Live and Let Die (Penguin Viking Lit Fiction)

by Ian Fleming | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 9780141028323 Global Overview for this book
Registered by BookGroupMan of Chester, Cheshire United Kingdom on 7/2/2008
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by BookGroupMan from Chester, Cheshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, July 2, 2008
I couldn't resist this new 'retro' edition at a charity shop. A swap, but I will read as I work my way through the Bond's....will finish soon and write a review

Another classic post-feminist, post-watershed, pre-political correctness classic – hurrah! As well as being familiar, the iconic Roger Moore ‘voodoo’ film (his first apparently), it’s also a cracking story. The real Bond is a lot less laconic and more down-to-earth than his cinema alta egos, in fact he is almost too fallible, being out-thought by Mr. Big for 90% of the book. But, in good Bond style he wins in the end, and gets the girl (Solitaire) :)

There are a couple of fascinating back stories; the pirate Captain Morgan’s hidden treasure, and the glimpse of a very black post-war Harlem.

This book also sees a bigger appearance from ‘Q’ (in absentia), providing the scuba gear and fire power to get Bond across to Mystery Island…very boys-own, if it weren’t for the all-too-real violence. Again the film glosses over the mutilation of Felix Leiter, although we know he died later. An early exchange between FBI agent Dexter and Bond; '...our policy with Mr. Big is "live and let live". [Bond] In my job, when I come up against a man like this one, I have another motto. Its "live and let die".'

Looking forward to the next; Diamonds are Forever.

Film Update:

The film was incredibly dated, and disappointing compared to the book – and more recent films. The overall plot was there, after a fashion, with drugs replacing pirate loot (probably more realistic, but nowhere near as interesting), a made-up Caribbean island for Jamaica (understandable)...but what was inexplicably missing was the fight in the bait factory and the underwater sabotage, both of which appear in other Bond films. Go figure?


Released 15 yrs ago (8/9/2008 UTC) at Caffe Nero IP1 Bookcrossing Zone in Ipswich, Suffolk United Kingdom

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Taking along to the monthly meet-up in Caffe Nero...to share or to help stock the shelves :)

Journal Entry 3 by samwiseuk from Ipswich, Suffolk United Kingdom on Sunday, May 24, 2009
I was gifted this by BookGroupMan who has been generously guiding me through the original Bond series. Muchas Gracias! :)

I was warned to expect a somewhat casual attitude to political correctness here, but I think - considering when it was written - it's actually not that bad. It's somewhat surprising to see just how laid back Bond tends to be in these early books - there is a lot less urgency than I've come to expect from the series of films and, even when he claims to have a vendetta against evil crime syndicate SMERSH, he never seems to get any more overly excited about it than when he's deciding what to have for lunch!

I wasn't a big fan of Mr. Big who appeared to fall into the stereotypical bond villain trap of being incredibly clever, explaining all his plans and then leaving Mr. Bond in an unescapable (but really quite escapable) scenario.

Still, I liked the fact that Bond takes a week or so to prepare for his assault on Mr. Big's island fortress - something more realistic, which I can't imagine would happen in any of the fast-paced films.

As already revealed by BookGroupMan, I was very surprised to see the death of Felix this early on in the series - especially in such an over-the-top Bond type scenario. I have to confess to comparing that scene as Bond uncovers it, to the Austin Powers/Dr. Evil concept of "sharks with laser beams on their frickin' heads"!

Final thought - can the James Bond we know and love, really be stopped from making love to Solitaire because of a broken finger or arm?!

Released 14 yrs ago (5/24/2009 UTC) at Caffe Nero IP1 Bookcrossing Zone in Ipswich, Suffolk United Kingdom

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I'm going to drop this off at the Ipswich Caffe Nero OBCZ this lunchtime.

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