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James Bond (Original Series) #1,2
Two James Bond Thrillers By Ian Fleming: Live & Let Die And Casino Royale
Casino Royale
‘Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James. They are easier to fight for than principles’
In Casino Royale, the first of Fleming’s 007 adventures, a game of cards is James Bond's only chance to bring down the desperate SMERSH agent Le Chiffre. But Bond soon discovers that there is far more at stake than money.
Live and Let Die
‘You start to die the moment you are born’
Live and Let Die, Ian Fleming’s second 007 novel, takes Bond from Harlem to Jamaica in a frenzied hunt for the deadly gangster Mr Big and his macabre network of associates.
‘Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James. They are easier to fight for than principles’
In Casino Royale, the first of Fleming’s 007 adventures, a game of cards is James Bond's only chance to bring down the desperate SMERSH agent Le Chiffre. But Bond soon discovers that there is far more at stake than money.
Live and Let Die
‘You start to die the moment you are born’
Live and Let Die, Ian Fleming’s second 007 novel, takes Bond from Harlem to Jamaica in a frenzied hunt for the deadly gangster Mr Big and his macabre network of associates.
- GenresThriller
Audio CD
First published October 29, 2012
30 people are currently reading
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About the author
Ian Fleming
758 books3,371 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ian Lancaster Fleming was an English writer, best known for his postwar James Bond series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his father was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and, briefly, the universities of Munich and Geneva, Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing.
While working for Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War, Fleming was involved in planning Operation Goldeneye and in the planning and oversight of two intelligence units: 30 Assault Unit and T-Force. He drew from his wartime service and his career as a journalist for much of the background, detail, and depth of his James Bond novels.
Fleming wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952, at age 44. It was a success, and three print runs were commissioned to meet the demand. Eleven Bond novels and two collections of short stories followed between 1953 and 1966. The novels centre around James Bond, an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Bond is also known by his code number, 007, and was a commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The Bond stories rank among the best-selling series of fictional books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Fleming also wrote the children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and two works of non-fiction. In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Fleming was married to Ann Fleming. She had divorced her husband, the 2nd Viscount Rothermere, because of her affair with the author. Fleming and Ann had a son, Caspar. Fleming was a heavy smoker and drinker for most of his life and succumbed to heart disease in 1964 at the age of 56. Two of his James Bond books were published posthumously; other writers have since produced Bond novels. Fleming's creation has appeared in film twenty-seven times, portrayed by six actors in the official film series.
Ian Lancaster Fleming was an English writer, best known for his postwar James Bond series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his father was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and, briefly, the universities of Munich and Geneva, Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing.
While working for Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War, Fleming was involved in planning Operation Goldeneye and in the planning and oversight of two intelligence units: 30 Assault Unit and T-Force. He drew from his wartime service and his career as a journalist for much of the background, detail, and depth of his James Bond novels.
Fleming wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952, at age 44. It was a success, and three print runs were commissioned to meet the demand. Eleven Bond novels and two collections of short stories followed between 1953 and 1966. The novels centre around James Bond, an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Bond is also known by his code number, 007, and was a commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The Bond stories rank among the best-selling series of fictional books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Fleming also wrote the children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and two works of non-fiction. In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Fleming was married to Ann Fleming. She had divorced her husband, the 2nd Viscount Rothermere, because of her affair with the author. Fleming and Ann had a son, Caspar. Fleming was a heavy smoker and drinker for most of his life and succumbed to heart disease in 1964 at the age of 56. Two of his James Bond books were published posthumously; other writers have since produced Bond novels. Fleming's creation has appeared in film twenty-seven times, portrayed by six actors in the official film series.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 5, 2020
Casino Royale is the first in the Bond series, and, if we are to judge by the writing and plot alone, I think it is the best one.
I can only wonder at how Ian Fleming harnessed such skilful writing in a debut. I have re-read it, too, and found more gems in the prose. The latter third of the book is like an anti-romance, with all the passion of romance, but without the happy ending, only betrayal.
The question always remains with Ian Fleming's novels - would we read them, if the films had not been made? Probably not. We would not feel the need to, or the name and titles would have been lost to later generations. Yet Casino Royale makes very interesting study for a writer - the light sketching of character, and the details, even when they are, at times, faintly ridiculous:
'Satisfied that his room had not been searched while he was at the casino, Bond undressed and took a cold shower. Then he lit his seventieth cigarette of the day and sat at the writing-table...'
SEVENTIETH?! Somehow I don't think Daniel Craig enjoyed (endured?!) such a regime when he was in role. But don't let me put you off. Casino Royale is escapism at its best.
I can only wonder at how Ian Fleming harnessed such skilful writing in a debut. I have re-read it, too, and found more gems in the prose. The latter third of the book is like an anti-romance, with all the passion of romance, but without the happy ending, only betrayal.
The question always remains with Ian Fleming's novels - would we read them, if the films had not been made? Probably not. We would not feel the need to, or the name and titles would have been lost to later generations. Yet Casino Royale makes very interesting study for a writer - the light sketching of character, and the details, even when they are, at times, faintly ridiculous:
'Satisfied that his room had not been searched while he was at the casino, Bond undressed and took a cold shower. Then he lit his seventieth cigarette of the day and sat at the writing-table...'
SEVENTIETH?! Somehow I don't think Daniel Craig enjoyed (endured?!) such a regime when he was in role. But don't let me put you off. Casino Royale is escapism at its best.
October 22, 2020
Still as good as I remember from 40 years ago
I suggest that the real Bond is in the books and I was surprised by the quality of Fleming's writing
I suggest that the real Bond is in the books and I was surprised by the quality of Fleming's writing
February 1, 2026
Casino Royale is my favourite in the Bond series.
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October 2, 2016Both books were predictedly better than the movies. Both books were products of the 1950's and this should be Borne in mind when reading them. I would recommend reading all of the Flemming James Bond books in chronological order. I have done so and loved them all.
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August 3, 2010In English language,Inglise keeles,fiction,novel,spy fiction,espionage fiction,made into a movie
January 29, 2015
Better than expected. I really enjoyed both books and probably enjoyed Live and Let Die a little better.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews