14 replies to this topic

[RossMan]

Am I the only frustrated Bond fan in America who wished that the Fleming books would be reprinted here???

At amazon.co.uk you can always buy a UK edition of one but not here in the US. Here you're lucky if you could find an old tattered and torn Signet edition. I know a few years after Gardner started his Bond series that the Flemings were repritned but they left out OHMSS-TMWTGG. So why not do the same with Benson?
I for one would like to see a nice reprinted (and complete) set of Fleming books here in the US.

[zencat]

Sounds like a good plan, but one thing you should bare in mind when reading a U.S. edition is that fact that the early books were severely edited for the overly-sensitive, under-sexed American reader of the 1950s. As far as I know, the edited text is still what you get in U.S. editions. I always make it a point to read a UK copy of any Bond novel, especially Fleming, as these tend to be truer to the original manuscript. I'm American, but I think I can figure out what a "lift" and a "spade" and "flat" is, and I like it when the book "feels" British. And when it comes to sex and violence, I want my Fleming uncensored.

[zencat]

zencat (20 Sep, 2001 10:04 p.m.):
I'm American, but I think I can figure out what a "lift" and a "spade" and "flat" is...

Of course, I'm still baffled by the word "revoked."

[RossMan]

zencat (20 Sep, 2001 10:04 p.m.):
Sounds like a good plan, but one thing you should bare in mind when reading a U.S. edition is that fact that the early books were severely edited for the overly-sensitive, under-sexed American reader of the 1950s. As far as I know, the edited text is still what you get in U.S. editions. I always make it a point to read a UK copy of any Bond novel, especially Fleming, as these tend to be truer to the original manuscript. I'm American, but I think I can figure out what a "lift" and a "spade" and "flat" is, and I like it when the book "feels" British. And when it comes to sex and violence, I want my Fleming uncensored.

I never thought they'd be edited that much, I thought it was just little things such as taking the "u" out of honour and other such words so it would appear more American to US readers. Was the same thing done with Gardner?

I remember from the recent interview with Raymond Benson (sadly my computer's modem was having problems at the time and I had no idea the interview even occurred!) that he stated there is not much difference in the UK and US versions of his (Benson's) books.

[zencat]

RossMan (20 Sep, 2001 10:33 p.m.):
I never thought they'd be edited that much, I thought it was just little things such as taking the "u" out of honour and other such words so it would appear more American to US readers.  Was the same thing done with Gardner?

There were some substantial things changed in the early books; whole paragraphs removed or toned down. Just compare the title of Chapter 5 in a UK copy of Live & Let Die to a U.S. edition. LALD was a pretty uncomfortable book for U.S. tastes.

There are some differences with Gardner, but strangely it goes the other way. Some of US editions contains things the UK editions don't. The Benson books are pretty much the same, but I still elect to read the UK editions.

[zencat]

Thanks for the heads up, RossMan. Yes, it looks like the Fleming books are indeed going to be reprinted in the UK, not only as paperbacks, but also as audio books and Viking hardcovers. Nice. Looks like 2002 is going to be a very big Bond year.

Unfortunetly, it looks like the reprints stop with Fleming. I saw no Gardner titles as upcoming.

[RossMan]

I was just looking through amazon.co.uk and whenever I typed in a Fleming title for a search, among the books listed would be a "not yet published" paperback for April 2002. This was the case for nearly all Fleming titles. The only information that is given is that it is to be released April 4 2002 and published by Penguin. Could this mean that some Fleming reprints are on the way for next year?

[zencat]

I was just thinking the same thing myself today when I saw that ALL the Gardners are now out of print in the U.S.

I can't believe the Fleming books have been out of print in the U.S. really since the '80s! (I'm not counting those hardcover bargain books that appeared in the '90s because they were hardly mass market.) I think it's time to do a full reprint of the Fleming, Gardner, and Benson books in uniform paperback editions. Is this too much to ask?

[RossMan]

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing that. It's about time that something is done about bringing the Bond novels back in print. I get tired of searching through the likes of ebay and bookfinder.com to find some copies in decent condititon.

[Blofeld's Cat]

RossMan (18 Sep, 2001 02:14 a.m.):
I get tired of searching through the likes of ebay and bookfinder.com to find some copies in decent condititon.

Rossman, try http://www.abebooks.com/ .
The site has an excellent advanced search engine accessing 1000's of bookshops around the world, with detailed descriptions to most books.
I've used them a few times, and the books I received were of excellent quality. You can choose the quality of your choice with prices to match, and there are a lot of 1st editions available.
Do yourself a favour, and give it a test drive.
Abebooks, you have my address, so post the cheque at your convenience. :-)

[zencat]

Here's another tip RossMan.

I see that you're based in Chicago... Do you know the BORDERS BOOKS on Michigan near Chestnut (near the Hancock Tower) has SIGNED copies of some of the Benson books on the shelf at regular price? In fact, I think the NDOD hardcover is even discounted. At least they did when I was there in July. Check it out.

[RossMan]

blofelds_cat (18 Sep, 2001 02:23 p.m.):
[Rossman, try http://www.abebooks.com/ .
The site has an excellent advanced search engine accessing 1000's of bookshops around the world, with detailed descriptions to most books.
I've used them a few times, and the books I received were of excellent quality. You can choose the quality of your choice with prices to match, and there are a lot of 1st editions available.
Do yourself a favour, and give it a test drive.
Abebooks, you have my address, so post the cheque at your convenience. :-)

Thanks for the tip, Blofelds_cat! I am definitly going to check that out! Though I probably won't be using your address to "post the cheque at my convenience",

Thanks also, Zencat. I already have all of the Bensons in hardcover however and was able to get all of them signed recently since Raymond Benson lives in the Chicago area and usual does a lot of singings downtown whenever his new book comes out. In fact, it was the Borders near the Hancock Tower where I got them signed.

I am mainly trying to track down some good copies of the Fleming books. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which edititions I should go after, other than the first editions which I am sure are out of what I am able to afford?

[RossMan]

I was just looking around at abebooks. Various editions of every Fleming is listed at a wide range of prices. I may choose the Pan paperback versions. They seem to have the Pan edition of each Fleming and in good condition. I really like the cover art to these ones too from having seen them somewhere on the interenet before.

[Blofeld's Cat]

RossMan (18 Sep, 2001 10:33 p.m.):
I was just looking around at abebooks.  Various editions of every Fleming is listed at a wide range of prices.  I may choose the Pan paperback versions.  They seem to have the Pan edition of each Fleming and in good condition.  I really like the cover art to these ones too from having seen them somewhere on the interenet before.

Glad to be of help, RossMan.
The more you buy, the bigger my cheque.

[RossMan]

I finally ended up with deciding to get the hardcover US book club edtitions which I was able to find in good condition. I didn't go with Pan since there are so many different editions listed and I had no idea which one would have the cover art style I saw before. It's probably better having hardback copies, anyway.
So I am now expecting FRWL, MWGG, TB, YOLT, to arrive soon. :-) Ill probably gradually get a few at a time until I get the whole set.
First UK editions of Fleming were being sold at abebooks at a variety of prices, from $40-2500.