9 replies to this topic

[zencat]

My look back at the paperbacks continue with the most complete set of them all:

http://www.thebookbo...oronet-set.html

[Jim]

Picked this up for 50p today - rather charmingly 1950s. No idea whether it's part of a series - any clues?  20111120_1.JPG   1.13MB   60 downloads

[zencat]

That's the cover of the UK first edition paperback. Are you saying you bought the book itself, or a postcard (because they did some of these as postcards a few years back)? Nice buy if it's the book and it's a first. Looks to be in great condition.

[Jim]

That's the cover of the UK first edition paperback. Are you saying you bought the book itself, or a postcard (because they did some of these as postcards a few years back)? Nice buy if it's the book and it's a first. Looks to be in great condition.

Yep, the book itself but it appears to be a later imprint if the frontispiece is anything to go by. Still, probably worth more than 50p. It smells a bit funny.

[Safari Suit]

These are the editions I remember growing up. And they (or at least the cover designs) were still in all the big shops when I got big into the (shudder) "franchise" in 99. Can't ever remember seeing any Gardners in this style though.

[Jim]

That's the cover of the UK first edition paperback. Are you saying you bought the book itself, or a postcard (because they did some of these as postcards a few years back)? Nice buy if it's the book and it's a first. Looks to be in great condition.

Looking at it again, the printing history only gives that the book was first published in 1955 by Cape and this edition is published 1956 by Pan - so I suppose it could indeed be a paperback first. It's in ok condition for a 55 year old paperback. All the pages are there, slightly mottled by air exposure, it's not ex-library which is something.

Some elements of charm abound; "by the same author" is Casino Royale alone, apparently "now being filmed", which I suppose is a reference to that awful Jimmy Bond card sense guff, and rather delightfully Fleming is described as "the brother of Peter Fleming, the distinguished traveller and author", which is magnificently sniffy but probably appropriate for the publication date. Apparently, "...since the war he has built a small house in Jamaica".

Interested to know if this cover style made it any further as I am rather taken with the quaintness of it and Bond looking like a deputy headmaster.

"Again, Mr Fleming lays before us a world of rich food and drink, of expensive clubs, of racing Bentleys, card-sharping, counter-espionage and lovely women."

[zencat]

Now this is pretty cool. Stewart Larking, the man who designed all the Bond covers in the '90s, saw my blog post and got in touch with me to share the inside story of the two Dr No covers.

http://www.thebookbo...-two-dr-no.html

[SecretAgentFan]

It smells a bit funny.

Ooh, if this book could talk...

[Simon]

Picked this up for 50p today - rather charmingly 1950s. No idea whether it's part of a series - any clues?  20111120_1.JPG   1.13MB   60 downloads

Can't say I have ever seen this cover and I thought I was aware of them all.

As you say (later), could Bond have looked anything less like Bond?

[Loomis]

Interested to know if this cover style made it any further as I am rather taken with the quaintness of it and Bond looking like a deputy headmaster.

Our hero looks surprisingly plump here. Was the well-fed gentleman of ample form considered quite the handsome devil in that era of rationing? Serious question.