Ian Fleming: The Complete Man

A fresh portrait of the man behind James Bond, and his enduring impact, by an award-winning biographer with unprecedented access to the Fleming family papers.

Ian Fleming's greatest creation, James Bond, has had an enormous and ongoing impact on our culture. What Bond represents about ideas of masculinity, the British national psyche and global politics has shifted over time, as has the interpretation of the life of his author. But Fleming himself was more mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote.

Ian's childhood with his gifted brother Peter and his extraordinary mother set the pattern for his ambition to be “the complete man,” and he would strive for the means to achieve this “completeness'”all his life. Only a thriller writer for his last twelve years, his dramatic personal life and impressive career in Naval Intelligence put him at the heart of critical moments in 20th-century history, while also providing rich inspiration for his fiction. Exceptionally well connected, and widely travelled, from the United States and Soviet Russia to his beloved Jamaica, Ian had access to the most powerful political figures at a time of profound change.

Nicholas Shakespeare is one of the most gifted biographers working today. His talent for uncovering material that casts new light on his subjects is fully evident in this masterful work. His unprecedented access to the Fleming archive and his nose for a story make this the definitive biography of the James Bond creator, a fresh and eye-opening picture of the man and his famous creation.

But who was the man behind the icon?

• Espionage Biography: Explore Fleming’s crucial work in Naval Intelligence, where his real-life experiences with spies and secret missions shaped the world of 007.
• The Man Behind the Icon: Go beyond the character of Bond to understand Fleming’s lifelong quest to become ‘the complete man,’ driven by a complex and extraordinary family dynamic.
• Literary History: Discover how Fleming’s extensive travels, high-level connections, and personal adventures were masterfully woven into his iconic thriller novels.
• Unprecedented Access: Drawn from previously unseen family papers and archives, this is the most intimate and revealing portrait of Fleming ever written.

Nicholas Shakespeare's books have been translated into twenty languages. They include The Vision of Elena Silves, winner of the Somerset Maugham Award, and The Dancer Upstairs, which was made into a film of the same name by John Malkovich. His nonfiction includes the critically acclaimed authorized biography of Bruce Chatwin. Shakespeare is married with two sons and lives in Oxford.