April 9, 2014

THE SAINT RETURNS

Amazon imprint Thomas and Mercer will publish a whopping forty-nine Saint novels by Leslie Charteris this summer. The new Amazon Saint library will arrive in two waves, releasing books on June 24th and July 29th in paperback. Kindle editions already came out on March 18th. The jacket designs are quite cool, sporting an early 1960s vibe with simple black-and-white imagery radiating from a dynamic ellipse motif, muted color palette, retro typeface, and the original Saint stick figure by Charteris. Click cover images below for a closer look. In addition, Mulholland recently published thirty-five of the Saint titles in the UK with more modern cover designs. It's a great time to be a Saint fan! Charteris wrote fifty novels and collections about his character Simon Templar. The Saint also appeared in many continuation stories, films, radio shows, comic strips, and notably a 1960s TV series starring Roger Moore. As I've mentioned, I loved reading these novels as a kid. And the Moore series imprinted a wonderful image in my mind of the ideal jet-setter- a well-dressed adventurer with a Volvo, plane tickets to anywhere, and that perfect hair. Imagine my disappointment when I learned that "Jet-Setter" wasn't a possible career choice! I was also intrigued to learn there were Saint Clubs for boys during the mid-century. In my imagination, groups of good-hearted Bowery Boys met in cellar gymnasiums to read the exploits of Simon Templar and to practice boxing, archery, and billiards. I was never one to join clubs as a kid, but this image of brotherly Saint fans really appealed to me. Learn about the real Saint Club at the Leslie Charteris website. I'm excited to see this library of novels return to bookshelves and win over new readers. Learn about The Saint: Leslie CharterisThe Saint: A Complete HistoryGeorge Sanders Saint Collection, The Saint seasons 5 and 6 streaming on Amazon, The Saint radio show starring Vincent Priceand The Saint.org websiteAre you a book collector? Check out our recent posts: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50th anniversary, my interview about collecting Ian Fleming, and other links below.


Spy Vibe is having a spring sale on eBay. New items added very few days and include rare Beatles autographs, James Bond, rare books, music, and comics. Details here

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, Collecting Fleming, Live and Let Die 60thnew poster announced007 Audio Books UpdateAppropriating Bond Exhibit, Fleming Letters MysteryDouble 007 Book Designs,  Double 007 designs IIrare Ian Fleming editionBook Design DopplegangersTurkish Bond designIan Fleming LettersErno GoldfingerNoel CowardWhispering Jack SmithHawaiian GuitarJoe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming CatalogJon 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, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Jason interviewed hereSpy exhibit at the Pacific Science Center, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan007 Audio Books UpdateSylvia AndersonAppropriating Bond Exhibit, Trina Robbins InterviewCatsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton,  Solar & Bionic Man ReturnThe Saint Library ReleasedDC Fontana Prisoner VideoJames Bond Comic EventTurkish James Bond DesignEdward Gorey's 1960sIpcress File cinematography007 SOLO cover designsGloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder WomanWin Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPYDavid McCallum: Son of Batman, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff GirlsSherlock ExhibitFu Manchu history panelStriped Light NudeBuckminster Fuller, Jane and SergeThe Goldfinger VariationsMod Tales InterviewDavid Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic ArtShane Glines Batman.