I picked this book up for a dime at a library sale, thinking it would be fun to read on my six hour plane flight. As with most of us who grew up with the 007 movies, we forgot that they started out as excellent novels by Ian Fleming. The way the author interweaves fact and ficton, James & Ian, one suspends reality and can actually believe this is a true to life biography - it is that good. Having said that, it is a British book, which for many Yanks may be too dry, to devoid of actual scenes of blood & gore. It is excellent literature and is recommended for anyone who wants to read a good book and, at the same time, fill in the blanks about our favorite spy, 007.

WELL-WRITTEN BIOGRAPHY AS TOLD BY THE REAL JAMES BOND. ANSWERS THOSE QUESTIONS YOU'VE ALWAYS WONDERED ABOUT. WORTH SCOURING THOSE DUSTY SHELVES , IF YOU'RE LUCKY, MARKHAM'S (AMIS) COLONEL SUN WILL BE HIDDEN AWAY THERE TOO.

This book is a must read for anyone who is a true James Bond aficionado. It follows James from his youth through his latter years with Her Majesty's Secret Service, thereby, providing an extraordinary insight into Bond and what drives him. This book would make a GREAT film and would satisfy those critics who desire "more character development" in the films. I have a copy in very good condition and it is a permanent part of my library.

John Gardner's screenplay approach to writing novels pays off. This is his first novel based on the screenplay of a Bond film and he seems to have found his niche even though some of these events are a retelling from Ian Fleming's novel "Live and Let Die" with the same character being mangled again! However, this novel is based on Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson's story for Timothy Dalton's James Bond in LICENCE TO KILL. It remarkably makes for an interesting read from an otherwise unsatisfactory film adding detail to scenes and venturing inside the head of the main character exploring his feelings and motivations. For John Gardner this is pretty inspiring stuff.

I know everyone hates the movie(I don't) that this book is based on. Well, if that's the case, read the book, as it is actually better than the movie(although the tanker chase just doesn't read as exciting as watching it). Most people dislike Gardner's book's when compared with Fleming's, but this one is top notch. The only problem is, Gardner goes to slightly...schizofrenic means to tie License to Kill in with the on-going Fleming series. Seeing as that Milton Krest appeared in an earlier(but almost completly unknown) Fleming Bond short story, and Felix Leiter got his leg and an arm bitten off in Fleming's Live and Let Die, Gardner has to resort to ignoring Milton Krest's death in "The Hildebrand Rarity" and the shark bites of Leiter's false limbs.

When I started the book it was interesting. Felix Lieter and his wife got killed by Franz Sanchez and his henchmen. Bond met Pam for a meeting that Felix was supposed to be at but he was dead so he couldn't be there.There were a couple of Sanchez'z men looking at them.

This is one of the best books from John Gardner's Bond series. The story concerns a headhunt for Bond where a variety of spies and assassins are out trying to capture and kill him, and in doing so, earning one million Swiss francs. Fast paced and very original.

I HAVE SEEN EVERY JAMES BOND MOVIE THERE IS TO SEE. I HAVE READ EVERY book by John Gardner! His Bond outings keeps the Bond Flag alive! Nail biting suspense! Great storytelling at its best in this great adventure!

The suspense is a mile a minute in this novel that sets Bond against SPECTRE for the last time. It has two women for oo7 to womanize and features him at his most efficient and ruthless. It also has a sexy double cross that makes it even more exciting to read.

Just a quick note...this is a supplement for the 007 Role Playing Game (like Dungeons & Dragons). It is not the fiction novel.

I think Doctor No is a Great Book and anybody into James Bond will love it. If you love action and suspense you will love this book! This book is more for older children because of the language and violance. Still, that doesn't take the fun out of it!

Director John Glen tells of his experience with the James Bond film series strait up. At the helm of five of the films as director Glen pulls no punches and offers great insight into the creative efforts of the whole Bond film team. This is a great book and even more so if you are a James Bond fan. I really like this book. There is really no gloss here. This is really about what went into making these films while Albert R. Broccoli was still alive and producing them. I highly recommend this book.

I have waited for months to get this book and believe me, it was worth the wait! John Glen, who directed 5 James Bond movies, takes us on an incredible journey into the world of 007, filmmaking, and his relationships between his cast and crew. Starting out as an editor, Glen tells the story on how Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli gave him the opportunity of a lifetime when he asked him to direct 1981's For Your Eyes Only. Learn some of the reasons why Timothy Dalton's 1989 Bond film Licence to Kill was not only a flop with American audiences, but why it was also his last 007 film. Glen even tells us who he thinks should be the next Bond as well as his opinions on each of the five actors in the role. This book is a must for any Bond fan or any film student. Thanks Mr. Glen for a wonderful read! I couldn't put it down.

If your a fan of the James Bond films and you want to know everything about the films than this is the book you have to buy. This book gives a great behind the scene look at the films and at the actors who portrayed the suave secret agent. Each actor is interviewed by the author, and share there point of view on Bond. Also each movie is featured and discussed. I think this book is very fun and a great read. I really enjoyed the authors style of writing and hope he writes a book like this about the Bond novels in the future.

Amazing! I've been a fan of the Bond films for over 20 years, and this is the first book that has brought together everyone's first-hand accounts. Almost every Bond book I've been disappointed with because they were written by arm-chair quarterbacks, but David Giammarco is a journalist who has been a part of the 007 world, spent time with most of the Bond particpants, and can truly write what it is like to be on set and behind the scenes. It is very well-written, with many interesting facts and stories that even I'VE never heard before! His interviews with Roger Moore were quite amusing, and reading Sean Connery tell his version of Bond-mania was very fascinating. Getting to hear Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby's side of the story was also quite interesting. It was also great to see how well Mr. Giammarco showcased Pierce Brosnan's contributions to the series. Mr. Brosnan has been vastly underrrated in the media, but this book gives us far more insight into the man and pays him his due rewards (after all, we all know Pierce is the best Bond since Connery!!!) The author and Pierce seems to have a really good relationship, and perhaps that why the normally reticent Mr. Brosnan opens up as much as he does.
Plus, you can't beat hearing all the many great stories from the "classic" Bond directors like Guy Hamilton and Peter Hunt, Ken Adam (his account of Connery almost being eaten by a shark during the shooting of Thunderball was quite funny)as well as the many Bond Girls, Villains, cast and crew. I liked what Desmond Lewelyn told the author and I learned a whole new side about lovable old Q.
Also, the contributions to the book from Hugh Hefner, Kevin Costner, Harison Ford, and that infamous CIA spook E. Howard Hunt were quite fascinating and take this book to a whole new dimension than those other Bond books.

It's clear Mr.Giammarco knows the Bond legacy inside and out and his access to everyone is an invaluable resource for us Bond aficionados. I've been waiting a long time for a book like this - a really fun read. I highly recommend it. No Bond fan will be disappointed!!!

This is the best book concentrating on the James Bond films series and the phenomena it created. Written with great enlightenment, gusto and inspiration this an excellent accomplishment on the subject. What is very good about this informative work is that the two authors never critique the films in a unfavorable manner. If something in a film did not go over well, they give us their explanation of what possibly went wrong and suggest other avenues that could have been taken. There are many unique color and black & white photographs illustrating this book. It also covers James Bond Collecting and even the James Bond Jr. cartoon TV series. It is very well written and I highly recommend it.

Philip Lisa is the driving force behind this book. I have met him personally. He is a man of great integrity and his knowledge on the subject of James Bond is boundless. He is one of a handful of people in the world that is truly a James Bond authority.

This book covers each of the Broccoli / United Artists James Bond films. These are the official films. The book gives objective information on each title written with editorial doses of interest which maintains a consistency of perspective from cover to cover. There are no favorites in the traditional sense. The authors know very well that no filmmaker or group of filmmakers ever intentionally makes an inferior motion picture. It is all a matter of how well the filmmakers combine their efforts and produce a finished product. The focus of the book is the filmmaking, not hype or glamour. The Bond films have always maintained a high ideal of production standards and this book examines that process.

Besides the filmmaking this book also examines the James Bond phenomena from product merchandising (including books, toys, music, videos, games, etc.) to the cultural impact of Ian Fleming's hero. It even covers such offshoots such as the animated TV series "James Bond Jr." The book also contains key interviews with members of the acting and production crews. It is also profusely and beautifully illustrated with many colour photographs.

I highly recommend this book. And take from me, Philip Lisa is more than just a contributor on this publication. Being the consummate professional he never told me who wrote what, but having read this book several times I think I can. Just don't ask me. James who?

THE JAMES BOND BEDSIDE COMPANION is an apt title because for any true James Bond fans this indispensible guide to the world of 007 will not travel far beyond your night stand. It's a compusivlely fun read. What author Benson had done was take the best of sources like Kingsley Amis' JAMES BOND DOSSIER (another out-of-print classic), John Pearson's JAMES BOND-THE AUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF 007, and John Brosnan's JAMES BOND IN THE CINEMA, and re-assembled them here with his own personal stamp. It's all here: a consise history of the novels, films, and world wide James Bond phenomenom , an analysis of the James Bond literary character, complete reviews of both Ian Fleming's and John Garner's novels and, of course, the movies. The book lacks the many photos from the Bond films but thats the key to its appeal- It's a pure literary compedium for the James Bond fan new and old alike, not a flashy celebration. With Benson's new found fame as an acclaimed James Bond novelist, I hope this book gets back in print and updated with speed of an Astin Martin.

This is by far the most comcomprehensive look at Ian Fleming 's spy with a license to kill. It contains much background into the Fleming books ,and honest reviews of the movies.A bible for any die hard Bond fans. Although outdated ,( the last movie reviewed is Moonraker) it is still a tour de force. I received my copy as a Christmas gift in the Mid 80's , and literally wore it out . A hard book to find , but the treasure is worth the hunt.Mr. Gardner left no stone unturned in researching this book.

This book is great for all james bond lovers. It reveals alot about his history and some things many people dont know about him. it also reviews his women, missions, and adversaries.

anyone not familiar with james bond , but want to know all the facts, this is THE book for you.

I read this book without reading the titlepage.

I was amazed. I wasn't sure if Bond was real or not, the plot was completely believeble. When I finished it I still wasn't sure then I found that it was a fictional work. Apart from being slightly gutted, I was impressed.

This book is based on the Ian Flemming books not the films but this should not rule out anyone.

It tells both about the "real" James Bond's early and working life and has many short stories that are not in any of the Flemming books.

It doen't rewrite the books but adds and expands on the before and after the stories.

Amazon Please get it back in stock!

This book is well worth chasing down for any fan of 007, especially those of Ian Fleming. Pearson uses the bits and pieces of Bond's personal history available in Fleming's books to construct an authentic feeling biography which details how Bond got his physical and emotional scars. Pearson gives some depth to Bond and gives us insight into why 007 behaves as he does. As a bonus, Bond's history is bracketed in the "present" giving the reader one version of what might have happened to Bond had he not been the ageless agent of fiction and film that he remains today. The future of several classic bond women is also revealed with Bond sailing off with one of his former flames. Overall, a good read and entertaining. Probably the second best post-Fleming Bond book after Markham's "Colonel Sun"