The Spy Who Loved Me by Ian Fleming, First Edition, in Original Dust Jacket, 1962

Fleming, Ian. The Spy Who Loved Me. London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. First edition, first printing. Octavo. In the publisher's original black cloth boards, with blind and silver embossed knife to front and silver titles to spine. In the publisher's original unclipped dust jacket. With new archival 1/4 leather and cloth clamshell case. 

Presented is a first edition printing of Ian Fleming’s tenth James Bond thriller, The Spy Who Loved Me. The book was published in London by Jonathan Cape in 1962 with a print run of 30,000 copies. It is presented in the publisher’s original black boards, with blind and silver embossed knife to the front and silver titles to the spine. The book retains its original unclipped dust jacket, as designed by Richard Chopping. It is presented with a new archival ¼ leather and cloth clamshell case. 

The Spy Who Loved Me is a clear departure from previous Bond novels by Ian Fleming, in that the novel is told in the first-person by a young woman named Vivienne Michel. James Bond himself actually doesn't appear until two-thirds of the way through the book and the novel itself breaks up Fleming's "Blofeld Trilogy" of books. Although the title page lists the book as being written by Ian Fleming with Vivienne Michel, the "coauthorship credit is a hoax: Vivienne Michel was the name of the wife of one of Fleming's golfing companions in Jamaica" (Biondi & Pickard, 47). 

Fleming "had become alarmed that his earlier thrillers, designed for an adult audience, were increasingly read in schools… where young people made a hero out of James Bond… He did not regard Bond as a heroic figure 'but only as an efficient professional in his job.' Therefore he had sought to write a cautionary tale to put the record straight, particularly for his younger readers. Unable to do this in his usual narrative style, he had invented a heroine 'through whom I could examine Bond from the other end of the gun barrel, so to speak'" (Lycett, 401-402).

Ian Fleming (1908–1964) was an intelligence officer, journalist, and creator of the fictional British Secret service agent James Bond. Beginning in 1939, he served as a liaison between the Navy and the other secret services, where he was privy to the highest levels of intelligence and became known for his creativity in planning operations, work that inspired his later novels.

After the war, Fleming became a journalist and in 1953 published his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale. It was a success, and Fleming wrote a new Bond book each year until his untimely death in 1964.

CONDITION:

Book is in very good condition. Octavo. Original publisher's black cloth boards, decorated with a blind and silver embossed knife and silver titles to the spine. Some bumping to boards but no splitting. Silver is intact. With the publisher’s original dust jacket, as designed by Richard Chopping. Dust jacket is unclipped, with 15s net. Light foxing along the front dust jacket panel, wear to edges. Back panel with foxing and discoloration. Interior pages are healthy and clean, save scattered light foxing. Red endpapers are in great condition. 

Book is housed in a new archival ¼ leather and cloth clamshell case, with raised bands, gilt titles and tooling to the spine. The clamshell has an image of “The Spy Who Loves Me" dust jacket inlaid on the front and Ian Fleming’s facsimile signature embossed into its interior lining. 

Book Dimensions:  7 3/4" H x 5 1/4" W x 1" D. Clamshell Dimensions:  8 7/8" H x 6 3/8" W x 2" D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.