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  • Ian Fleming

  • The Man Behind James Bond
  • By: Andrew Lycett
  • Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
  • Length: 21 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (52 ratings)
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Ian Fleming cover art

Ian Fleming

By: Andrew Lycett
Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
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Summary

Sportsman, womanizer, naval commander, world-traveler, spy, this suave Old Etonian creator of the Cold War's archetypal secret agent was infinitely more complicated and interesting than his major fictional character, Agent 007. Fleming's wide-ranging and exciting life inevitably provided the plausible backdrop for the Bond novels, and while his temperamental, sometimes violent nature got him into difficulties as a young man, the second World War was the making of him. Highly regarded in British naval intelligence for his international contacts, he master-minded numerous top secret operations, including "Golden Eye," which is uncovered here for the first time. His role in shaping prototype CIA is also fully detailed.
Click here to see all the titles in our James Bond collection.
©1995 Andrew Lycett (P)1997 Blackstone Audiobooks

What listeners say about Ian Fleming

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Reasonable Biography Spoiled by the Production

This would have made a readable if somewhat uncritical biography, unfortunately the production values of the recording let it down very badly. It sounds like it's been recorded at a dozen different studios, friends flats and kitchen tables. At one point the sound was so bad I had to pull over my car to adjust the tone on my iPod and stereo to make it bearable to listen to. I'm not such a fussy listener but this was truly bad

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fascination if not admiration

You don't have to like a person to find them fascinating. A person doesn't need to be likeable to be interesting. This is a very in depth recording of Fleming's life, "warts and all". It almost covers a day-by-day account of his life and is a great study of the upper-middle class and society of the period. I read this to contextualise the James Bond phenomenon having grown up with the films and have recently started reading the books. Overall it was interesting and fulfilled my brief.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting book well read.

Robert Whitfield narration great and very detailed account of Fleming's life. Interesting man died prematurely.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A life well lived...

I listened to this biography whilst laying on a beach on the north coast of Jamaica, not far from Goldeneye where Bond was created. Yes it describes a time gone by and a class system that for most of us seems alien. But what a life well lived and what a privilege to share it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Shaken and definitely stirred!

Thoroughly researched this is a must for any Bond enthusiast.
His entire life story is told 'warts and all' by a narrator with a suitably clipped English accent. Not being a James Bond fan myself I found this biography a bit lengthy and too indepth. On the other hand I was fascinated by Ian Fleming's life which was anything but normal.
Definitely worth a listen if you enjoy biographies.

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