27 replies to this topic

[[dark]]

I picked up a battered old paperback by Christopher Wood of this from a second-hand bookstore in Caloundra for $1.65 [yes, that's right].

I know how the book came to be and everything, but I was wondering if I'd stumbled onto a rare find here or anything. I've never seen the book anywhere before.

Seems to be the first paperback of the book.

Attached is a copy of the cover of the book.

Apologies if it breaks copyright.

[Red Grant]

Sorry, nothing special
The paperback is the novelisation of the film by Wood published in 1977 to tie in with the release. I guess the book is hard to find in good condition now but I imgine there are plenty of copies around but it's always nice to stumble across something in a secondhand bookstore.

[marktmurphy]

I've got a small hardback copy with a strange cover painting of a sitting woman next to window with a gun in front of her which appears to have nothing in common with the film or book.
Anybody have any idea what this version is all about?

[Mister Asterix]

I just bought one of these on eBay for pretty cheap. I had eBay do a favourites search for '"Spy Who Loved Me" Wood' and it gave me a little less than one book per day to bid upon. Some of the Hardbacks got pretty expensive, but the paperbacks were quite reasonable. In less than two weeks I had the one I wanted and got it for the minimum bid.

[Red Grant]

Originally posted by marktmurphy
I've got a small hardback copy with a strange cover painting of a sitting woman next to window with a gun in front of her which appears to have nothing in common with the film or book.
Anybody have any idea what this version is all about?

Off the top of my head i have no idea. If you can post a picture of it or email me one I can have a look and see if I can shed some light on it.

[[dark]]

This it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/...&category=20045

[dark]

[marktmurphy]

That's the feller. Weird, isn't it?

[marktmurphy]

Sorry, just looked again- does he want

[[dark]]

Perhaps. He's had no bids and it's been up for what, five days?

[dark]

[Mister Asterix]

I've seen a few of those hardbacks on ebay and they're all about that range, give or take.

[marktmurphy]

Mmm. Just did a search and found one for sale in a New York shop (via 007forever) for $1,075. And mine's mint- I bought it couple of years ago from my local library for

[Mister Asterix]

Originally posted by marktmurphy (edited)
(which means its laminated and has a library stamps in- does that matter?).

Yes, sadly. but I'm not sure by how much. Perhaps zencat would know.

[marktmurphy]

Yes, thought it might.

Calling Zencat, come in Zencat...

[zencat]

Originally posted by marktmurphy
Yes, thought it might.

Calling Zencat, come in Zencat...

I am here.

Congrats, marktmurphy! The UK hardcover edition of James Bond the Spy Who Loved Me is a rare book indeed. Of the two Chris Wood novelizations, this is by far the harder to find and the more valuable. I've seen it sell for over $1000!

But condition matters. Unfortunely, if it has library stamps in it, it is not "Mint." Mint means brand new, never touched, never read. Any library markings are a killer for condition. The book is forever an "ex-library" edition. But I would take that over the copy on eBay which is not is very good condition at all. I don't think it's even worth the starting bid. (It will be interesting to see what happens.) Condition is critical in book collecting and one should always try and find a book in "Fine" to "Mint" condition. And know that in the parlance of book dealers, "good" mean "bad".

Still, congrats on finding one of the "gems." It's a nice book.

Here's a closer look at the cover.

[zencat]

Originally posted by [dark]
I picked up a battered old paperback by Christopher Wood of this from a second-hand bookstore in Caloundra for $1.65 [yes, that's right].

I know how the book came to be and everything, but I was wondering if I'd stumbled onto a rare find here or anything. I've never seen the book anywhere before.

Unfortunately, [dark], what everyone else has said here is true. The paperback is not rare. But still be happy that you found it because this book is a terrific read! I think it's the best of all the novelizations. Enjoy.

[marktmurphy]

Thanks for the info Zen, sorry to bandy about terms like 'mint' when I obviously don't know what I'm talking about- but it is in very good condition when compared to that battered one on ebay.

Any idea where I can find out how much being an ex-library edition can have on price? Or indeed any other book collecting info- this is quite fun!

[zencat]

I'm really not sure where you can get a price guide for ex-library editions. Among collectors, library markings really knock the book out of the market. But sometimes ex-lib editions are all you can find. I know many of the Gardner large prints books I've only been able to find as ex-library editions, and I grab them when I can.

Browse around online...I'm sure there are several few good web sties about book collecting. There is one in particular related to Bond...if I find the link I'll post it here.

And you're right, it is fun! I think you have the book collecting bug. But beware where it can go. I just scans some pics of my own collection--I'm going to post them in a separate thread. It can lead to madness I tell you.

[[dark]]

Thanks for the info everyone!

Still, not a bad find.

...and the woman at the store said I can return it for 75c store credit when I'm done. Ha!

[dark]

[Blofeld's Cat]

This is the first time I've heard/seen that titled as James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me. :eek:

I've always thought it was James Bond And The Spy Who Loved Me, as is with the paperback.

What's the wording on Wood's Moonraker hardback?

[[dark]]

As far as I know, the two titles are:

"James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me" and
"James Bond and Moonraker"

I guess the different titles are to seperate them from Fleming's books.

[dark]

[marktmurphy]

Out of interest (and if it isn't a rude question), how much did you fork out for your ex-libris Gardners (with a specific interest in an library version of Cold 1st ed) or rather how much do you think others would be willing to spend? I hope all this talk of filthy lucre doesn't offend you too much.

[Mister Asterix]

My copy from eBay just came in today and it is titled

"The Spy Who Loved Me"

(in double quotes). It features the Robert Peak poster artwork and was published by Warner Books :eek:.
I've always seen the book titled James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me (or the lower-case James Bond, the spy who loved me), but I suppose this proves there are some variations to the title.

On a side note I guess the book's usual title puts an end to the arguement on whether 'The Spy' referred to in the title is Bond or Anya.

[General Koskov]

I must say those hardcover dust-jackets for the Wood novelisations are awfully strange. Moonraker's makes some sense in that the girl appears to be one of Drax's perfect humans looking from the space station, but the objects around the girls in both JB,TSWLM and JBAM appear, as marktmurphy said, 'to have nothing in common with the film or book'.

Of course no cover rivals the strangeness of the 'Sandwich Moonraker cover' discussed in another thread.

[zencat]

Originally posted by Mister Asterix
My copy from eBay just came in today and it is titled

"The Spy Who Loved Me"

(in double quotes). It features the Robert Peak poster artwork and was published by Warner Books :eek:.
I've always seen the book titled James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me (or the lower-case James Bond, the spy who loved me), but I suppose this proves there are some variations to the title.

Yeah, the title of this book is a little confusing.

In the US it's called "The Spy Who Loved Me", but in the UK it was called "James Bond, the Spy Who Loved Me."

I tend to go with the UK title as the

[Mister Asterix]

[quote]Originally posted by zencat
Yeah, the title of this book is a little confusing.
 
In the US it's called "The Spy Who Loved Me", but in the UK it was called "James Bond, the Spy Who Loved Me."
 
I tend to go with the UK title as the

[[dark]]

Mr. * - -

http://www.bondian.c...s/40935612.html

Hope that helps in determining the origin of the book you saw.

[dark]

[Mister Asterix]

Thanks, [d]. Unfortunately, I don't remember what the cover art looks like. All I remember is the title.

[zencat]

It could have been the Canadian edition, Mr. A. The Canadian edition is identical to the UK, except "The Spy Who Loved Me" part of the title is brown instead of red