18 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

Was "The Man With the Golden Gun" all Fleming's own work? If not, who was the unsung co-writer? Still seems a bit of a mystery, even after all these years. Kingsley Amis appears to be the number one suspect, but has it ever been established that he worked on the book? Who else is said to have been involved?

[Mister Asterix]

007forever has a good article on the subject. Personally, I believe that it is mostly all Fleming, and that its shortcomings can be contributed to Fleming

[Loomis]

[quote name='Mister Asterix' date='6 January 2004 - 16:23'] 007forever has a good article on the subject. Personally, I believe that it is mostly all Fleming, and that its shortcomings can be contributed to Fleming

[zencat]

Yes, I've always heard it was Amis who did the polish.

[Roebuck]

The line Amis took when asked about TMWTGG was that he

[zencat]

In all but that last point I believe him. If Amis had done the final draft then I would have expected TMWTGG to be more polished than it actually is.

Good point.

Maybe it was Geoffrey (Per Fine Ounce) Jenkins?

[Loomis]

Thanks, everyone.

I'll have to knock my Amis fantasies on the head.

[Qwerty]

I've always wondered as well, thanks for all the great info though everyone! I would definetly also recommend 007forever as the site for that info and much more of the Bond trivia!

I used to think when I was younger that it was perhaps Amis or unnamed editors, thanks for the name of the one Zencat. I never knew his name.

[Johnboy007]

I have begun to re-read this novel, and it doesn't seem to me like Fleming wrote it. The language, description, senctence structure, and overall construction seems "un-Fleminglike".

I could be dead wrong, but that is the way it seems to me.

[Bon-san]

Certain parts of it seem very Flemingesque to me, e.g., the chapter titles "Ballcock, and Other Trouble," "3 1/2 Love Lane," and "Endit." Portions of the narrative, especially in the earlier parts of the book seem to have that Fleming touch (I don't have a copy of the book in front of me from which to quote). But there are many areas that feel very un-Fleming.

I agree that if Amis had had a go at TMWTGG, then I would expect it to be more developed and less empty feeling than it is. As to whether the book as published is all Fleming's work, or someone else "finished" it, I've always wanted a definitive answer. But apparently none is forthcoming.

Fleming's last great mystery, I suppose.

[Loomis]

As to whether the book as published is all Fleming's work, or someone else "finished" it, I've always wanted a definitive answer. But apparently none is forthcoming.

Which is not only frustrating, but very strange after all these years.

[Qwerty]

Certain parts of it seem very Flemingesque to me, e.g., the chapter titles "Ballcock, and Other Trouble," "3 1/2 Love Lane," and "Endit." Portions of the narrative, especially in the earlier parts of the book seem to have that Fleming touch (I don't have a copy of the book in front of me from which to quote). But there are many areas that feel very un-Fleming.

Yes, or they could be someone else's attempt at the Fleming touch. It has always bothered be to know if this was real Fleming, or what parts of the novel was someone else's writing.

[DLibrasnow]

I always thought it was Amis who did the polish although I cannot attribute that to any specific source!

[Icephoenix]

I always though it was Amis and fleming's editor, an interesting piece of trivia...perhaps one day we might get an answer from one of the parties involved? *yeah right*

[Qwerty]

I always though it was Amis and fleming's editor, an interesting piece of trivia...perhaps one day we might get an answer from one of the parties involved? *yeah right*

I don't think we'll ever be told the complete story.

[IanFleming007]

From what I've read in The Life of Ian Fleming , I've always thought Fleming finished the manuscript, but was to sick to do the editing.

[Tanger]

Very interesting all this. It's obvious that at least some portions were written by somebody else but what or who seems to be a mystery.

[Cesari]

I remember an interview of Amis where he said he never polished the book or touched anything in it. He wrote a review of the book at Glidrose Publications demand. And said GP never used what he wrote in it.
May be someone at GP did some final writings but I thing Amis would have tell it if it was him.

[Four Aces]

I am reading it now, and am about half way through it. I have noticed no differences to the other Fleming 007 novels, all of which I have read in order over the last months.

4A