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Fleming's Bond


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#1 JamesBondBlog

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Posted 14 January 2014 - 04:57 PM

This is a project I've embarked upon over the last few months. Very much a work in progress, and I expect it should keep me busy for a number of years. I've wanted to capture the era of the original Ian Fleming novels as much as possible, with a look at the locations, products and advertisements of the the 1950's and early 1960's.

Please have a look, and I'd enjoy some discussion or feedback.

http://flemingsbond.com

#2 Major Tallon

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Posted 14 January 2014 - 05:56 PM

Excellent work, JamesBondBlog.  In the last year or so, my wife and I have done a ton of Bond travel.  We went down to Treasure Island and looked to see what Bond locations are still there.  The Clearwater Railroad station is now a 7-11 Store, but the railroad tracks are still in the street behind it.  The Everglades Motel is fictional, but there is a motel called the Sea Jay at approximately the same location.  The Gulf Winds Bar still exists, and we drove along Central Avenue and took in the one wing of Mound Hope Hospital that's still there.  The waterfront has been rebuilt, but there is a modern pier with a small bait shop, and we saw a mooring post with a pelican perched on the end.

 

In New York, there are still many Bond literary locations.  Lutece is gone, but the metal framework for its awning still exists.  The Hotel Astor also has disappeared, but both the Plaza and the St. Regis are still there.  We went to Park Avenue and 60th Street, where Bond abandons the car he took from Mr. Big's garage.  It was rush hour, and in the heavy traffic I couldn't see a fire hydrant on the corner.  I was about to write that off as fictional when the traffic cleared and . . . voila!  There it was!  I couldn't have been more thrilled if I'd won the lottery, but my wife looked at me (not for the first time) as though I'd lost my mind.  We've also done Kentucky, Miami, Bermuda, Nassau, Turkey, and (as relevant to the literary Bond) Munich and several places in Italy. 

 

Whew!  Exhausting but fun.  Your blog is excellent.  I'll be checking in often.



#3 Revelator

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Posted 14 January 2014 - 06:38 PM

I've wanted to capture the era of the original Ian Fleming novels as much as possible

 

And that you have! A very impressive blog. Reading it makes me appreciate the depth of Fleming-research--and yours. The images you've unearthed will influence the way I visualize the novels.

 

Patrick Leigh Fermor was indeed at least an acquaintance of Ian Fleming--I'm currently reading Ann Fleming's letters, which indicate that he was a good friend of hers and apparently got on well with Ian too.

 

I've had a few glasses of Old Grand-Dad. It tasted fine, but I'm not a liquor expert, and from what I understand, the brand has gone down-market since Bond tried it (I got my bottle from Rite-Aid).



#4 kaiserthegreat

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Posted 14 January 2014 - 09:48 PM

Amazing blog, looking forward to digging through it!  



#5 JamesBondBlog

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Posted 15 January 2014 - 05:20 PM

Thanks for the kind words. I'm excited to keep adding to it. 

 

I'm always open for corrections/improvvements, etc. So just give me a shout through the contact page, or here!