Covering Bond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not long after my parents had relocated the family from the cold, damp and impressively windy Highlands of Scotland to the less cold, only marginally less damp, but no-doubt-about-it impressively windy island of Jersey, I was invited to a rich classmate's seventh birthday party. You could tell he was rich since on the way home from school in my parents' car we passed his house. This took a while.

The signature feature of this boy's party was something so unimaginably cool that I still think of it now with fondness and envy: a home cinema. Now this wasn't some tarted-up plasma screen under a ridiculous nom de guerre available on special offer at Curries. This was the mid-1970s. A home cinema meant a roll-up screen and stand, a 16mm projector, speakers and reels of film. In his house. My jaw drops still when I think about it.

Anyway, the home cinema treated us to an abridged twenty-minute version of Live and Let Die. Being six at the time, I loved every butchered minute of it. No matter that it was one sixth the length of the original, featured cartoon-Bond Roger Moore - yet to succumb to the claggy embrace of a safari suit - and clearly could not have made any sense whatsoever. At that age as long as some things got smashed up and people got hit in an entertaining way, what was not to like?

A few years later my mother gave me a book club edition that featured two James Bond novels, Dr No and From Russia with Love. On the cover was a poorly cutout bikini-clad Ursula Andress - from that still - emerging from the water pasted on top of a scarlet background. Being a book club edition it was a hardback. Being a book club edition every other expense had been spared. You could tell because they'd managed to place the novels out of order. This might not have mattered but for the fact that frequently in Fleming's Bond books one story leads directly onto the next. In this case, From Russia with Love ends with a cliffhanger putting the survival of Bond in doubt, while Dr No begins by recounting the agent's recovery. Or, if you were reading my book club version, at the beginning Bond gets better from the poisoning he will receive some 500 pages later. Such unconventional linearity gave Bond an unexpected modernist slant.

However, it is this sort of basic inattention to details that has often been all too obvious in past editions. For much of the forty-four years since his death his books have been treated by a succession of publishers rather like that bizarre home cinema experience: a fast, enjoyable thrill not to be taken too seriously or paid much attention to, and something that is certainly not for adults.

The centenary of Fleming's birth was clearly a good time to revisit the Bonds and cover them in a package that says, yes these are fun, but also makes it implicit that there's no reason not to take them seriously. Most importantly, they should look like books worth owning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To that end Michael Gillette was commissioned to paint fourteen iconic covers. The books were numbered on their spines so it's not hard to read them in order (if you're traditionally minded). The blurbs, adapted from earlier Penguin editions, were themed around the new unified concept. Fourteen book biographies, one for each back flap, replaced the usual author biography (which is found on page one). A short extract from each book graces the back cover. They were made into demi-format hardbacks to be not so much collectible as bloody irresistible.

Having worked on the Bond novels on and off for eight years – and these are the fourth set Penguin have done in that time – I can attest to their enduring appeal. And you won't find a safari suit in sight.

The new Bond hardbacks are published on May 29th. More information available here.

Colin Brush
Senior Copywriter

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Comments

[dave graham]

they look fabulous. I need to start saving up...

[JRSM]

I discussed these gorgeous books on my blog a while ago (http://causticcovercritic.blogspot.com/2008/04/007.html)--nice to finally know who's responsible .for them.

[Ben]

I'm constantly impressed by the care Penguin gives to your covers; they are always impressive and quite irresistible!

[Jason]

These are absolutely awesome. Love that they're numbered.

So...will they be available in the U.S., too? And will they be available as a complete set, or do we have to buy 'em up one by one?

[spyscribbler]

I love that they're numbered, too. I wish more series would do that. Why don't they?

Stunning, wonderful covers. Like Dave, I must start saving!

[Dean]

Another great post, Colin . . . thank you. As an art director at a publishing house, it's always exciting to hear what life is like inside other publishers. I appreciate you taking the time to give everyone a behind-the-scenes look into the exceptional thinking that goes on at Penguin.

As for these excellent covers, I have a question for you: Do the illustrated women on these covers in any way reference the films of the same books? I'm not familiar enough with the books or the movies to know, so I thought I would put the question to you. I ask only because that would be a cool tie between the literary and movie worlds if it were so. If not, it doesn't matter. The covers rock anyway.

Thanks.

[Colin]

Hi Dean

The interview at MI6 with the artist should, I think, answer your questions:
http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/interview_michael_gillette.php3

And you're right, as the artist says it does provide a neat link between the two mediums.

[Susan]

The glamour in Flemings' books almost hides the fact that he worked hard at his craft. He scheduled several hours of writing time every day (I think before cocktails!). Anyway, what a beautiful set of books!

[J]

I saw the book covers while passing by a window display. I went into a book shop and spent about 15 minutes looking for the books to admire them properly.

Couldn't find them of course but when was the last time you heard of someone spending 15 minutes looking for a book, not to buy it or read it but to look at its cover more closely.

(Er, yes, I need to get a life too).

[aky_m82]

Wow. Those are really cool. Never a better cover for a more underserving set of books.

[James]

Lovely jackets, I seen them in the shop today and felt I just had to find out more about them. I already own all the bond books 2 x over, and so unfortunately won't be purchasing them.... although I am seriously tempted.

I was wondering whether you knew whether Sebastian Faulks will be signing the Devil May Care anyway, would really love to get my copy signed.

[Simon]

Hi,

are these 14 titles of Bond centenary edition hardcovers limited in print run or so?

Also, will there be release for the other missing Bond hardcovers?

It looks to me that this is indeed a very special commenerative set and a beauty.

[mirc]

thank you

[Zack]

Colin,
Will this edition of the Bond books be available in the U.S.? It would be quite expensive to have them shipped all the way across the Atlantic ocean.

[Cottser]

I saw these yesterday, they're stunning!

[power_switch]

looks like something i will have to scour book sellers for... need to update my worn out collection anyway :)

[Josh Lasser]

Those covers look absolutely outstanding! I remember reading my first James Bond book at, I think, about the age of eight. Since then I've read them all, but none have looked quite so good as those covers above. Have you seen that UnSpun has a list of the Best James Bond Books (http://unspun.amazon.com?list=21404&rff=jl_c_books )? I don't think any of these editions have made it, but they definitely should.

[Max Kater]

Lovely, yes! But where can we buy this collection?! I have searched everywhere on the net and can't find it! To make matters worse, I live in Sydney. Should I just give up now?

[Alan]

Hi Max,

I mentioned in another comment the Book Depository's free worldwide shipping, which sounds like it might be worth a go. For example:

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/WEBSITE/WWW/WEBPAGES/showbook.php?id=0718153871
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/WEBSITE/WWW/WEBPAGES/showbook.php?id=0718153898

Hope that helps.

[Ralph]

Was very happy to come across this but, unfortunately, found out about the series far too late to purchase any of them (or the entire set). Here's hoping Penguin does another printing.

[online gambling websites]

The bond movies are always fantastic as they consist of every thing which an average viewer wants - action, glamour, thrill and suspense. Personally my favorite bond actor is Pierce Brosnon.

[Dan]

I have nine of the 14 printed. I've read four and I'm reading through them fast. I hope they do a reprint as I cannot find the other five anywhere. Please reprint them. Having commissioned these specially as a collectable only would be a pity.

[James Bond Party]

Nice! :)

I love this kind of stuff! I've even seen some at a James Bond Party I've been to, was very cool I recommend it to everyone who likes James Bond! :)

Cheers :)