Ian Fleming: A Personal Memoir

(Hardback)

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Description

This is Robert Harling's account of his close and enduring friendship with one of the twentieth century's most iconic writers, a relationship forged in the Second World War that helped define the lives of both men. Their paths met in the early 1940s upon the creation of 30 Assault Unit, aBritish Commandounit Fleming founded and ran.

In this extraordinary memoir, which the author stipulated should not be published before his death and which features a cast of characters from General Patton to Noel Coward, Evelyn Waugh and John Betjeman, Harling brings a unique and authoritative perspective to a compelling subject, immeasurably enhancing our understanding of both Ian Fleming and the character and world of James Bond.

Reviews

'Robert Harling was a man of many talents, who worked with Ian Fleming in naval intelligence and journalism, as well as being a thriller writer himself. He has produced a memoir of his close friend that is full of fascinating anecdotes, and that, without glossing over the imperfections of its subject, manages to be affectionate, humorous and insightful. The result is a wonderful treat - a welcome addition to the literature about 007's creator.' - Andrew Lycett; 'Searingly, almost painfully honest, this picture of the sex-and-danger-saturated relationship between Harling and Fleming is as gripping and as challenging as the best of the Bond novels.' - Anna Blundy; 'Anyone seriously interested in the melancholic Old Etonian Scot who created James Bond will fall on this long-lost memoir with genuine joy. Robert Harling's authentic book is funny and frank and revealing about Ian Fleming and his social milieu, with real sadness under all the banter.' - Nicholas Rankin; 'This book not only explains the extraordinary success of Ian Fleming; it is an eyewitness account of the growth of design and fashion after the Second World War by the man whose genius created both.' - Nicolas Barker; "Harling brings a unique and authoritative perspective to a compelling subject." - Literary 007

Author Bio

Robert Harling's post-war career included twenty-eight years as editor of House & Garden magazine and almost forty as The Sunday Times's celebrated typographic adviser. He was the author of some eighteen books of fiction and non-fiction. He died in 2008.