60th Anniversary of Ian Fleming's first 007 novel Casino Royale
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60th Anniversary of Ian Fleming's first 007 novel Casino Royale

By: Anders Frejdh
Published:
2012-04-12
James Bond 60th book anniversary
On 13th April 2013, it will be 60 years with the literary James Bond. The fictional hero, as created by Ian Fleming, first appeared in the 1953 novel Casino Royale which was published on this day in 1953 by Jonathan Cape.

Here are the first lines in Ian Fleming's Casino Royale, first published on April 13th 1953 by Jonathan Cape:

The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. Then the soul-erosion produced by high gambling - a compost of greed and fear and nervous tension - becomes unbearable and the senses awake and revolt from it.

James Bond suddenly knew that he was tired. He always knew when his body or his mind had had enough and he always acted on the knowledge. This helped him to avoid staleness and the sensual bluntness that breeds mistakes.


During these 60 years, 50 full-length James Bond novels (incl. the new one by William Boyd) has been published based around Fleming's character, now known all over the world.

14 novels was written by Ian Fleming - Casino Royale (1953), Live and Let Die (1954), Moonraker (1955), Diamonds Are Forever (1956), From Russia with Love (1957), Doctor No (1958), Goldfinger (1959), For Your Eyes Only (1960), Thunderball (1961), The Spy Who Loved Me (1962), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963), You Only Live Twice (1964), The Man with the Golden Gun (1965) and Octopussy and The Living Daylights (1966).

One novel was written by Kingsley Amis under the pseudonym Robert Markham, Colonel Sun (1968).

Two novels is written by Christopher Wood - James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and James Bond and Moonraker (1979).

16 novels was written by John Gardner - Licence Renewed (1981), For Special Services (1982), Icebreaker (1983), Role of Honour (1984), Nobody Lives Forever (1986), No Deals, Mr. Bond (1987), Scorpius (1988), Win, Lose or Die (1989), Brokenclaw (1990), Licence to Kill (1990), The Man From Barbarossa (1991), Death is Forever (1992), Never Send Flowers (1993), Seafire (1994), Cold (1996) and GoldenEye (1996).

Nine novels is written by Raymond Benson - Zero Minus Ten (1997), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The Facts Of Death (1998), High Time to Kill (1999), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Doubleshot (2000), Never Dream of Dying (2001), Die Another Day (2002) and The Man With the Red Tattoo (2002).

Five novels about the Young Bond was written by Charlie Higson; Silverfin (2005), Blood Fever (2006), Double or Die (2007), Hurricane Gold (2007) and By Royal Command (2008).

One novel is written by Sebastian Faulks, Devil May Care (2008).

One novel is written by Jeffery Deaver, Carte Blanche (2011).

A new novel written by William Boyd will be published in the autumn 2013, it has no official title yet and is simply called The New Mission for the time being.

Other events for the 60th Anniversary of the literary 007 featured on From Sweden with Love:
>New edition of Ian Fleming's "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car" (March 12, 2013)
>Publication of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Race Against Time" (March 12, 2013)
>New edition of Ian Fleming's "The Diamond Smugglers" (April 4, 2013)
>New edition of Ian Fleming's "Thrilling Cities" (April 4, 2013)
>The Birth of Bond: Ian Fleming's Casino Royale at 60 (April 12-July 12, 2013)
>Publication of a new James Bond novel by William Boyd (September 26, 2013)
>Publication of "The James Bond Omnibus: Volume 5" (November 22, 2013)

Literary James Bond news featured From Sweden with Love:
>Vote for Young Bond 3 title (October-2006)
>Voting process for Young Bond 3 title ended (November-2006)
>Sebastian Faulks: New James Bond continuation author (July-2007)
>James Bond theme tune search (February-2008)
>The Diamond Smugglers re-issued (July-2009)
>Thrilling Cities re-issued (July-2009)
>New James Bond novel: Project X (May-2010)
>James Bond novels launch as eBooks in the UK (November-2010)
>Project X is Carte Blanche (Jan-2011)
>John Gardner's James Bond novels to be reprinted (March-2011)
>Carte Blanche: International publishers (May-2011)
>Carte Blanche: UK Publication events (May-2011)
>John Gardner's James Bond titles re-issued (June-2011)
>Ian Fleming Publications appoints Curtis Brown (June-2011)
>Ian Fleming bibliography announced (February-2012)
>James Bond returns home (March-2012)
>William Boyd to write new James Bond novel (April-2012)
>Amazon Publishing to publish James Bond backlist in North America (April-2012)
>New Ian Fleming audio books announced (June-2012)

Editor's note:
In 2012, Ian Fleming's 14 original James Bond novels are re-published by Vintage Classics, John Gardner's 16 James Bond novels are re-published by Orion Books, and Charlie Higson's five Young Bond novels are re-published by Penguin Books. All of the new editions are featured on From Sweden with Love:

>Blood Fever by Charlie Higson (first published in 2006) - Paperback, April 5
>By Royal Command by Charlie Higson (first published in 2008) - Paperback, April 5
>Brokenclaw by John Gardner (first published in 1990) - Paperback, July 5
>Casino Royale by Ian Fleming (first published in 1953) - Paperback, September 6
>Cold by John Gardner (first published in 1996) - Paperback, November 8
>Death is Forever by John Gardner (first published in 1992) - Paperback, August 2
>Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming (first published in 1956) - Paperback, September 6
>Doctor No by Ian Fleming (first published in 1958) - Paperback, September 6
>Double or Die by Charlie Higson (first published in 2007) - Paperback, April 5
>For Your Eyes Only by Ian Fleming (first published in 1960) - Paperback, September 6
>For Special Services by John Gardner (first published in 1982) - Paperback, February 2
>From Russia With Love by Ian Fleming (first published in 1957) - Paperback, September 6
>GoldenEye by John Gardner (first published in 1996) - Paperback, November 8
>Goldfinger by Ian Fleming (first published in 1959) - Paperback, September 6
>Hurricane Gold by Charlie Higson (first published in 2007) - Paperback, April 5
>Icebreaker by John Gardner (first published in 1983) - Paperback, May 10
>Licence Renewed by John Gardner (first published in 1981) - Paperback, February 2
>Licence to Kill by John Gardner (first published in 1990) - Paperback, August 2
>Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming (first published in 1954) - Paperback, September 6
>Moonraker by Ian Fleming (first published in 1955) - Paperback, September 6
>Never Send Flowers by John Gardner (first published in 1993) - Paperback, November 8
>No Deals, Mr. Bond by John Gardner (first published in 1987) - Paperback, July 5
>Nobody lives forever by John Gardner (first published in 1986) - Paperback, May 10
>Octopussy & The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming (first published in 1966) - Paperback, Sept. 6
>On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming (first published in 1963) - Paperback, Sept. 6
>Role Of Honour by John Gardner (first published in 1984) - Paperback, May 10
>Scorpius by John Gardner (first published in 1988) - Paperback, August 2
>Seafire by John Gardner (first published in 1994) - Paperback, November 8
>Silverfin by Charlie Higson (first published in 2005) - Paperback, April 5
>The Man From Barbarossa by John Gardner (first published in 1991) - Paperback, August 2
>The Man With The Golden Gun by Ian Fleming (first published in 1965) - Paperback, Sept. 6
>The Spy Who Loved Me by Ian Fleming (first published in 1962) - Paperback, September 6
>Thunderball by Ian Fleming (first published in 1961) - Paperback, September 6
>Win, Lose Or Die by John Gardner (first published in 1989) - Paperback, August 2
>You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming (first published in 1964) - Paperback, September 6

Photo above:
The first edition cover of Casino Royale (1953) from a private collection.

More information about the James Bond novel Casino Royale by Ian Fleming on the book page:
jamesbond007.se/james-bond-novel.asp?novel=Casino_Royale

Tags:

#60th_book_anniversary
#anniversaries

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