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Ian Lancaster Fleming (May 28, 1908 - August 12, 1964) was a British author, best remembered for the James Bond series of novels.
Biography
Born in Mayfair, London, Ian Fleming was the younger brother of the travel writer, Peter Fleming. He was educated at Eton College and Sandhurst military academy, then went to university on the Continent to study languages. He worked as a journalist and stockbroker before the Second World War. On the eve of war he was recruited as personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence, Rear-Admiral John Godfrey.
Fleming's background in intelligence work gave him the background and experience to write somewhat convincing spy novels. The first James Bond story, Casino Royale, was published in 1953. It is believed that in this initial story he based the female character "Vesper Lynd" on real life SOE agent, Christine Granville.
Besides the twelve Bond novels, Fleming is also known for the children's story, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Ian Fleming is interred in the Church yard cemetery at the village of Sevenhampton, near Swindon, next to his wife Anne and son, Casper.
Actor Christopher Lee is his cousin. Fleming wanted Lee to play the first Bond film villain, Dr No.
In the book The Man Who Was M: The Life of Charles Henry Maxwell Knight by Anthony Masters, ISBN 0-631-13392-5 it is claimed that during the war Fleming conceived the plan that successfully lured Rudolf Hess to fly into captivity in Britain. There's no other source for these claims.
Selected works
James Bond novels
- Casino Royale (1953)
- Live and Let Die (1954)
- Moonraker (1955)
- Diamonds Are Forever (1956)
- From Russia with Love (1957)
- Dr. No (1958)
- Goldfinger (1959)
- For Your Eyes Only (a collection of stories, 1960)
- Thunderball (1961)
- The Spy Who Loved Me (1962)
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963)
- You Only Live Twice (1964)
- The Man With The Golden Gun (1965; allegedly finished by Kingsley Amis)
- Octopussy, The Living Daylights And The Property Of A Lady (a collection of stories, 1966)
Children's story
Non-fiction
External Resource
- Ian Fleming bibliography of James Bond first editions