original boards, dust-jacket, spine slightly dulled and with some skilful restoration, subtle repairs to edges, overall a very good copy, 8vo, 1955.

Estimate: £1200 – £1800

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Lot 227 – From Russia with Love

Fleming (Ian) From Russia, With Love, first edition, signed on title by Martine Beswick and Mollie Peters, original boards, near fine, dust-jacket, some near-invisible restoration to spine edges and corner tips, in appearance an unusually good example, 8vo, 1957.

Estimate: £450 – £650

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Lot 230 – Goldfinger

Fleming (Ian) Goldfinger, first edition, original boards, dust-jacket, slight rubbing to corner tips, but overall an excellent copy, with no browning, 8vo, 1959.

Estimate: £700 – £900

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Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest news on James Bond-related events occurring around the world.

Build your own: James Bond's Aston Martin DB5

Our friends over at 007 Magazine have alerted us to an all-new James Bond-themed magazine that is sure to be a hit with the collectors.

For the first time ever, Eon Productions and Aston Martin have authorised the creation of a perfect 1:8 scale replica of the Goldfinger Aston Martin DB5.

Made to the highest possible standards, James Bond’s DB5 is a build-up model that is supplied in 75 weekly magazine instalments and built from more than 350 individual pieces. It is available from newsagents or you can subscribe online at www.007db5.com.

Every issue comes with new components for your model and a magazine with instructions and behind-the-scenes features on the making of the 007 movies.

Plus: Subscribers to the James Bond DB5 magazine get the chance to drive a fabulous supercar around Knockhill’s famous track in Fife, UK, plus these five gifts worth more than £50:

1. Magazine binder
2. Goldfinger DVD
3. H.F. Ullman’s Aston Martin book
4. Screw box
5. Screwdriver

Features include:

WORKING LIGHTS
The rear and front lights on the model can be switched on—the brake lights can be activated by pressing down on the brake pedal.

OPENING DOORS, BONNET AND BOOT
The doors, bonnet and boot can all be opened. The bonnet is even held in place with bonnet stays so you can inspect the replica 4-litre engine.

FRONT MACHINE GUNS
On the real car a pair of machine guns are located at the front of the car. On your model these slide out from the indicator lights.

BULLETPROOF SCREEN
Press down to release the spring-loaded bulletproof screen. This can be returned to its starting position by pushing it back into place.

DROPPING LIGHT ASSEMBLY
The light assemblies at the rear of the car can be dropped. In the movie this was so they could release tyre stingers that incapacitated a pursuer.

WORKING EJECTOR SEAT
The ejector seat is fully functioning and is activatedby pushing down on the gear stick. The roof panel should be removed to prevent damage.

ROTATING NUMBER PLATES
The car is fitted with rotating back and front number plates that show three different registrations—British, French and Swiss.

FRONT AND REAR OVERRIDERS
The overriders on the front of the model can be pulled out to become rams to shift any unwanted objects out of the way!

TYRE SLASHERS
In Goldfinger rear tyre scythes burst Tilly Masterson’s Mustang wheels. On your model, the slashers can be extended out and pushed back in.

RADIO AERIAL
No details have been overlooked, and even the model’s radio aerial can be pulled out to its full height.

DASHBOARD
The model’s dashboard is a faithful replica of the real thing, the steering wheel actually turns the wheels and the entire dashboard lights up at the press of a button. The horn works too!

TRACKING DEVICE
The console for the tracker device lights up and flashes to plot the position of Goldfinger’s car.

GEARSTICK
Flip the top of the gearstick to access the hidden button for the working ejector seat.

WEAPONS CONSOLE
Lift the armrest between the front seats to reveal the controls for all the DB5’s extra features.

RADIO TELEPHONE
You didn’t see it in Goldfinger but the production team built a radio telephone into the driver’s door.

Full instructions, subscription inquires, magazine previews, competition details and much more are available at the official website. Visit www.007db5.com to subscribe today.

For up-to-the-minute James Bond coverage, always turn your browsers to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums.

John Gardner's The Liquidator to return in 2010

John Gardner’s The Liquidator will be back in action in 2010.

According to an update posted on the recently redesigned and relaunched John-Gardner.com website, the James Bond author’s very first novel, 1964’s The Liquidator, is set to be reprinted later this year in the UK.

The comedic thriller introduced secret agent Boysie Oakes, a character Gardner would be bring back for several of his future novels in the series, such as Understrike and Amber Nine.

This new reprint of The Liquidator will be released by classic thrillers and crime publisher Ostara Publishing. No specific release date has been announced yet, but October 2010 is the targeted month.

For an interesting take on the connections between Gardner’s James Bond series and The Liquidator, check out the following CommanderBond.net article: Past James Bond Author References In John Gardner’s ‘The Liquidator’.

Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest literary 007 coverage and news.

Sebastian Faulks' A Week in December arrives in paperback in UK

A Week in December, the latest novel from Devil May Care author Sebastian Faulks, has debuted in paperback this month in the UK.

Originally published late last year in the UK and this past March in the UK, this new book is the first contemporary novel written by Faulks. Besides his 2008 Ian Fleming centenary James Bond adventure, some of his other works include Birdsong, Human Traces and Engelby.

This new paperback edition is published by Hutchinson and retails for £12.99.

The official publication blurb follows:

A Week in December is Sebastian Faulks’ first wholly contemporary novel. Set in London, it’s a brilliant social satire, structured like a thriller, that takes place over the course of a single week at the end of 2007.

It brings together an intriguing cast of characters, each apparently in his or her own world but – as gradually becomes clear – ultimately intricately related. The anti-hero, John Veals, is a shadily successful and boundlessly ambitious Dickensian figure who is trading billions and other characters include a teenage Muslim fanatic, a Polish footballer, a female tube driver, a literary critic, a care worker and a chutney tycoon. As the story builds to its climax, Faulks pulls together powerful ideas about family, money, religion, and the way we live now.

• Order the UK hardback edition of A Week in December from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the UK audiobook edition of A Week in December from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the UK paperback edition of A Week in December from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the US hardback edition of A Week in December from Amazon.com

For up-to-the-minute literary James Bond coverage, always turn your browsers to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums.

James Bond lives on at London's Fan Fest 2010

The recent news that Bond 23 has been indefinitely delayed due to the MGM sale fiasco has been a blow to the 007 community, but it certainly didn’t stop fans from celebrating the secret agent in high style this weekend in London.

Kicking off today was Fan Fest 2010 at the London Film Museum. Featuring collectibles, memorabilia, shows and more, the real draw is the attendance of more than 30 cast members from the James Bond series. Notable names include George Lazenby, Richard Kiel, Maud Adams, Honor Blackman, Britt Ekland and so many others.

The event’s first day is featured in a new article posted at the BBC News. Fan favourite Richard ‘Jaws’ Kiel was asked for his opinion on the current production freeze on the Bond series: ‘They had a gap before… Just before GoldenEye,’ he said.

‘Somebody bought MGM. So it’ll be made. There’ll be another Bond film, don’t worry.’

For avid fans, the big question is just how long they’ll have to wait. Bond fan Andy Davison, who brought his young song Ashton to the event, is hopeful. ‘I think James Bond is probably what every boy wants to be and every middle-aged man wants to be as well,’ he stated.

‘It’s probably the most successful… well, it is the most successful franchise in history. It’s been going for nearly 50 years. I love it. My son loves it. And I hope it goes on for generations to come.’

For more on Fan Fest 2010, visit the official website.

Stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page and be sure to visit our Discussion Forums for all the latest 007 news from the world of James Bond.

Higson comments again on Young Bond series 2

It’s been about six months since the UK publication of Charlie Higson’s Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier, his non-fiction companion to the first Young Bond series. We say first Young Bond series because Higson still hasn’t ruled out returning to the franchise for another go. Last year he was quoted as saying he’d “like to write more Bond books, it’s just a question of juggling time.”

Yesterday the New Zealand Herald published an interview with Charlie Higson where he reaffirmed that he’s still considering doing a Young Bond series 2. “I always had a storyline that would run over five books and work as a complete series,” he says. “But as the books became more successful, both the Fleming Estate and Puffin were very keen for me to extend it beyond that. I wanted to take a break at that point, not least of all because it would require thinking up a whole new storyline with James growing up and moving to a new school. It’s always difficult to move on from something that’s done really well. I haven’t said I’m never going to do another one but I wanted to establish my own, entirely new series first.”

Last year saw the release of Higson’s The Enemy, a horror book of sorts for young adults in the UK. Publication of the novel stateside is planned for May 11. A followup sequel, The Dead, is currently planned for release in the UK in October.

Charlie Higson’s fifth and final (first series) Young Bond novel, By Royal Command, is due for release in the US on May 18th followed by a US book tour beginning on the 23rd.

Be sure to stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page (and our Discussion Forums) for all the latest news from the world of Young Bond.