29 replies to this topic

[zencat]

Man, 2002 was quite the year for books about Bond, wasn't it? I picked up the "must buys"; Bond on Set, the Poster Book, The Bond Legacy, the updated The Bond Files...but there are currently 8 more Bond books in my Amazon shopping cart that I know nothing about. Now, I have no great desire to own every book about Bond, so which one of these is a must buy? I'm really interested in content here (I'm also a sucker for pics of concept posters). I'm leaning towards Martinis, Girls & Gun because it apparently mentions the novel Per Fine Ounce and that tells me this is a well researched book (does it include the Gardner and Benson books, I wonder?). Can anyone tells me the pros and cons of any of these other titles? Thanks, gang.

The candidates are:

MARTINIS, GUNS AND GIRLS, FIFTY YEARS OF OO7

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY: BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE BOND FILMS

THE MIMI ROUGH GUIDE TO JAMES BOND

BOND FILMS (VIRGIN FILM SERIES)

THE SPY WHO THRILLED US

THE INCREDIBLE WORLD OF JAMES BOND

THE COMPLETE JAMES BOND MOVIE ENCYCLOPAEDIA (REVISED ED) - I have the original, does anything here warrant buying the revised edition?

THE ESSENTIAL BOND: THE REVISED AUTHORISED GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF 007 - I have and love the original, but it covers the films all the way up to TWINE so how revised is this revised edition? Is there just a tacked on section for DAD? And having been released in May 2002, how good can this section be?

[Bryce (003)]

I've either flipped through or own most of your list. Martini's, Girls & Guns is the best of the lot (IMO) my friend. One of my better Xmas gifts...along with seven copies of the JB Legacy;) - my friends and family really need to compare notes more often.

I'm glad the encyclopedia was updated, but I didn't think it earned an "auto-buy" status.

Happy shopping.

[zencat]

Hmmm...you own some of these? Perhaps I need to come over and investigate. I'll bring the vermouth.

[Blue Eyes]

Okay I have theses books from your list;

MARTINIS, GUNS AND GIRLS, FIFTY YEARS OF OO7

BOND FILMS (VIRGIN FILM SERIES)

THE ESSENTIAL BOND: THE REVISED AUTHORISED GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF 007

Personally, I'd get MARTINIS, GUNS AND GIRLS, FIFTY YEARS OF OO7. It gives a good history of the whole Bond series and also has some interesting information care of Sir John Morgan.

Of the list, I've reviewed two of them if you want to read those. THE ESSENTIAL BOND isn't as well updated I feel. I seem to recall the last edition having lists of 00-Agents etc... Well this edition doesn't. And the DAD section was done prior to the films release.

[Bryce (003)]

Originally posted by zencat
...Perhaps I need to come over and investigate. I'll bring the vermouth.

I've got the Vodka and lemons;)

Actually, I believe we did mention hooking up (either at the DAD party or the book signing) as I wanted your opinions on some of my Bond materials (scripts, posters, books, magazines etc.) as some of them are rare....or at least I believe them to be.

Get the MG&G book though. Worth your while.

*Bryce checks on Vodka supply and inventories shaker collection*

[Xenobia]

I haven't seen Martinis Girls and Guns...but if someone wants to get me that for my birthday (*ahem* 003 *ahem*) that's fine.

I am planning on getting the mini Rough Guide as a resource that I can keep in my office, so I have a Bond guide with me at all times. I would also go with the FYEO book, just because it goes all the way through to DAD.

-- Xenobia

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by zencat
I have no great desire to own every book about Bond, so which one of these is a must buy?....

You never know, one of these may become rare, zencat.

[niggle]

definitely buy Martini, Girls and Guns - I got this for Christmas - I haven't read it yet but a quick flick through and it looks great. The Rough Guide isn't bad. I don't have the Virgin Film book but I've seen it and I wasn't impressed with the format.

On another note, I have now completed my novel collection - that took some doing tracking down all of Gardners books! YES!!!

[zencat]

Well, I'm going with Martini, Girls and Guns (seems to be the #1 choice) and For Your Eyes Only: Behind the Scenes of the Bond Films (don't know why, I just have an instinct about about this one).

I want to take a look at the revised The Essential Bond before I buy it. But I will most likely get this one as well.

Congrats on the completion of your book collection, niggle.

[Spectre001]

You guys get a lot of choices. I have:

The Essential Bond
James Bond The Legacy
Bond Films

The only other book available over here is For Your Eyes Only, but I haven't been tempted to buy it. I um and ah'd over Bond Films for a while before I bought it because it looked like it had all the same information as The Essential Bond. Actually it is quite different and has some really good stuff in it and IMO is better than The Essential Bond (unless it is just an overview with pics that you want).

I haven't started James Bond The Legacy yet but that looks full of good stuff.

Look forward to hearing about how you find Martinis, guns and girls.

[Canada]

I haven't been able to find the Martini's Girls and Guns Book here in Canada, perhaps it is only on sale in the UK?

[Blue Eyes]

It's a UK published book. But any good book retailer should be able to import it for you.

[Xenobia]

I seem to have an older version of the Essential Bond. I have it through TWINE. Are you telling me there is a version that goes through to DAD?

-- Xenobia

[zencat]

Yep. A revised version was released in the summer of '02. The original Essential Bond went up to TND. A revised edition came out in'99 that included TWINE. Now we have this second rev edition with DAD. I'm sure I'll get it as soon as I see it.

[Mister Asterix]

I just posted my review of The Spy Who Thrilled Us on the main page.

http://www.commander...=Story&SID=1853

[mdileo]

I have a biased opinion on this, because I happen to be the author of "The Spy Who Thrilled Us." Of course I would encourage you to check it out! Amazon.com and Amazon.com.UK are selling it at a nice discount. Just to show you that I am not completely biased, I would also suggest the Rough Guide to James Bond. I can't believe the amount of material covered in this book. Its great stuff.

Michael Di Leo
Author of "The Spy Who Thrilled Us"

[zencat]

Thank you, Michael. I will definetly check it out. And welcome to CBn!

[Xenobia]

Great....now I have to get the DAD section. Is it worth buying for the DAD section...or should I keep what I have?

And Michael...if your book is as good as Mister Asterix says...it is definately going on my must have list. Welcome!

-- Xenobia

[urhash]

I thought the updated version with the TWINE info was surprisingly bland. Whereas they were open to criticize the faults of the previous films, it seemed like they didn't want to mention any of TWINE's weaknesses... (*cough* Christmas Jones)

Dan

[zencat]

Originally posted by zencat
Well, I'm going with Martini, Girls and Guns (seems to be the #1 choice) and For Your Eyes Only: Behind the Scenes of the Bond Films (don't know why, I just have an instinct about about this one).

Well, I think my instinct proved right on For Your Eyes Only: Behind the Scenes of the Bond Films by David Giammarco. This looks to be a MAJOR work on Bond. 409 pages. Mostly text. Peppered with photos, not padded. One pic in particular jumped out at me

[Blue Eyes]

Very interesting John! I saw this book on Amazon and there was something that said buy it, but without a review or feedback I wasn't willing to. But it sounds darn good so far!

[zencat]

I just popped open the book and read that Tom Mankiewicz wrote the part of Solitaire for Diana Ross. Everyone was hot on the idea, but David Picker at UA nixed the idea of a black love interest. He said if they still had Connery he would take the chance--but he wasn't willing to take the gamble with a new Bond.

He also said Cubby wanted Moore for OHMSS, but Moore couldn't do it because he was doing The Persuaders.

I love these "from the horses mouth" type interviews, and this book looks to made up hundreds of them. And the book doesn't look to be "official," so we may get some candid stuff here.

[zencat]

And here we go again! According to Tom Mankiewicz, they were "very close" to making a deal with Mel Gibson to play Bond in TLD. Mel agreed to do one Bond, and if the film grossed over 100 mil he's do another. But Cubby nixed the idea because he didn't want a star to play Bond, because then it became "a Mel Gibson film" instead of a "James Bond film"...and he though Mel was too short!

This is a good bit of news. I'm going to put this it it's own thread.

[Blue Eyes]

There seems to be some amazing info in the book! I think this is another that I'm going to have to buy!

[zencat]

Geeze! Every time I open this book there's another gem! Again from Tom Mankiewicz. He says in TSWLM, when Bond and Ayna meet at the bar, he originally had Bond say she was more beautiful than her picture. Anaya then says the only picture she's even seen of him is one of him in bed with one of their agents; a one Tatiana Romanova. The conversation goes on from there about Tatiana's mouth and gets pretty tacky. He said Moore loved it.

[Blue Eyes]

Does it have any script excerpts or anything?

Bloody hell I want this book

[Dr Noah]

"Martinis Girls and Guns" is a good read and is a proper book (I mean it isn't a movie guide with pics and cast-lists etc) and gives a lot of attention to Ian Fleming.

"Bond Films" is a lot like "Kiss-Kiss,Bang-Bang" as it just goes through the movies one-by-one.

A lot of these new books, though they mention DAD were written before the movie came out, so info on DAD is a bit sketchy.

[WarBird]

Definetly THE MIMI ROUGH GUIDE TO JAMES BOND.

[flares]

I have the Rough Guide, and I think on the whole it is excellent. It is a perfect pocket size to keep on you at all times. There is some great interesting detail in it plus quite a bit I didn't already know.

I am not massively keen on the way the book gives ratings, as I prefer to make my own judgements. But I suppose it IS a guide after all.

There are some glaring errors in parts, but not enough to taint the whole books quality. They are as follows;

Picture of Walther air pistol says it is PPK

The book says that Venice was used for the final chase scene with a hovercraft gondola in FRWL.

TLD was filmed in Ouarzazate in Morocco, not Quarzazate!

Who is Ken Adams? Maud's Father? (Very picky I know)

[Red Grant]

Originally posted by flares
I have the Rough Guide, and I think on the whole it is excellent.  It is a perfect pocket size to keep on you at all times.  There is some great interesting detail in it plus quite a bit I didn't already know.....

Who is Ken Adams? Maud's Father? (Very picky I know)

Errors like this are particularly annoying since the text in question links to the Ken Adam page on my site . I thought the book was well researched on the whole (even if certain passages seem to have been lifted verbatim from you know where!). The problem with mistakes like this is that they get perpetuated as people generally assume that everything they read in print (or on the internet) is true. I remember trawling through thousands of stills at the BFI library many years ago only to find many of these were mislabelled as a still from a different film. Looking at the back covers of the R1 DVD's for LALD & TMWTGG yesterday I saw two stills that are clearly from the other film. This is how stuff like this happens - unless it is corrected the people doing the research who are not necessarily Bond fans don't know it's wrong. It makes you wonder that is we can find small errors like this in stuff that we know about - what else is wrong out there. The mind boggles....