What Bond reference book are you reading?

DoctorNo

shamanimal wrote: »

Dragonpol wrote: »

No, it's all about Fleming and the Bond novels. You won't regret ordering it as Chancellor had access to the Fleming archives. Highly recommended!

Nice one, looking forward to it all the more. To me, James Bond is in the Fleming books, all the rest, the films, the continuation novels etc, are fun aspects of the real Bond.

+1

Max_The_Parrot

MaxCasino wrote: »

[Now I’m onto Nobody Does it Better: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of James Bond by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman.
...
Probably the best of the Bond reference books I’ve read so far.

Agree completely. The best one-stop-shop reference book on the Bond movies imo, so much better than Some Kind of Hero which I found rather plodding and lacking personality at times. However this is an absolutely joy to read from start to finish, a book to savour and really made me think about my opinions of different films in light of the range of viewpoints presented in the book. It was like being in the pub eavesdropping on the conversations of the Bond alumnis on the next table (because obviously I wouldn’t have been invited to sit at the cool table).

Agent_99

DoctorNo wrote: »

shamanimal wrote: »

Nice one, looking forward to it all the more. To me, James Bond is in the Fleming books, all the rest, the films, the continuation novels etc, are fun aspects of the real Bond.

+1

+2

We weirdoes should stick together!

bigladiesman

Three at the same time, The James Bond Dossiers, Some Kind of Hero and The Music of James Bond. I read them as I see every film of the series.

RichardTheBruce

I need to get back to The Real James Bond by Jim Wright/@TheRealJimWright, I greatly enjoyed the first few chapters. Especially living vicariously through the birdwatching activity in the field, since my business travel has stalled.

As prompted by @BondOnThisDay, I've started Some Kind of Hero by Field & Chowdhury. Assisting the On This Day thread of course.

And I picked up this slim book:
He Disagreed With Something That Ate Him: Reading The Living Daylights & Licence to Kill, Cary Edwards. Too cheap not to buy, should be a very quick and enjoyable read.

MaxCasino

RichardTheBruce wrote: »

I need to get back to The Real James Bond by Jim Wright/@TheRealJimWright, I greatly enjoyed the first few chapters. Especially living vicariously through the birdwatching activity in the field, since my business travel has stalled.

As prompted by @BondOnThisDay, I've started Some Kind of Hero by Field & Chowdhury. Assisting the On This Day thread of course.

And I picked up this slim book:
He Disagreed With Something That Ate Him: Reading The Living Daylights & Licence to Kill, Cary Edwards. Too cheap not to buy, should be a very quick and enjoyable read.

Two great reads, I haven’t read The Real James Bond yet. Let us know what you think!

Gerard

Yesterday, while I wa&s in Paris, I found that at the Montparnasse station :

Revelator

Here's another interesting-looking book you might find in Paris:

BT3366

Hopefully not too far off topic, but anybody ever bought a Bond reference book in a foreign language because of the different photos they offer? I have picked up 3 or 4 along with some of the Japanese programs and a couple of German ones just because they look great even if I can't read much if any of the text.

marc

Revelator wrote: »

This is my second read.

Gerard wrote: »

Dalton et Brosnan flegmatiques?

Revelator

marc wrote: »

This is my second read.

Let us know how it is! I don't know enough French to read it but I'm interested in knowing how the French view Fleming.

marc

No, this was just an attempt at a joke about the title, 'You only read twice' :--)
(but I'm trying to do a second read of the Fleming novels right now)

Revelator

marc wrote: »

No, this was just an attempt at a joke about the title, 'You only read twice' :--)

Ah, I should have caught that. Que c'est embarrassant!

marc

Pas besoin d'etre embarrasse! (don't know where the accents are here) Sorry for this 'cunning linguist' bit.

Agent_99

marc wrote: »

Dalton et Brosnan flegmatiques?

Dalton certainement, bien sur.

The cover image for On ne lit que deux fois is the one used on French editions of the novels:

Revelator

Ah, clever move then. Most of the French versions of the titles seem rather underwhelming. Motel 007 instead of the Spy Who Loved Me is the most notorious example.

Gerard

You haven't seen the titles they gave the first french editions of the novels, then. BTW, those covers are from the second edition, published by Plon after Bond had started becoming big at the box office. I own a few of them, bought at second-hand bookstores over the years. Their titles were more faithful than the ones we had on the french editions. I discussed this in an earlier thread afew years ago.

marc

Agent_99 wrote: »

marc wrote: »

Dalton et Brosnan flegmatiques?

Dalton certainement, bien sur.

Ca, c'est pas l'image que j'ai de son Bond, notamment apres de LTK. I feel Dalton's Bond is really burning inside. The other Bond actors, Brosnan probably excepted, have more phlegmatic sides to them IMO.

Revelator

Gerard wrote: »

You haven't seen the titles they gave the first french editions of the novels, then.

I looked up the novels in French Wikipedia and see what you mean!
Here's the list of the French titles. (Original title = 1st edition = Later edition)

Casino Royale = Espions, faites vos jeux [Spies, Place Your Bets] = Casino Royal

Live and Let Die = Requins et services secrets [Sharks and Secret Service] = Vivre et laisser mourir

Moonraker = Entourloupe dans l'azimut [Dirty Trick in the Azimuth] = Moonraker

Diamonds Are Forever = Chauds les Glaçons! [Hot Ice!] = Les diamants sont éternels

From Russia, with Love = Échec à l'Orient-Express [Failure on the Orient Express] = Bons baisers de Russie [Good Kisses From Russia]

Dr. No = Docteur No

Goldfinger = Opération Chloroforme [Operation Chloroform] = Goldfinger

For Your Eyes Only = James Bond en danger = Bons baisers de Paris [Good Kisses From Paris]

Thunderball = Opération Tonnerre [Operation Thunder]

The Spy Who Loved Me = Motel 007

On Her Majesty's Secret Service = Au service secret de sa Majesté

You Only Live Twice = On ne vit que deux fois

The Man with the Golden Gun = L'Homme au pistolet d'or

Octopussy = Meilleurs vœux de la Jamaïque [Best Wishes From Jamaica]

---

And in case anyone is interested, here are the German titles:

CR = Casino Royale

LALD = Leben und sterben lassen

MR = Mondblitz [Moon Attack]= Moonraker

DAF = Diamantenfieber [Diamond Fever]

FRWL = Liebesgrüße aus Moskau [From Moscow With Love]

DN = James Bond jagt Dr. No [James Bond Hunts Dr. No]

GF = James Bond jagt Goldfinger

FYEO = 007 James Bond greift ein [007 James Bond intervenes]

TB = Feuerball [Fireball]

TSWLM = 007 Der Spion, der mich liebte

OHMSS = 007 James Bond und sein gefährlichster Auftrag [007 James Bond and His Most Dangerous Assignment] = James Bond, im Dienst ihrer Majestät

YOLT = 007 James Bond reitet den Tiger [007 James Bond Rides the Tiger] = James Bond, du lebst nur zweimal

TMWTGG = 007 James Bond und der Mann mit dem goldenen Colt = James Bond und der goldene Colt = James Bond, der Mann mit dem goldenen Colt

OP = Octopussy und andere Riskante Geschäfte [Risky Business]

The Living Daylights = Der Hauch des Todes [The Breath of Death]

Agent_99

marc wrote: »

Agent_99 wrote: »

marc wrote: »

Dalton et Brosnan flegmatiques?

Dalton certainement, bien sur.

Ca, c'est pas l'image que j'ai de son Bond, notamment apres de LTK. I feel Dalton's Bond is really burning inside. The other Bond actors, Brosnan probably excepted, have more phlegmatic sides to them IMO.

I see what you mean! I was thinking of someone who hides their emotions under a cold exterior.

marc

Agent_99 wrote: »

I see what you mean! I was thinking of someone who hides their emotions under a cold exterior.

Yes, that may be an aspect of phlegm, but for me, it's more defined by a certain element of apathy or sluggishness.

Btw, some days ago, I've finished reading what is possibly an equivalent to 'Agir et penser comme James Bond': (found it in the library)
https://www.cross-cult.de/assets/images/1/bondify_cvr_final-0540448d-ffd3d031.jpg

goldenswissroyale

marc wrote: »

Agent_99 wrote: »

I see what you mean! I was thinking of someone who hides their emotions under a cold exterior.

Yes, that may be an aspect of phlegm, but for me, it's more defined by a certain element of apathy or sluggishness.

Btw, some days ago, I've finished reading what is possibly an equivalent to 'Agir et penser comme James Bond': (found it in the library)
https://www.cross-cult.de/assets/images/1/bondify_cvr_final-0540448d-ffd3d031.jpg

And did you like this book? Never seen this before

marc

goldenswissroyale wrote: »

marc wrote: »

Btw, some days ago, I've finished reading what is possibly an equivalent to 'Agir et penser comme James Bond': (found it in the library)
https://www.cross-cult.de/assets/images/1/bondify_cvr_final-0540448d-ffd3d031.jpg

And did you like this book? Never seen this before

This book is actually a long stringing together of jokes; some surprisingly funny, while others ... well ... aren't. The authors give hints how to manipulate neighbours into haywire villains and buy affordable but impressive clothes/cars/watches, interview the translators of the 2012 edition about the 'true Fleming Bond' etc.
Part of each page is dedicated to a clever 'choose your own adventure' game where you can choose/acquire gadgets, travel to the US/Bahamas/Brazil/Venice/Siberia/Bangkok, lose/gain health points, find out codewords etc. and save the world.

RichardTheBruce

@MaxCasino I gave my thoughts for The Real James Bond on its own discussion trail.

https://www.mi6community.com/discussion/19372/my-new-book-the-real-james-bond#latest

Also ran through He Disagreed With Something That Ate Him, a quick read. Good points and context run through by Cary Edwards. A few items worth sharing.

page 36-37 (references Bond and Beyond: The Political Career of a Popular Hero by Tony Bennett and Janet Woollacott)

This gun, used in most of the Bond films, was
presented to Bond in M's office, in the first film Dr.
No, as a replacement for his previous firearm, a
Beretta 418 (with a .25 calibre) described by M's
armourer as "nice and light, for a lady's handbag."
The Walther PPK symbolizes Bond's legitimacy and
is a key part of his identity (he is often identified by
it) but it also represents his relationship to M the
father figure. This is added extra piquancy by the
suggestion, from Bennett, that the PPK acts as a
phallic symbol, the power given to him by M and part
of the symbolic system that has M at its head.
Removing this suggests castration, a removal of what
Bond "never has of his own but one that he holds
conditionally" (Benn 1987, 133). As Bond escapes
with the PPK he claims this symbol for himself, no
longer requiring M's approval or endorsement. Later
in the film Bond's PPL is removed by Sanchez (who
claims Isthmus is a "safe city"), whereupon Bond asks
Pam for her gun. She passes him a Beretta 950 Jetfire,
a similar shaped .25 calibre pistol to the 418 (which
ceased production in 1958). In this Bond symbolically
reclaims his original weapon, and thus achieves self-
determination. By cutting his umbilical cord to M,
Bond symbolically grows up.

Interesting to see the Beretta in that light.


page 63, Footnote 23 (referencing When the Snow Melts, by Broccoli with Donald Zec)

In a classic moment of life imitating art Licence to Kill was
released before [Manuel] Noriega was 'snatched'. Initial press reaction to the
film's plot was incredulous, as Broccoli recalled. "They criticised
our plot and totally misunderstood our intention to expose top-
level corruption in the drug scene. If Noriega had been nailed a
year before, the same critics may have accused us of milking the
situation." (Broccoli 1998, 295).

Regarding life imitating content of Bond films already in production/filming, it would be interesting to collect those items. I think there were examples with For Your Eyes Only, The World Is Not Enough. Though the specifics escape me for now.


page 86, footnote 30 (referencing the Telegraph piece "The OO7 flops who nearly killed Bond", https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1518941/The-007-flops-who-nearly-killed-Bond.html)

Broccoli pushed for for Dalton to return, despite objections from the
Fleming estate's representative Kenneth Maidment who thought
Dalton's portrayal was the main cause of falling revenues. (Hastings, 2006)

Worth repeating, since this point comes up in discussion from time to time.

MaxCasino

The Many Lives of James Bond by Mark Edlitz. Great in-depth interviews with the artists who helped the James Bond legacy.

MaxCasino

MaxCasino wrote: »

The Many Lives of James Bond by Mark Edlitz. Great in-depth interviews with the artists who helped the James Bond legacy.

Just finished it! Highly recommended, but could have used more Bond Women, directors and screenwriters.

Max_The_Parrot

I've just taken delivery yesterday of this doorstop of a book

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steffen-Appel-Peter-Waelty-Goldfinger/dp/3958297463



and I have to say it's an absolutely wonderful work of art, text is brief but the images are bountiful and what wonderful images they are! So many candid behind the scenes shots of the 'iconic Alpine sequence' that are probably knocking around the Internet somewhere but which I've never seen, certainly not in book format. Never thought I'd get so much pleasure looking at Tania and Sean enjoying a picnic on the side of the road.

@goldenswissroyale if you haven't already checked out the book I'm sure you'd love it, having visited the area - you may even know the authors??

MaxCasino

Max_The_Parrot wrote: »

I've just taken delivery yesterday of this doorstop of a book

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steffen-Appel-Peter-Waelty-Goldfinger/dp/3958297463



and I have to say it's an absolutely wonderful work of art, text is brief but the images are bountiful and what wonderful images they are! So many candid behind the scenes shots of the 'iconic Alpine sequence' that are probably knocking around the Internet somewhere but which I've never seen, certainly not in book format. Never thought I'd get so much pleasure looking at Tania and Sean enjoying a picnic on the side of the road.

@goldenswissroyale if you haven't already checked out the book I'm sure you'd love it, having visited the area - you may even know the authors??

I’m planning on getting it soon!

goldenswissroyale

@Max_The_Parrot funny that you mention the pictures with Tania and Sean eating next to the road. It's one of my favourite images in the book. It looks so peaceful, uncomplicated (they didn't have a chair to eat! Imagine Craig must eat on the floor somewhere for lunch between the scenes!).
I planned to write something about the book earlier but was a bit busy lately. (Sometimes, even the holidays of teachers come to an end). Would be nice to have a bit more text and there are some typing errors (Ken Adams instead of Adam...) but the text features funny and never-heard-before backstories. The pictures are indeed wonderful and most of them haven't been published before. The printing quality is very good, too. It feels like you would go back in time and be there on set. I can definitely recommend the book. But be aware that the book only features material from the one week shooting in Switzerland. It is a must for Goldfinger fans and a huge pleasure for all fans of new Bond photos.

I was up in the hills with the authors the 5th of July, exactly 56 years after their arrival in Switzerland. (And it was again a Sunday).
My profile picture shows me in front of Steffen Appelt's car on film location...My favourite photo of this summer. :D

Max_The_Parrot

@goldenswissroyale great anecdote, thanks for sharing! I've enjoyed flicking through looking at the photos and reading odd snippets but look forward to sitting down and properly reading it cover to cover. As you say shame there wasn't a little more substance to the text, but they do say a picture paints a thousand words. Top Bond book!