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Yes, that's certainly one of the early literary Bond analysis classics all right, along with Kingsley Amis' The James Bond Dossier (1965). In fact, Snelling's book was the first off the press about the literary James Bond in particular and probably about James Bond in general.
It certainly gives a very vivid sense of what it was like to be a Bond fan in the early 1960s as Bondmania was unfolding and for that I love it! I first found it in 1997 in a secondhand bookshop and it still remains one of my favourite books on Bond.
Absolutely!!. Includes a wonderful section about the opening of From Russia With Love in October 1963 which was spot on in terms of the excitement and expectation generated.
I have a huge pile of James Bond books in general, I have read Some Kind of Hero by Ajay Chowdhury and Matthew Field. Great read, but it's funny how they talk about Danny Boyle doing Bond 25 before his leaving. Bond 25 will have a interesting reference book of it's own one day.
That book about OHMSS is superb. The one on TLD by the same author is also excellent reading!
It's arguably next on my list! I have also read James Bond in Our Sights: A Close Look at A View to a Kill by Andrew McNess. Highly Recommended! It goes in depth about things and characters that make the film a bit underrated.
I've just purchased the book.
And "He disagreed with something that ate him" by Cary Edwards, looking at both of Daltons movies! Plan to read both over the Summer.
I've just read this one - a quick read, but I enjoyed it a great deal.
Thanks for that! Anything to do with Dalton should be good!
Its funny, one of the truest things author Cary Edwards says, has nothing to do with Daltons films, but his opinion of SF, which and I quote "I found myself out of step with nearly the entire cinema going world. ....I found it non-sensical, the action poorly co-ordinated and the films treatment of women nauseating!"
I just finished The Making of OHMSS. I enjoyed it both for it's story and history. A must keep for me, and a must have for both Bond fans and movie fans! I plan to read either The Making of TLD or He Disagreed With Something That Ate Him next!
I read it and I enjoyed it! It gives some love where it's needed. It also made me think about TD's films and how much similar and different they are too James Bond as a whole culture.
Not sure where you are based, but here in the UK the Kindle version of Benson’s much-admired ‘James Bond Bedside Companion’ is only a couple of pounds.
Finished? It is almost as fantastic as the onone about OHMSS. Two great books.
Before, those subjects were covered separately and I always liked the way it broke down the books I hadn't yet read and their highlights along with the way it categorized subjects in both novels and films. It was a refreshing approach.
With all the countless reference books about Bond currently available, it's interesting to look back to when this book was released that the only other major such books were John Brosnan's James Bond in the Cinema and Steven Jay Rubin's The James Bond Films, along with the two mid '60s paperbacks about the novels.
I'm based in Norway, so I'm directed to the US store when I'm making a purchase – which in this case will be $3.99. Not much of a difference to the couple of pounds in the UK store, fortunately.
Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. I haven't read the James Bond Bedside Companion before. :-)
Interesting! I was under the impression that the Bedside Companion only covered the books. Did Benson focus more on the books or the films?
Absolutely. I wish Helfenstein would do more of those.
Yep, it covers the films as well - up to TLD, although it’s probably better known for it’s excellent coverage of the books. The films have been covered in so many other books that you’d probably get less out of those sections. Like you I don’t have a physical copy and hadn’t read the book before, so it seemed like a no-brainer at the price (which is still the same price I paid about a year ago!)
Hope you enjoy if you pick it up.
Fortunately, he's written for 007 Magazine and Cinema Retro, where he did the excellent recaps of various year of film history. I'm always interested in reading his thoughts.
I'll also shout my enthusiasm/enthusiasm for Charles Helfenstein to continue on from OHMSS and TLD any time. Just maybe he'll surprise us one day as he did with those books, which came out kind of quietly.
At that price I'm sure I will pick it up! Look forward to reading it – especially the parts covering the books (as you write, there's enough content covering the films).
I haven't read the TLD one, but the OHMSS book by Charles Helfenstein was a great read. It's a special film that deserved a book like that going into detail about the production. We can only hope Helfenstein writes another!
Sorry for the late response, it was phenomenal! I agree with both of you, I hope Helfenstein writes another, maybe on Dr. No or Casino Royale.
Check this for Dr. No:
Really good: https://cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/6888-COMING-IN-OCTOBER-2012-CINEMA-RETROS-MOVIE-CLASSICS-PRESENTS-DR.-NO-SPECIAL-EDITION-ISSUE!.html
I read it last year and was a bit disappointed. His first autobiography was much more entertaining (imo).
Motorlegenden - James Bond
Looks like it has a satisfying amount of detail - and, of particular interest to me, 'descriptions of the most beautiful stretches of road from the films'.