Centenary
Ian Fleming, the genius who created James Bond, secret agent 007, was born 100 years ago on the 28th May 2008. A year-long programme of events celebrated his life, his legacy as a writer, and the amazing impact that his fictional creation has had not only in Britain but all around the world, and also to raise money for charity.
On May 28th readers across the world had their first opportunity to turn the pages of the eagerly anticipated new James Bond adventure, Devil May Care, by the distinguished author, Sebastian Faulks, published by Penguin.
A second exhibition, Bond Bound: Ian Fleming and the Art of Cover Design, was opened at the Fleming Collection in Mayfair, London. It later travelled to Edinburgh, New York and LA, where it was shown in the Bonhams showrooms. This thought-provoking show included original artwork and fascinating history of a publishing phenomenon.
Since the publication of Casino Royale in 1953, over 100 million Bond novels have been sold. In 2008, to mark Fleming’s centenary, Penguin published new hardback editions of the 14 books with striking new covers designed by Michael Gillette and Jon Gray.
Almost the last book Fleming wrote was that much-loved children’s story about a car that flies – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Puffin produced a lovely silver hardback edition with the original illustrations by one of Britain’s foremost children’s illustrators, John Burningham.
Queen Anne Press, formerly managed by Ian Fleming, was acquired by his literary estate and to mark the centenary produced a special edition of his complete works. Bound to a very high standard by Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe it includes a new volume, Talk of the Devil, containing unpublished and rarely seen material. No such edition had been published before.
Ian Fleming died of heart failure on 12th August 1964 at the age of 56. Money was raised throughout the year for the British Heart Foundation. A charity golf tournament was held at St George’s, the club at which Ian Fleming played, and a glittering Gala, celebrating Ian Fleming’s life and achievements, took place at the London Palladium on 5th October 2008, raising £90,000 for the British Heart Foundation. Throughout the year, £112,149.42 was raised for the British Heart Foundation by the Ian Fleming Centenary. |
