William Boyd Reading Solo At The Dorchester

By: Anders Frejdh

Published:
2013-08-20

William Boyd reading Solo at Dorchester London

Please find below a press release issued by The Dorchester this morning concerning Solo (2013), the new James Bond book by William Boyd.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: (20/8/2013)

Breakfast with Bond at The Dorchester

-Enjoy breakfast as described in Solo, the new James Bond book by William Boyd

(London) Dorchester Collection’s iconic British hotel, The Dorchester, will be the first and most fitting location to read the new James Bond book on publication day, Thursday 26 September, and will host a book reading by William Boyd on Saturday 28 September.

The Dorchester is the setting for the opening scene of the new James Bond book by international bestselling author William Boyd, in which 007 is described as treating himself to a 45th birthday breakfast in 1969. In the book, Bond’s breakfast at The Dorchester consists of “four eggs, scrambled with pepper sprinkled on top, half a dozen rashers of unsmoked bacon, well done, on the side and a long draught of strong black coffee”.

From Thursday 26 September, guests quoting ‘Solo’ whilst making a breakfast reservation will receive a copy of the book or can choose to listen to the audio version read by British actor Dominic West on an iPod over breakfast. Creating the perfect environment by evoking the time the novel is set; restaurant guests will also have the option of listening to hits from the 60s on an iPod, be given a copy of a national newspaper and the menu from 1969, and will be served their breakfast silver service in keeping with the 60s. Once a week, a table will be chosen at random to be charged the Grill Menu’s 1969 price, a sum just short of £2.

On Saturday 28 September a special event will take place at The Grill at The Dorchester during which William Boyd will read from the first chapter of Solo, share his experience of writing the book, and sign copies for guests. Further evocative narrative will be added to this unique event with vintage cars from the 1960’s parked on the hotel forecourt, and characters dressed in 60’s outfits. Optional dress code for guests: swinging 60s, tickets priced at £69.

Solo author William Boyd said: "I chose The Dorchester for James Bond to stay in because the hotel has strong literary associations (particularly in World War 2) but also because it was the epitome of style and glamour in the 1960s. The Dorchester was, and still is, the elite hotel — the choice of film stars and show business legends — and so it seemed fitting that when Bond wanted to give himself a special birthday treat he would book himself a room at The Dorchester."

For the full Solo experience guests can stay the night at The Dorchester just like James Bond. By requesting ‘007 room service’, guests will be provided with the full library set of the Ian Fleming Bond Collection with an accompanying martini nightcap.

Martini master classes are also provided at The Bar at The Dorchester by expert alchemist bar manager Giuliano Morandin, who joined the hotel over 30 years ago. During Solo, James Bond drinks his Martini to a particular recipe: “ice in the shaker, add a slurp of vermouth, pour out the vermouth, add the gin, shake well, strain into a chilled glass, and add a slice of lemon peel, no pith”.

English breakfast at The Grill at The Dorchester is priced at £32 excluding discretionary service charge. For further information or to make a booking, please contact reservations on+44 20 7629 8888 or send an email to restaurants.TDL@dorchestercollection.com.

For ‘Breakfast with Bond’, available until 30 November 2013, book English Breakfast priced at £32 and quote ‘SOLO’ to receive a complimentary copy of the book. For tickets to the Saturday 28 September ‘Breakfast with Bond’ William Boyd reading priced at £69 per person, please quote ‘BOYD’. Seasonal room rates for bed and breakfast start from £315 including VAT, please quote ‘007 room service’ for complimentary use of the Ian Fleming Library, and Martini nightcap priced at £14 per person.

Editor’s note:
William Boyd was invited to write the new James Bond novel Solo by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, the Fleming family owned company that owns the copyright in the Bond books. Solo will be published in hardback, ebook and audio editions on 26 September 2013 by Jonathan Cape, an imprint of Vintage Publishing, in the UK and Commonwealth, and by HarperCollins in the US and Canada on on 8 October.

The Dorchester and Bond - Ian Fleming mentioned The Dorchester in the original manuscript for Goldfinger (1964) (1964), but the reference was changed before the book went to the publisher. Bond producer Cubby Broccoli frequented The Dorchester when in London, and Terence Young and Johanna Harwood wrote the final draft of the Dr. No (1962) film script at The Dorchester during an extended stay in late 1961. The Dorchester was the venue for the Skyfall (2012) press junket and photo call in 2012.

For other posts about William Boyd's Solo on From Sweden with Love, click here.

Visit the official website for The Dorchester to book your Bond experience:

www.thedorchester.com

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William Boyd Reading Solo At The Dorchester

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