Name a spy. You picked James Bond, didn’t you?
Chances are the uber-spy and British secret agent comes to your mind when you think of spies. You could have also chosen Jason Bourne, or Ethan Hunt, or a number of other well known spies from film or television. But ever since 1962, James Bond has emerged into the zeitgeist of the world in a way that few other characters have.
James Bond existed before Dr. No, his first blockbuster film, of course. Born inside the imagination of Ian Fleming, Bond first came to life in the pages of Fleming’s novels. It seems fitting, then, that Bond’s life should be explored once more in the pages of a book.
Mark Edlitz, a fan of James Bond since Moonraker (starring Roger Moore) and author of How to Be A Superhero, became curious about the internal life of the super spy. Sure, the world knows about Bond’s international exploits and so on, but what about Bond himself? Very little exists to shed light on that darkest part of the man: his soul and his mind.
With The Many Lives of James Bond, Edlitz sought to shine his light on the internal Bond. How? By interviewing the people that know James Bond best: the people who have brought him to life throughout the years. He interviewed Roger Moore, George Lazenby, Martin Campbell, and many, many others credited as co-creators of Bond. He spoke to directors, stunt men, actors, cartoonists, even Bond women and family members of those who had a hand in making James Bond a reality.
Always the question Edlitz asked was “what makes James Bond tick?” or “what makes James Bond who he is?”. The answers that he elicited are as fascinating and as diverse as the people who gave them. In the end, no one answer emerged. I was a bit frustrated at this when I first finished reading The Many Lives of James Bond. However, on further reflection I realized that is a part of what makes Bond so fascinating, to Mark Edlitz, to me, and to millions throughout time and space. There is no one answer!
Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig are only six men interpreting a character on a page. A host of writers put James Bond on that page, and thousands more people dressed, illuminated, performed, edited, sang about, and allowed James Bond to emerge from their craft and talents.
What Mark Edlitz has done is to add to that pool of creativity with personal interviews. His questions draw out a few more pieces of the puzzle and add them to the image of James Bond. He does this in an artful, respectful, and passionate way. I doubt few people are as big fans of Bond as Edlitz. Yet he always tempers his fan appreciation with a journalistic integrity and a need to get to the truth of who Bond actually is.
For me, I thoroughly enjoyed The Many Lives of James Bond. It is a fantastic read, both compelling and insightful. For anyone who has an interest in James Bond in particular, film in general, or the creative process, I believe this work fits neatly into those intersections. Get yourself to a bookstore and pick up a copy of The Many Lives of James Bond and you won’t regret it.
This is part one, a review of the book. I also had a chance to interview Mark Edlitz about the process of writing this book. Look for that next on NerdSpan.com!
*I did receive a review copy of Mark Edlitz’s The Many Lives of James Bond from the publisher, but my opinions are my own and cannot be bought.*
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