Diamonds are Forever

IanLancaster Fleming was born in London on 28 May 1908 and was educated at EtonCollege before spending a formative period studying languages in Europe. Hisfirst job was with Reuters news agency, followed by a brief spell as astockbroker. On the outbreak of the Second World War he was appointed assistantto the Director of Naval Intelligence, Admiral Godfrey, where he played a keypart in British and Allied espionage operations.Afterthe war he joined Kemsley Newspapers as Foreign Manager of The SundayTimes, running a network of correspondents who were intimately involved in theCold War. His first novel, Casino Royale, was published in 1953 andintroduced James Bond, Special Agent 007, to the world. The first print runsold out within a month. Following this initial success, he published a Bondtitle every year until his death. His own travels, interests and wartimeexperience gave authority to everything he wrote. Raymond Chandler hailed himas 'the most forceful and driving writer of thrillers in England.' The fifthtitle, From Russia With Love, was particularly well received and salessoared when President Kennedy named it as one of his favourite books. The Bondnovels have sold more than 100 million copies and inspired a hugely successfulfilm franchise which began in 1962 with the release of Dr No, starringSean Connery as 007.TheBond books were written in Jamaica, a country Fleming fell in love with duringthe war and where he built a house, 'Goldeneye'. He married Ann Rothermere in1952. His story about a magical car, written in 1961 for their only child,Caspar, went on to become the well-loved novel and film, Chitty ChittyBang Bang.Flemingdied of heart failure on 12 August 1964.www.ianfleming.com