We see that javascript is disabled or not supported by your browser - javascript is needed for important actions on the site. Read more

What's New - Home - Login

Member $avings: $81,596,066.26 | Books Available: 790,234 | Members Online: 247

Swap Used Books - Buy New Books at Great Prices!

How To Swap Books Sign Up Search submenu

PBS Market (New Books)

Gift Buying Guide

Book Browser Advanced Search Books Posted Today Member Book Reviews Award Winning Books NYT Best Sellers Amazon Best Sellers Most Traveled Copies Club Wish List

Discussion Forums Book Lists

Club Lists My Book Lists My Watched Lists Create a List

Blog Donations

School Donation Program In Memory of... Military Donation Program Friends of PBS

Box-O-Books Maps The Eclectic Pen Fun Stuff

20 Questions Sudoku Bookmark Creator

Top 100

Requests Posts Swappers Referrers Reviewers

Pulse of PBS Spread The Word

Invite Friends Bookmarks Facebook Page Facebook App More Ways...

Photo Gallery Recipes Club Tag Cloud Member Testimonials

Help Center submenu

How To Swap Books Browse Help Docs Ask the Librarian PBS Member Icons Live Help

Kiosk

PBS Market (New Books) Go Shopping Buy Credits Buy PBS Money Upgrade Membership Gift Certificates Transfer Credits

Need Help?

Search - The Rough Guide to James Bond

The Rough Guide to James Bond
Author: Rough Guides

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 essen... more »tially 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.

ISBN-13: 9781843531425
ISBN-10: 1843531429
Publication Date: 1/13/2003
Pages: 272
Rating:

0 stars, based on 0 rating

Publisher: Rough Guides
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 2
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

Genres:

Biographies & Memoirs >> General
Reference >> General
Humor & Entertainment >> Movies >> Guides & Reviews

Back to the Top ↑

Search - The Rough Guide to James Bond

Loading...