What Bond reference book are you reading?

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  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,616
    Being Bond: A Daniel Craig Retrospective by Mark Salisbury. A great easy read, with some noticeable references, in particular with the “what if” departments. It does seem that Craig got almost too much creative control at times. I look at this as a mixed bag. EON should step back for the next Bond with this. It read (in the book, at least) like EON was too loyal to him, especially when Connery and Brosnan wanted just a bit of that creative control. Purvis and Wade are truly good ideas men. For those of you who thought that Bond and Blofeld shouldn’t have been brothers, here’s a shocker. I think that John Logan’s idea of making Blofeld a woman was worse. Those are just a few of the many interesting things I found out about DC’s time as Bond. A great interesting read. I wouldn’t be surprised if EON tries John Logan’s idea of filming two movies back to back soon. In particular if Amazon is putting part of the money up.
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,341
    Thanks for pointing me to that book, @MaxCasino . Sounds compelling.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,616
    zebrafish wrote: »
    Thanks for pointing me to that book, @MaxCasino . Sounds compelling.

    You’re welcome. Always happy to help a fellow out. It goes to show that EON is truly a family. That’s why it’s worked out so well for over half a century. And why EON should NEVER sell Bond.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,268
    MaxCasino wrote: »

    Bit pricey, innit? Well, it is the 007 Store I suppose...
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    Posts: 1,640
    Weird to do a Dr. No book in the Goldfinger anniversary year but whatever.
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,581
    I wish they made an updated version of The Essential Bond. I have my over 20 year old copy that stopped at TWINE
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,341
    If you want to know everything about the making of Dr. No that there is to know, but at a reasonable price, then consider this Cinema Retro Special Issue.

    Apparently, they have some last copies left for sale. I have one and can highly recommend it.

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,268
    LucknFate wrote: »
    Weird to do a Dr. No book in the Goldfinger anniversary year but whatever.

    I guess that their excuse is that a book that expensive must take a long time to put together. 8-|
  • edited February 7 Posts: 579
    Jesus, this new Making of Dr. No by Taschen looks incredible! Yes, it's very expensive but don't forget that they eventually nearly always reprint their limited edition books in a more affordable version. Once that less expensive version will become available (in a year or two, I would expect), then it will be an instant buy for me!
  • Posts: 1,075
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    It does seem that Craig got almost too much creative control at times. I look at this as a mixed bag.

    I know some people here don't like Daniel Craig getting a lot of the blame for the way the movie series went, but it really does seem he had a hell of a lot of sway. I'm not going to buy a £30 book to find out more though.

    Casino Royale and Skyfall were fab, but he's my least favourite Bond actor.
  • edited February 8 Posts: 2,917
    Yes, it's very expensive but don't forget that they eventually nearly always reprint their limited edition books in a more affordable version.

    True, but the reprints don't always reproduce all the images and text from the originals. Taschen's small-size reprint of its Mickey Mouse book is missing an entire chapter from the original.
  • Posts: 1,917
    Revelator wrote: »
    Yes, it's very expensive but don't forget that they eventually nearly always reprint their limited edition books in a more affordable version.

    True, but the reprints don't always reproduce all the images and text from the originals. Taschen's small-size reprint of its Mickey Mouse book is missing an entire chapter from the original.

    I'm hoping for a more affordable version but can vouch for the small-size being limiting. I bought the Kubrick Archives in that format and it's inconvenient with the print size small, the photos being less grand than in the bigger book and a little harder to appreciate overall.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,268
    BT3366 wrote: »
    Revelator wrote: »
    Yes, it's very expensive but don't forget that they eventually nearly always reprint their limited edition books in a more affordable version.

    True, but the reprints don't always reproduce all the images and text from the originals. Taschen's small-size reprint of its Mickey Mouse book is missing an entire chapter from the original.

    I'm hoping for a more affordable version but can vouch for the small-size being limiting. I bought the Kubrick Archives in that format and it's inconvenient with the print size small, the photos being less grand than in the bigger book and a little harder to appreciate overall.

    I suppose it's a case of "You get what you pay for." ;)
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
    61272022.jpg

    Love and Let Die: James Bond, The Beatles, and the British Psyche, by John Higgs

    There were a few points where I thought the author didn't quite 'get' Bond, and even a couple where I wanted to shout, Partridge-like, "STOP GETTING BOND WRONG!", which cast doubt on the Beatles knowledge I was shakier on. And sometimes he didn't seem to like Bond all that much

    Some of the coincidences and parallels were superb - I'd never picked up on the fact that the lovely Richard Vernon was in GF and A Hard Day's Night in the same year! - while some were a bit of a reach: "While Bond was battling SPECTRE, the Beatles were working with Phil Spector."

    Thumbs up from me, overall; fun and fascinating, with a conclusion I loved.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
  • Posts: 7,414
    Very nice! I was tempted to purchase it, but I've resisted.(we are only getting out of long month of January and bills to pay!) Nice shot of Connery with Fleming!
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited February 17 Posts: 6,287
    Currently making my way through The Life of Ian Fleming, by John Pearson. I previously read The Authorized Biography of 007.

    It's surprising how clear-eyed, and often critical, he is about Fleming in this soon after his death, with little of the mythology (he did this-and-that during the war, he was a connoisseur, etc.) that would later build up around Fleming's legacy.
  • Posts: 2,917
    Pearson knew and worked for Fleming at the Sunday Times, and he obviously understood the man. Since he was writing an authorized biography there were some things he knew about but couldn't discuss--like Fleming's mistress Blanche Blackwell--but he wrote an excellent book nevertheless.

    While on the subject: in 2020 Queen Anne Press published Ian Fleming – The Notes by John Pearson, which collects his write-ups on the interviews he conducted for the biography. It's a fascinating book with lots of details that never made it into the finished book. By putting all the interviews and Pearson's commentary together readers can construct their own version of Fleming's life. Unfortunately it's out of print and pricey, but it belongs on every Fleming fanatic's shelf.
  • Posts: 2,161
    I haven’t read the biography in decades, but I still have a paperback copy lying around. Maybe it’s time to revisit that and possibly hunt down that companion piece that you’re talking about @Revelator .
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
    I had a piece of luck and found Kingsley Amis's The James Bond Dossier in Oxfam for 99p!

    I'm really enjoying it; makes some excellent points, it's laugh-out-loud funny, and where he pokes fun at Bond it's from a position of knowledge and love.

    GIFxGZQWAAAxHFT.jpg

    Interestingly, in chapter 3 Amis argues that Bond is in fact an old-fashioned Byronic hero, namechecking Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. And who has played the male romantic lead in adaptations of both those stories?

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  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,268
    Yes, I think that's probably the best book ever written about the literary James Bond and there are so many strands about the makeup of the character than Amis identifies. It has really set the benchmark for all books and articles on the literary Bond ever since. I bought my copy back in August 1998 for the princely sum of 10p(!) at a summer fair where I always managed to find Bond books between 1995-1998. I've read it twice and could do with reading it again as it's an excellent book and although it has a cod-academic style Amis still treats his subject with reverence and wit. He was one of the first to do so along with O. F. Snelling.
  • edited March 15 Posts: 2,917
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    I had a piece of luck and found Kingsley Amis's The James Bond Dossier in Oxfam for 99p!

    Congratulations! I like this cover much more than that of bland American hardback, which is what I have.
    I'm really enjoying it; makes some excellent points, it's laugh-out-loud funny, and where he pokes fun at Bond it's from a position of knowledge and love.

    And that's more than one can say about the many academic studies that have come afterward! They may be more analytical but certainly not more enjoyable.
    Interestingly, in chapter 3 Amis argues that Bond is in fact an old-fashioned Byronic hero, namechecking Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. And who has played the male romantic lead in adaptations of both those stories?

    That's something I noticed too. Dalton, more than any other Bond, had the Byronic good looks of a Heathcliff or Rochester. Oddly the point was lost on Amis himself.
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Yes, I think that's probably the best book ever written about the literary James Bond and there are so many strands about the makeup of the character than Amis identifies.

    Agreed. It should be on the shelf of every fan of the literary Bond, right next to Fleming (or Colonel Sun).
    Amis still treats his subject with reverence and wit. He was one of the first to do so along with O. F. Snelling.

    Oddly some prefer Snelling's book to Amis's. But from what I remember Snelling spent too much time going over the inconsistencies in the books, whereas Amis spent more time on proper literary criticism, which he was very skilled at.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
    Revelator wrote: »
    Oddly some prefer Snelling's book to Amis's. But from what I remember Snelling spent too much time going over the inconsistencies in the books, whereas Amis spent more time on proper literary criticism, which he was very skilled at.

    I have Snelling on my shelf - like @Dragonpol, I acquired it in the '90s, that golden age for acquiring '60s books. I must give it a re-read as I can't remember it at all.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited March 16 Posts: 18,268
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    Revelator wrote: »
    Oddly some prefer Snelling's book to Amis's. But from what I remember Snelling spent too much time going over the inconsistencies in the books, whereas Amis spent more time on proper literary criticism, which he was very skilled at.

    I have Snelling on my shelf - like @Dragonpol, I acquired it in the '90s, that golden age for acquiring '60s books. I must give it a re-read as I can't remember it at all.

    I acquired it in 1997 myself. There definitely seemed to be more of those classic '60s books around then before everything of value went on eBay. I recall Snelling giving the reader a rundown of the plot and the characters like the Bond girl and villain whereas Amis just got on with it. Of course Snelling had some interesting criticisms and observations in there too but he used a different approach to Amis. The James Bond Dossier is definitely the better book in my opinion but Double O Seven James Bond: A Report actually sold more copies with over a million copies sold in paperback alone. The two books make a nice companion piece and Snelling's book is good at conveying what it was like to be a James Bond fan in about 1963 or so.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,616
    The James Bond Films 1962-1989: Interviews with the Actors, Writers and Producers by Lee Goldberg.

    An interesting, quick read. Sir Roger Moore, charming as always. Based on his interview, I think Peter Hunt didn't want to come back when Moore was Bond. Simply, because he didn't view Moore as Bond, even after working with him. That's a shame, as they would have been an interesting pair. I think Tom Mankiewicz was interesting, but he seemed to view Bond as a unique individual. Not in the way that Fleming wrote him. Props to Timothy Dalton, as he was truly trying to do something different. John Glen was fun to read as well. I'm thankful that Michael G. Wilson is seemingly open about talking about the Bond process. That will be missed when he's gone.

    The only bad interview in it was the Richard Maibaum interview. He was disgustedly so full of himself, while criticizing others. While egos are always in the media business, he was as much of a hothead like Lazenby. Dear Richard "The Dick" Maibaum in the afterlife: You were NEVER the only one who could write Bond successfully. I'm still conceived that EON wouldn't let him direct a Bond movie because he would be more of a dictator than a director. He also criticized actors, for either changing his words, or not saying them the way he wanted. However, Goldberg said that he and Maibaum (rightfully so) got in trouble with EON for that particular interview. So, while I am thankful for Maibaum's scripts, I can't respect him as a team player. He was honestly lucky that he didn't get fired for that interview. I'm sure that if he was offered NSNA he would have taken it.

    So overall, I do recommend it. A great blast from the past.
  • Posts: 1,917
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    The James Bond Films 1962-1989: Interviews with the Actors, Writers and Producers by Lee Goldberg.

    An interesting, quick read. Sir Roger Moore, charming as always. Based on his interview, I think Peter Hunt didn't want to come back when Moore was Bond. Simply, because he didn't view Moore as Bond, even after working with him. That's a shame, as they would have been an interesting pair. I think Tom Mankiewicz was interesting, but he seemed to view Bond as a unique individual. Not in the way that Fleming wrote him. Props to Timothy Dalton, as he was truly trying to do something different. John Glen was fun to read as well. I'm thankful that Michael G. Wilson is seemingly open about talking about the Bond process. That will be missed when he's gone.

    The only bad interview in it was the Richard Maibaum interview. He was disgustedly so full of himself, while criticizing others. While egos are always in the media business, he was as much of a hothead like Lazenby. Dear Richard "The Dick" Maibaum in the afterlife: You were NEVER the only one who could write Bond successfully. I'm still conceived that EON wouldn't let him direct a Bond movie because he would be more of a dictator than a director. He also criticized actors, for either changing his words, or not saying them the way he wanted. However, Goldberg said that he and Maibaum (rightfully so) got in trouble with EON for that particular interview. So, while I am thankful for Maibaum's scripts, I can't respect him as a team player. He was honestly lucky that he didn't get fired for that interview. I'm sure that if he was offered NSNA he would have taken it.

    So overall, I do recommend it. A great blast from the past.

    Thanks for this review. I didn't even know this was out there as there are countless small press Bond books out there, but I recognized Lee Goldberg's name. I think he may have been a contributor to Starlog, a great source for Bond interviews back in the pre-internet days.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,616
    BT3366 wrote: »
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    The James Bond Films 1962-1989: Interviews with the Actors, Writers and Producers by Lee Goldberg.

    An interesting, quick read. Sir Roger Moore, charming as always. Based on his interview, I think Peter Hunt didn't want to come back when Moore was Bond. Simply, because he didn't view Moore as Bond, even after working with him. That's a shame, as they would have been an interesting pair. I think Tom Mankiewicz was interesting, but he seemed to view Bond as a unique individual. Not in the way that Fleming wrote him. Props to Timothy Dalton, as he was truly trying to do something different. John Glen was fun to read as well. I'm thankful that Michael G. Wilson is seemingly open about talking about the Bond process. That will be missed when he's gone.

    The only bad interview in it was the Richard Maibaum interview. He was disgustedly so full of himself, while criticizing others. While egos are always in the media business, he was as much of a hothead like Lazenby. Dear Richard "The Dick" Maibaum in the afterlife: You were NEVER the only one who could write Bond successfully. I'm still conceived that EON wouldn't let him direct a Bond movie because he would be more of a dictator than a director. He also criticized actors, for either changing his words, or not saying them the way he wanted. However, Goldberg said that he and Maibaum (rightfully so) got in trouble with EON for that particular interview. So, while I am thankful for Maibaum's scripts, I can't respect him as a team player. He was honestly lucky that he didn't get fired for that interview. I'm sure that if he was offered NSNA he would have taken it.

    So overall, I do recommend it. A great blast from the past.

    Thanks for this review. I didn't even know this was out there as there are countless small press Bond books out there, but I recognized Lee Goldberg's name. I think he may have been a contributor to Starlog, a great source for Bond interviews back in the pre-internet days.

    You're welcome. Even the NSNA stuff was interesting. I sometimes wish that Lorenzo Semple Jr. would have written an EON Bond or two. He could have been more witty than Tom Mankiewicz at times. Like I said, a quick, addicting read.

    https://www.amazon.com/James-Bond-Films-1962-1989-Interviews/dp/1954840896/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0_image?pd_rd_w=Ng0RJ&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.bb21fc54-1dd8-448e-92bb-2ddce187f4ac:amzn1.symc.40e6a10e-cbc4-4fa5-81e3-4435ff64d03b&amp;pf_rd_p=bb21fc54-1dd8-448e-92bb-2ddce187f4ac&amp;pf_rd_r=S1NWDE2X3HY2N51BCJXE&amp;pd_rd_wg=77TkH&amp;pd_rd_r=6575f1c2-bc50-485d-814f-a333a53ffad8&amp;pd_rd_i=1954840896
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,268
    BT3366 wrote: »
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    The James Bond Films 1962-1989: Interviews with the Actors, Writers and Producers by Lee Goldberg.

    An interesting, quick read. Sir Roger Moore, charming as always. Based on his interview, I think Peter Hunt didn't want to come back when Moore was Bond. Simply, because he didn't view Moore as Bond, even after working with him. That's a shame, as they would have been an interesting pair. I think Tom Mankiewicz was interesting, but he seemed to view Bond as a unique individual. Not in the way that Fleming wrote him. Props to Timothy Dalton, as he was truly trying to do something different. John Glen was fun to read as well. I'm thankful that Michael G. Wilson is seemingly open about talking about the Bond process. That will be missed when he's gone.

    The only bad interview in it was the Richard Maibaum interview. He was disgustedly so full of himself, while criticizing others. While egos are always in the media business, he was as much of a hothead like Lazenby. Dear Richard "The Dick" Maibaum in the afterlife: You were NEVER the only one who could write Bond successfully. I'm still conceived that EON wouldn't let him direct a Bond movie because he would be more of a dictator than a director. He also criticized actors, for either changing his words, or not saying them the way he wanted. However, Goldberg said that he and Maibaum (rightfully so) got in trouble with EON for that particular interview. So, while I am thankful for Maibaum's scripts, I can't respect him as a team player. He was honestly lucky that he didn't get fired for that interview. I'm sure that if he was offered NSNA he would have taken it.

    So overall, I do recommend it. A great blast from the past.

    Thanks for this review. I didn't even know this was out there as there are countless small press Bond books out there, but I recognized Lee Goldberg's name. I think he may have been a contributor to Starlog, a great source for Bond interviews back in the pre-internet days.

    Yes, thanks from me too, @MaxCasino. I didn't know this was out so I've ordered a copy. This covers my favourite era of James Bond films to be honest (1962-1989) not that I don't appreciate much of what came after too. These earlier films just had a more classic feel to them I think.
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