Very enjoyable!

A fascinating glimpse into Ian Fleming’s world via his personal correspondence. Beautifully narrated. Letter writing is a dying if not a dead art and we will not have the benefit of such personal insights for very much longer.

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Are you interested in James Bond?

If the answer is yes, then I'm sure you will enjoy this.
You get the story of how hard it was to get the 1st novel, Casino Royale, printed & a lot more besides. Ian Fleming was a prolific letter writer. & he answered many of his fans letters personally.
The reader, Fergus Fleming, Ians' younger brother Peter's son, does a fine job of reading them. All in all a very worth while listen.

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Didn’t want it to end.

I listened to this on long morning walks and enjoyed every chapter. After reading Goldeneye and becoming familiar with his lifestyle and friends etc, he becomes more interesting the more you delve into him. I really did feel sad when I finished it and that’s why I felt compelled to write a review.

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Entertaining, witty and informative.

Terrifically narrated and a superbly edited book of Ian Fleming's letters. Interesting and at times hilarious. Really shows the wit and warmth of the classic writer and his creative process. Recommended.

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Fleming, the man, so likable and charming

The Man with the Golden Typewriter succeeds in showing an Ian Fleming much different from the one who narrates Bond. To his professional contacts and friends he was amusing and generous. To his fans he was the ideal author to receive a letter from: courteous, amusing and appreciative. Even as his health started to fail he kept up a breezy manner to amuse anyone who concerned about him. His style has the flair of his 007 novels. But the letters add a warm, conversational tone. The Fleming in these letters embodies the ideal qualities of the British gentleman.

Editor Fergus Fleming (Ians nephew) is a celebrated non-fiction author in his own right. He has tracked down a diverse range of letters and even obscure Sunday Times pieces. He arranges these with care. He also adds relevant biographical information and summaries of the Bond novels . This adds important context to the letters which are for the most part organized chronologically.

Each batch corresponding to the evolution and reception of a different Bond book. Maybe ordering all the letters by date would have made more sense? But Fergus’s order is easier for the lay reader to digest. The are a few exceptions to the novel-based groupings. These are chapters devoted to Fleming’s correspondence with

* Ernie Cuneo,
* Major Boothroyd,
* Raymond Chandler, and
* Yale Librarian Herman Liebert.

You get the impression that Fleming was a nice chap. Especially in his correspondence back to members of the public who have written to him. His replies always show courtesy and warmth.

In short, this is a book that is far more interesting and entertaining than you might have thought; you don’t have to be a Bond nut to enjoy it. The underlying story is sad: as Fleming’s health failed, his marriage disintegrated and the quality of the books dipped. But for much of the book we are revelling in Fleming’s success ...

So, all in all worth reading. Or even better get the audio book and listen to the excellent narration

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3 people found this helpful

Essential for Bond fans

An essential listen for any James Bond fan who wants to better understand 007’s “biographer”, Ian Fleming.

There’s a huge range of correspondence between Fleming and various publishers, agents, illustrators, friends, family and fans, all read by Julian Rhind-Tutt in the audiobook.

A few important areas are skipped over (such as the Thunderball court case), but in many cases there are other books or resources that cover them in greater detail (The Battle for Bond in the case of Thunderball).

A real joy to listen to.

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1 person found this helpful

Ian Fleming

Gripping. All of it. One two three one one two three four five zero nine three one two

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