The new James Bond rocks …

I just finished reading the newJames Bond novel, Devil May Care, by Sebastian Faulks (writing as Ian Fleming). I have to say I liked the book.

It’s a pageturner par excellence, and for once in Mr Faulks we have a writer who does justice to Mr Fleming’s long established traditions of short sentences, snappy writing, and a political (and gender) sensibility guaranteed to have the ACLU up in arms.

Also, thankfully, no attempt is made to artificially transport a cold war character into a modern era — the story is set in a world where the USSR is not a bunch of small states waiting to be invaded by Russia on one pretext or the other … they’ve given in and the Berlin wall looks more solid than the great wall.

Some interesting facts froma quiz on Amazon:

10 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT JAMES BOND & IAN FLEMING

Q: Although James Bond is regarded by many as the quintessential English hero, he is actually not English. What is his nationality in the books?

A: He is half Scottish and half Swiss. He also hates that most English of drinks, tea–and describes it as ‘mud’!

Q: Bond has had many famous incarnations on the big screen but, prior to these, he was first played on the radio by which British actor and game show host?

A: Bob Holness of Blockbusters fame

Q: Which Bond villain shares a birthday with his creator?

A: Ernst Stavro Blofeld. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service reveals that Blofeld was born on 28 May 1908. Ian Lancaster Fleming entered the world on the same day at 7 Green Street in London.

Q: Which American President was a big fan of the Fleming novels?

A: President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy was known to be a big fan of Fleming and listed From Russia With Love as one of his top 10 favourite books. Bizarrely, both Kennedy and his assassin Lee Harvey Oswald are believed to have been reading Bond novels the night before Kennedy was killed.

Q: Which famed children’s author helped Ian Fleming adapt his children’s adventure story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for the big screen?

A: Roald Dahl

Q: Where did Fleming write all his Bond books?

A: At Goldeneye, his Jamaican home. Although now part of a luxurious holiday resort, the house was very basic in Fleming’s time–so much so that his friend and neighbour Noel Coward referred to it as Goldeneye, Nose and Throat!

Q: Although Ursula Andress wears the most famous bikini in cinema history in her iconic performance in Doctor No, in Fleming’s novel of the same name the character Honeychile Rider wears even less. What does she wear?

A: She is naked save for a knife-belt.

Q: The first Bond novel, Casino Royale, originally had a different title when it was published in the US. Under what title was it initially published here?

A: The initial title here was Too Hot To Handle.

Q: What is James Bond’s favorite meal?

A: Breakfast. He has a particular penchant for scrambled eggs, and the short story 007 in New York even includes his own recipe for them.

Q: Who is Miss Moneypenny named for?

A: Miss Moneypenny was named after a character in an unpublished novel written by Ian Fleming’s brother, the travel writer Peter Fleming.

The other gem

While buying the book, I also found another gem: The New York Times Guide To Essential Knowledge. It’s an almanac/encyclopedia for adults — so you’re not going to find glossy pages or color photographs of frogs from the Amazon. It’s not a book I can finish in a go, thankfully, and I hope to keep referring to it over the years. A cursory glance suggests the book is worth every paise of the 1300 odd rupees I spent on it. From amazon:

Review

“This widely expanded update to the original 2004 edition defines nearly every facet of contemporary life—from arts, grammar, mythology and culture to science, economics, and geopolitical issues. Though bearing an authority and informational wealth that might rival the voluminous Oxford Dictionary of English, this surprisingly manageable volume is organized alphabetically by subject and contains thousands of highly accessible essays, tables, and lists, all composed by New York Times field experts. It also includes an introduction by longtime “On Language” columnist and Pultizer Prize winner William Safire. An essential background referenec for almost every subject: highly recommended for all public libraries.”—Library Journal

“I wish I’d had this book 25 years ago. It is certain to become an indispensable tool for fact fanatics.”—Bill Bryson, author of A Short History of Nearly Everything

“In short, this is the largest, most up-to-date and affordable one volume desk reference available today and is an absolute must for every home, dorm room and library.”—Tucson Citizen

Product Description

A Complete Revision and Thorough Updating of the Ultimate Reference from the Newspaper of Record

Whether you are researching the history of Western art, investigating an obscure medical test, following current environmental trends, studying Shakespeare, brushing up on your crossword and Sudoku skills, or simply looking for a deeper understanding of the world, this book is for you. An indispensable resource for every home, office, dorm room, and library, this new edition of The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledgeoffers in-depth explorations of art, astronomy, biology, business, economics, the environment, film, geography, history, the Internet, literature, mathematics, music, mythology, philosophy, photography, sports, theater, film, and many other subjects.

This one volume is designed to offer more information than any other book on the most important subjects, as well as provide easy-to-access data critical to everyday life. It is the only universal reference book to include authoritative and engaging essays from New York Timesexperts in almost every field of endeavor.

Recovered from the site’s WordPress archive, where it was published on 2008-08-12.