The Rough Guide to James Bond (Paperback)

by Rough Guides (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
INTRODUCTION

‘He’s what you would expect of an adolescent mind – which I happen to possess’
Ian Fleming

The name’s... Do we really need to go on? Just those two words are enough to conjure up the most famous fictional character of the 20th century. In this ever-changing world in which we live, James Bond remains essentially the same. His appearance has changed (albeit not as often as his favoured vintage of champagne) but 007 is recognisably the same character Ian Fleming dreamt up in 1952, the man every boy wants to be. He is a superhero without superpowers; a St George fighting contemporary dragons with a handgun and a stream of one-liners; a secret agent as admired by men (even his enemies) as he is irresistible to women; a hero so indestructible his popularity has survived changing political and sexual mores, some formulaic films and (post-Fleming) some deeply average thrillers.

We might not all want to be Bond (or slip between the sheets with him) but a character who started out as one man’s fantasy has become a fantasy enough of us share (or enjoy) to support a small industry, symbolised by the seemingly unstoppable movie franchise which has racked up more than $2 billion at the box office. His global appeal is, perhaps, Bond’s most stupendous feat of all: invented by a middle-aged, upper-middle class Brit, he has become a nationless, classless, ageless icon, as recognisable as Elvis, JFK or Madonna (mother of Lourdes, not of Jesus).

He may not be able to fly but he has proved as indestructible a superhero as Superman. And, in an industrial sense, he has more staying power than winged wonders or men of steel. Although there have been some duff Bond movies, the quality control exercised, mainly by the Broccolis (Cubby and Barbara), has, by Hollywood standards, been exceptional. You only have to look at the various Tarzan movies to see the shambles Bond’s celluloid career could have become in other hands.

His appeal may rest in the fact that we don’t know much about him. At least little that matters. He is a hero who never bores us because after half a century (and 20 movies, 33 novels, various novelisations and short stories) we know less about what makes him tick than we’d discover if we asked him round for dinner.

While this book won’t tell you what makes Bond tick, it hopes to tell you almost everything else you need to know about 007, his creator, the books and movies, the girls he’s bedded, the villains he’s bested and the gadgets he’s tested. So mix yourself a vodka martini (you’ll find the recipe on p109) and enjoy.

About the Author
Paul Simpson has edited various magazines, launched the adult football magazine FourFourTwo, written books on football trivia, the European newspaper industry, and a biography of Paul Gascoigne and has worked for the FT, Q, and The Times. He is the editor of the Rough Guides to Shopping Online and Cult Movies and author of the forthcoming Rough Guides to Elvis and Cult TV.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides (January 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843531429
• ISBN-13: 978-1843531425
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #746,629 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Shocking!, August 9, 2003

By	T. Hooper "thdizzy" (Osaka, Japan) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This guide has a complete listing of the books and movies up to "The World is Not Enough." It's a light and entertaining read for casual Bond fans or for people who don't know much about the older Bond movies, like myself. However, I can't imagine that hardcore Bond fans could enjoy this. Probably those fans know more about Bond than is included in this book. The listings for the books are about a page each, and for the movies rarely exceeds two pages. So if you've seen all the movies or read all the books, then I don't recommend it for you. However, if you'd like to have an introduction into the world of Bond, it's an excellent book. I thouroughly enjoyed it from cover to cover.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great read, June 13, 2003

By	"bond_jamesbond330" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This is one of those books for someone who wants to know as much about James Bond as possible in just a short amount of time. It gives you just what it promises, a rough history about Bond. If you truly want to impress people with your knowledge about 007 you need to research more. But if you want to just get by in a conversation about Bond this is the book for you. So I recommend this for anyone who needs to know about the most famous secret agent out there in just 007 minutes.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for a start in the series.... only a start, April 15, 2006

By	James Bond "OG" - See all my reviews

I knew practically everything in this book being a 007 veteran.
I could imagine it being very useful fro people beginning the bond craze. GOOD READ.