JAMES BOND INTERVIEW

Author William Boyd published an "interview" with James Bond in The Guardian yesterday. 007 fans will enjoy Boyd's tone and the many references from Fleming's original novels. This brief scene is a good example of how Boyd weaves in Bond's personality and background: "The vongole arrived and a half-litre carafe of valpolicella that Bond had ordered. Carmencita tried to sprinkle my vongole with grated parmesan but Bond wouldn't let her. "Not on a vongole," Bond explained. "And that parmesan was probably grated two weeks ago. You might as well shake sawdust on your food. It's got to come straight from the block." "What you eat and drink is very important to you," I observed. "Any fool can eat badly," Bond said. "We have to eat to live. You might as well take some trouble over what goes down your throat." The vongole was excellent – as was the valpolicella, young and fruity. I had one glass – Bond coped with the rest. "If you eat and drink well," Bond went on, warming to his theme, "then, for a moment, you have the illusion that life is good and the world is on its proper course. And we're all entitled to an illusion from time to time." It made a kind of sense, I thought, not bad for a diurnal philosophy." Read the whole interview here. 

William Boyd's new James Bond novel Solo is out now in the UK. It will be released in the US on October 8th. The author below at the Solo book launch, complete with vintage Jensen, lovely flight attendant, and a clear briefcase containing a rare signed first edition destined for one of seven points around the globe.

Get ready to meet MIKI ZERO, Japanese fashion model and spy! The creator of Spy Vibe has written a novel called Elevator Girl, inspired by his love of Ian Fleming and based on newly declassified intel from the Cold War. More info at Whiton's website here. Recent Spy Vibe posts: David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Peter Asher, Gerry Marsden tour, Elio Petri on Blu-ray, Sophia Loren, new Beatles BBC album, new Hercule Poirot novel, Beatles fall 2013 releases, A Hard Days Night cinematographer dies, Magic Christian on Blu-ray, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute, Ian Fleming memorial, Emma Peel Megaset returns

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address