Antiquarian Booksellers' Association Adrian Harrington Rare Books
Nominated for the 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography Jon Gilbert's Ian Fleming Bibliography
The World’s Best Books about Books
When the 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography will be awarded during the 41st ILAB Congress in April 2014, the Prize Jury will have had to fulfill an almost impossible task. The jury of Felix de Marez Oyens, David Adams, Jean-Marc Chatelain, Arnoud Gerits, Poul Jan Poulsen, and Umberto Pregliasco will have to choose the best book about books from an impressive list of 70 bio-bibliographical works published between 2009 and 2012. Among them is:
John Gilbert: Ian Fleming. The Bibliography
Ian Fleming is much more than the author of the James Bond novels. “Ian Fleming. The Bibliography” is much more than their bibliography.
Jon Gilbert, rare book expert at Adrian Harrington Ltd. (London), is the foremost expert on the works of Ian Fleming. He says: “Ian Fleming is best known as the creator of James Bond, an icon of 20th century popular culture, but he was also a journalist, publisher, travel writer, motor enthusiast, card player, accomplished golfer and noted bibliophile. Much has been written about Fleming and his legendary creation, but until now there has been no serious bibliographical account of his published work.”
Now this gap is filled with Gilbert’s great bibliographical work. His research took him to the Jonathan Cape and Pan Macmillan archives, to Penguin Books, The Imperial War Museum’s Fleming Exhibition, the British Library and The Fleming Collection, London. Most important: he also interviewed many of Fleming’s colleagues, friends and relatives.
Jon Gilbert’s Ian Fleming bibliography covers every aspect of the author’s writing, from the manuscript stage, through typescripts, uncorrected proofs, advance and review copies, first and subsequent impressions, paperback printings, omnibus and collected editions, as well as periodical appearances, comic strip adaptations, young reader and large print editions published in Britain and America. Apart from the Bond novels Gilbert draws attention to Fleming’s non-fiction works, to “The Diamond Smugglers” and “Thrilling Cities”, to his children’s book “Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang”, along with Fleming’s numerous, often unknown articles and essays.
Each main entry of this comprehensive 736-page guide to the work of Ian Fleming includes detailed information about the conception, editorial process and marketing of the particular book, complemented by a full list of sources. Biographical notes of many of Fleming’s friends and colleagues are provided, as well as a chronology of the author’s life.
“Ian Fleming, The Bibliography” is not only an indispensable source of information for collectors, enthusiasts, libraries and booksellers alike, but an entertaining and informative volume that will appeal to anyone interested in the James Bond phenomenon – and far beyond in the work and life of Ian Fleming.
Jon Gilbert: Ian Fleming. The Bibliography
Preface by Fergus Fleming. Foreword by Michael L. Vanblaricum. Edited by Brad Frank. London, Queen Anne Press, 2012.
>>> Queen Anne Press
16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography
>>> Click here to view the full list of submitted books
Read also
>>> Nominated for the 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography – R. J. Howgego’s Encyclopedia of Exploration
>>> Nominated for the 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography - Ernst Fischer: Antiquarian Booksellers in Exile
>>> Nominated for the 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography - Michael Suarez & H. R. Woudhuysen: Oxford Companion to the Book
To be continued …
