James Bond: My Long And Eventful Search For His Father

Bonds origins: from a new and different angle

Len Deighton gives a candid behind-the-scenes look at the fraught process that got 007 off the page and into the cinema. This short story reads like a long article that might appears in The Sunday Times Magazine. It explains how Ian Fleming, Harry Saltzman, Kevin McClory and even Sean Connery all got involved.

The movie conversion of Bond started in 1958 with a treatment which became Thunderball. For several reasons Thunderball ended-up being the fourth movie made and not the first. Deighton himself wrote the screen play for From Russia with Love.

Despite seeing the classic Harry Palmer movies starring Michael Caine, this was the first work by Deighton that I'd read. The story is almost like listening to him relating a tale while you're having a drink with him.

There's no real point in summarising the main points of the book, as it's almost its own summary and you can read it in one sitting. While not all the parts of the story are new Deighton conveys them in a refreshingly honest way.
Fans of Bond will find it provides a certain perspective on the events which resulted in the creation of one of cinema's iconic figures.

How Deighton can recall details about the affair after all this time is amazing, but he does. I for one will definitely be checking out his other books. A great short read. The last paragraph, in particular, is excellent!