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Which Book to Take on Business Trip

BourneBourne
edited October 2011 in Literary 007 Posts: 7
I'm going away for a dull, but stressful, trip and am going to start a Bond book again for the plane ride and evenings. I've read them all, but I need to be reminded which is best for pure escapeism. Which one should I take. No, I don't own a copy of Carte Blanche yet. This is like the "which book would you choose to take if you were to be stranded on a desert island?" question. Sorry, it's a stupid question; but the book will be the only part of the business trip that I'll look forward to.
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Comments

  • anotherbondgeekanotherbondgeek
    edited October 2011 Posts: 423
    If you haven't already read it, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carre. As a second choice, try Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. Freedom isn't to everyone's tastes, but I loved it :)

    EDIT: Eep, just realised that you meant a Bond book. Moonraker and Casino Royale are my favourite official ones, but Colonel Sun and Shatterhand are great too. My above choices still stand btw :P
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    i haven't read many of the books but i enjoyed moonraker and goldfinger
  • BourneBourne
    Posts: 7
    Yes, I'm trying to stick to the Fleming novels.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,187
    Moonraker is a very engaging book. I suggest you give it a try. ;;)
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    I would also pick Moonraker. The book I happen to view as the best.
  • BourneBourne
    Posts: 7
    So many people think of 'From Russia With Love' as the best in the series. I think it might have to be that one. When I first read it I disagreed, but I'll give it a second chance.
  • BourneBourne
    Posts: 7
    Change of plans. I just bought Carte Blanche today and am going to give that a chance. I've refused to read any non-Fleming Bond books up until now, but that one has me interested.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Good luck with Carte Blanche. I think re-reading From Russia with Love or even Dr. No would be a good, relaxing, fun way to kill time.
  • nick_007nick_007 Ville Marie
    Posts: 443
    Bourne please do give FRWL a second chance even if you take Carte Blanche on the trip with you.

    I had a blast reading FRWL.
  • BounineBounine
    Posts: 2,599
    I can't decide whether to read FRWL, OHMSS or The Authorised Biography of Bond by John Pearson when I travel next week. I've read all of them 4 or 5 times so I can't decide.

    I'm a bit late but I would have advised Bourne to take the Bond biography. It's an excellent book. Almost as good as Fleming's novels and probably better than DAF which is my least favourite of the Fleming books.
  • 007dominator007dominator
    Posts: 6
    Definatly not Goldfinger. Love the movie but the book bores the hell out of you.
  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    I'm really enjoying OHMSS. For someone who's never read a Bond novel, it's quite good.
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    007dominator wrote:
    Definatly not Goldfinger. Love the movie but the book bores the hell out of you.

    The Film version is not that much different in that respect
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,187
    GF may be the only film that actually managed a better script than the book. Tediousness, however, is not the word I'd use. Despite Fleming's often lengthy descriptions, his words remain gold, his imagination powerful beyond anything else. I wouldn't disagree that some parts of GF aren't as spectacular or rhythmic as - say - CR, MR or OHMSS, but overall I can't bring myself to calling it boring. ;-)
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited March 2012 Posts: 11,189
    Well I read a fair chunk of MR while I was on holiday in Las Vegas (either on the plane or nursing a hangover in my hotel room). So I recommend that one :)
  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    Funny, I didn't think much of MR at all. I would recommend either CR, OHMSS or FRWL, which I'm now almost half way through.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    007dominator wrote:
    Definatly not Goldfinger. Love the movie but the book bores the hell out of you.

    Not sure how GF can be called boring.

    The Miami passage is great. I like golf, so naturally the golf passage is fun, but I get if you don't like golf.
  • Sir_James_MoloneySir_James_Moloney
    edited May 2013 Posts: 388
    007InVT wrote:
    007dominator wrote:
    Definatly not Goldfinger. Love the movie but the book bores the hell out of you.

    Not sure how GF can be called boring.

    The Miami passage is great. I like golf, so naturally the golf passage is fun, but I get if you don't like golf.

    Agreed. And I'm not a big golfer but I still find the golf passage fun.

    The plot absolutely falls to pieces when the story moves to the States but it's never boring.

    And to address the thread title, get a Kindle and you can take them all with you!
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    I find Bond at his most humorous in GF. He's cheeky and the interplay with M and the guy at the Bank of England is great.

    Strange how many dog on this book.
  • hullcityfanhullcityfan Banned
    Posts: 496
    Tommorrow Never Dies book its just like the film!
  • Sir_James_MoloneySir_James_Moloney
    Posts: 388
    007InVT wrote:
    I find Bond at his most humorous in GF. He's cheeky and the interplay with M and the guy at the Bank of England is great.

    Strange how many dog on this book.

    Agreed, it's very enjoyable. I think the main cause of criticism is the plot problems in the final third - the idea that Goldfinger would employ a man who has twice cheated him out of money, stole his girlfriend and then followed him to Switzerland, trespassed on his property and was discovered with a loaded sniper rifle is a bit of a stretch. Thing is, Fleming's writing really carries it through

  • Goldeneye95Goldeneye95
    Posts: 546
    Ian Fleming's novels-

    1.FRWL
    2.CR
    3.MR

    Also, TND novel bt Raymond Benson was superb.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Definitely FRWL, although I re-read it recently and had forgotten how appalling - really appalling - Fleming can write sometimes in regards to the treatment of women. (Kerim's recounting his earlier conquest as a young man; disgusting and immoral any way you look at it).

    Other than that disturbing part, it is finely written and a great read.
  • myworldisenoughmyworldisenough
    Posts: 1,143
    FRWL or DN
  • Sir_James_MoloneySir_James_Moloney
    Posts: 388
    4EverBonded wrote:
    Definitely FRWL, although I re-read it recently and had forgotten how appalling - really appalling - Fleming can write sometimes in regards to the treatment of women. (Kerim's recounting his earlier conquest as a young man; disgusting and immoral any way you look at it).

    I'm currently rereading the original Fleming stories @4EverBonded (just about to start Risico) and I have to say they make for quite uncomfortable reading at times.
  • myworldisenoughmyworldisenough
    Posts: 1,143
    Sir_James_Moloney wrote:
    4EverBonded wrote:
    Definitely FRWL, although I re-read it recently and had forgotten how appalling - really appalling - Fleming can write sometimes in regards to the treatment of women. (Kerim's recounting his earlier conquest as a young man; disgusting and immoral any way you look at it).

    I'm currently rereading the original Fleming stories @4EverBonded (just about to start Risico) and I have to say they make for quite uncomfortable reading at times.

    There are undertones of sadism by some male characters against female characters amongst Fleming's work at times. I think it adds a shock factor to the reader.
  • Sir_James_MoloneySir_James_Moloney
    edited May 2013 Posts: 388
    myworldisenough wrote:
    Sir_James_Moloney wrote:
    4EverBonded wrote:
    Definitely FRWL, although I re-read it recently and had forgotten how appalling - really appalling - Fleming can write sometimes in regards to the treatment of women. (Kerim's recounting his earlier conquest as a young man; disgusting and immoral any way you look at it).

    I'm currently rereading the original Fleming stories @4EverBonded (just about to start Risico) and I have to say they make for quite uncomfortable reading at times.

    There are undertones of sadism by some male characters against female characters amongst Fleming's work at times. I think it adds a shock factor to the reader.

    Yeah, but some of the stuff ("all women love semi-rape" is one that springs to mind) push it too far. I think it's possible to be a big Fleming fan but still accept that some of his writing is pretty horrible.
  • hullcityfanhullcityfan Banned
    Posts: 496
    Goldeneye95 wrote:
    Ian Fleming's novels-

    1.FRWL
    2.CR
    3.MR

    Also, TND novel bt Raymond Benson was superb.

    I know not got the FRWL is it any good or worth buying?
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    YES, it's really good. Just not buy into the horrible treatment of women crap he wrote.

    I am a Fleming fan, but those kinds of parts of his writing are horrible.

    The rest of the story is very well written, do try it.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    He's pretty unkind to Koreans in Goldfinger too, but remember he is writing fiction and Bond is a character, not as Ian Fleming.

    Draw your own conclusions but better left to his biographers on moral character.

    I know second hand from a late friend and 1st edition illustrator, Richard Chopping, that he was not the nicest man that ever lived.
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