11 replies to this topic

[Zographos]

Hello! I'm Chris "Scorpius" Miller. You may have seen me over at the MI6 forums. I'm a long-time reader of this forum, but I just started posting when I noticed the book club. Cheers on that!

Looks like someone already registered the name Scorpius, so I've chosen Zographos instead. A cookie to anyone who can guess how it relates to the Fleming books.

Anyway, I noticed you solved the mystery of the Moonraker still-life cover. But the Casino Royale one is even more absurd! It has dentures and a cockroach. Any interpretations on this one? I pondered for hours on end.

[Mister Asterix]

Welcome to the CBn forums, Zographos.

In my vast collection of Bond Paperbacks I’ve only have one of the ‘still life’ covers. And that is one of my twelve copies of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. I’ve always thought the still life covers were quite clever, but I’ve always felt the general look felt more Nero Wolfe than James Bond. These covers are not seem too often here in the US. Some day I’ll get an entire set, but I want to get the full 60s Pan Series first. (Four more to go of those )

[clinkeroo]

Welcome Zographos,

Do I get a cookie? Zographos was the name of the card dealer in the Bond story fragment that John Pearson quoted in his Life of Ian Fleming. If I remember correctly, he was based on a real life card dealer Fleming knew.
Not sure about the dentures and the cockroach, however.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Welcome to CBn Zographos.

The still life series is my favourite of all the covers to date. I have all of them including Pearson's unauthorised biog, but I'm a little annoyed that there isn't a complete set as Live and Let Die came out with the film related cover.

[Mister Asterix]

Yeah, it’s a shame Live and Let Die never had a ‘still life’ cover. It would have probably one of the best of the series.

[zencat]

And, as far as I know, there's no still life Colonel Sun.

[Zographos]

Right you are, Clinkeroo!

And here's the cover, for those who haven't seen it.

[Neil S. Bulk]

Originally posted by Zographos
But the Casino Royale one is even more absurd!  It has dentures and a cockroach.  Any interpretations on this one?  I pondered for hours on end.

It is mentioned in Le Chiffre's dossier that he wears "false teeth of expensive quality".

Neil

[kevrichardson]

I was wondering if anyone has read or will read any of the fine biographies on Ian Fleming since this is the 50th year of James Bond . I just finished re-reading the John Pearson bio . Now i am reading the Andrew Lycett . We tend to forget about Ian Fleming . This was especially true last year during the 49th of Cinematic Bond and the release of "Die Another Day" .

[Red Grant]

Originally posted by Neil S. Bulk

It is mentioned in Le Chiffre's dossier that he wears "false teeth of expensive quality".

Neil

Absolutely...these covers were extremely well researched and all the items are a reference to something in the novel. It may be obscure to many people but they are all in there somewhere. I love these covers and this is the series (then current) that introduced me to the the literary 007 so they are something nostalgic for me too.

[Neil S. Bulk]

Originally posted by Zographos
But the Casino Royale one is even more absurd!  It has dentures and a cockroach.  Any interpretations on this one?  I pondered for hours on end.

Cockroaches are mentioned in Chapter 22, "The Hastening Saloon".

Neil - re-reading Casino Royale for the Blades Book Club

[Zographos]

What sharp eyes you have, Mr. Bulk.