James Bond: The Secret History

by Sean Egan

James Bond entered the world in 1953 with the novel Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. Since then, the British secret agent code named 007 has become the biggest media phenomenon of the modern age, surpassing and outlasting previous cultural icons such as Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, and The Saint. Bond has conquered all forms of media—from books, films, and radio to comic strips and video games—while inspiring a tidal wave of merchandise and legion of imitators. Although the world has changed almost beyond recognition since his debut, his continuing relevance is affirmed by the multiple generations who have thrilled to his exploits.This book for the first time provides the full enthralling story of how the espionage fantasies of a rather melancholy journalist came to captivate the world. It exposes the setbacks behind the triumphs, from Fleming’s increasing boredom with his own creation to regular crises over re-casting of the cinematic Bond and legal battles in the 1990s that almost destroyed the film franchise. With the help of Bond scholars, Fleming intimates, Bond film crew, and others, James The Secret History shows how the man with the License to Kill overcame every hurdle to become the greatest fantasy hero of all time.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

354 pages, Hardcover

Published September 28, 2016

About the author

A freelance journalist, author and editor who writes about arts and entertainment (music, film, TV, comics and literature), social history (20th and 21st centuries) and sport (soccer and tennis history).

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

This weighty tome appears promising but it quickly becomes obvious Sean Egan has only conducted a few interviews himself (and none of them associated with EON or the Fleming estate) and that this is, in effect, a cut and paste job. He doesn’t quote any sources (aside from saying “such-and-such says in his autobiography” as part of the text), though he does use a lot of research from Jeremy Duns and Raymond Benson, especially in the earlier, Fleming-focused parts.
Although he includes a lot of information - and there were bits and pieces I didn’t know (but it’s hardly a secret history) - he does seem to have issues with the Bond character in all his forms. He doesn’t appear overly keen on the Fleming novels - gleefully pointing out plot holes and inconsistencies, while rubbishing aspects of the writing - and seems less keen on the films, though curiously he doesn’t have as much to say about the later ones (I wonder if that’s because the earlier ones have been written about more thoroughly?). Worse, with the films, he tends to go after the person rather than the picture - both Sean Connery and Roger Moore are taken to task for ageing, not because they’re playing Bond as being older but because they dare to appear on screen with lines on their faces or thinning hair. Speaking of which, Pierce Brosnan (an excellent Bond, in my opinion, let down by increasingly poor films) is pulled up on the fact that he has chubby cheeks in GoldenEye, while Michael Billington (an almost-Bond who appears in The Spy Who Loved Me) is dismissed as a ‘hairy backed actor’ and Daniel Craig (after being taken to task for not being handsome enough) is begrudging complimented with redrawing “definitions of male beauty”. Egan isn’t impressed with many of the songs (especially those where popstars were allowed to co-write with John Barry), accuses EON of “taking the piss” (his words) out of the Eady Levy and is often inconsistent - he rubbishes the Roger Moore era (though the great man was one of his interview subjects), while later commenting that Moore was responsible for keeping the franchise going after Connery - and for all his comments about Fleming making mistakes, Egan often muddles people up (directors, novelists and effects supervisors) while most readers will know Bob Holness presented Blockbusters rather than Countdown.
Very disappointing - in terms of approach, research and writing - this was a huge missed opportunity and I’d be hard pushed to recommend it to anyone, as there must be better guides to the Bond legacy out there.

[iain meek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ho hum. Lots of curious little facts about the books and the films- and a variety of TV options, plots. and plans. Acres of descriptions of the film plots with the author's (unsupported) views on their defects. Somehow trainspotter-ish.
Neither stirred, nor shaken by this work.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally I really loved this book. Sean Egan lovingly takes his reader through the whole lifecycle of the James Bond phenomenon, beginning with its genesis in the mind of Ian Fleming, the enigmatic, somewhat tragic author, to Bond's fluctuating performance in Hollywood. This book is just as much a biographical/analytical look at the books and movies as it is simply a celebration of the so-far ageless character. While I am generally not a fan of action movies, I was hooked like most boys my age to GoldenEye 64, which in turn led to Goldeneye being probably the first Bond film I saw, as well as one of my favourites. Like Egan himself, my dad showed me Live and Let Die when I was a child, and I loved it. Since those early days, me and my brother loved the movies. We even named one of our toy arm soldiers Roger Moore. With the films consisting of some fantastic cinematic highlights (The Spy Who Loved Me, Octopussy, From Russia with Love), there were also shockers such as Diamonds are Forever, Moonraker and Die Another Day. I was late to come to the novels, but for the most part I have really loved those as well.

Generally speaking I love the Bond films, books and video games, and this book was addictively enjoyable and easy to read for me. I even found myself poring through during dinner, which I very rarely do. Likewise, I can't imagine anyone who has a fondness for James Bond not finding something enjoyable here. While Sean Egan does make a few questionably comments and sometimes contradicts himself - (after tearing Die Another Day the new asshole it deserves, he then sends Brosnan off with the consolation that his early departure meant we never saw a decline in his tenure as the secret agent) - he still scores well with me in putting together this book.

I had a great time with it.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A schizophrenic book. It covers well-trodden territory competently if unremarkably, but is oddly and needlessly critical of even the series high points, both literary and cinematic. This undermines the justifiable criticism of the low points, such as Moonraker and Die Another Day. Recommend the much superior "Some Kind of Hero" in preference, at least as far as the cinematic Bond is concerned.

[Abhishek Dafria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether you like him or hate him, you cannot hide from the fact that James Bond has been one of the great icons in pop culture over the past half a century or so! And thus a definitive study of all that has transpired ever since Ian Fleming began this journey through his novels to where we stand now with Daniel Craig rewriting the definition of Bond in someways was a must. Sean Egan provides the necessary commentary through this book on how Bond has shaped over the years in novels and films both, what he has contributed to the world of entertainment and how the changing culture has forced his creators to relook at him. Egan's approach is quite straightforward, which may not suit everyone's mood. At times, the book feels like pages taken off from Wikipedia, but then you read his own thoughts and opinions which make it clear that this man cares a lot about the Bond history. Egan's comments range from the different actors who took on the mantle of playing Bond, those who almost came close, and those who were vaguely associated with it. He talks of Fleming's insecurities in continuing with Bond, and yet what made his books so special which none of the continuing authors could completely capture. He highlights the Bond music, those that worked and those which did not (alert: Egan barely seems to like any of the Bond music which plays in the opening titles). He talks of the producers, the ones who continue to hold on to the legacy. He mentions the toy cars that became a craze, and the video games later on which earned more than the movies. Egan covers almost all that is there to be covered in the Bond universe with a quick pace, a soft touch of emotions, and a no-nonsense attitude that Bond would have been proud of. I myself have limited exposure to Bond, having gotten hooked to the character only from 2006's Casino Royale. Thus, Egan's book is like a course in history that was fun to learn and understand. But if you are an aficionado on Bond, then there might be little of interest in this narrative. So be sure of what you are looking for when you pick up this book.

[Tony Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable Bond history from the Fleming original concept through all the novels, movies, toys, comics, video games, spin-off novels, court cases and a ton of other flotsam and jetsom over the great spy’s 60-year and counting lifespan.

Writer Sean Egan manages to keep it detailed yet fast-moving and engaging: like a good Bond book or film. A must for any new fans looking for a single-volume authoritative history of an often complex story, but even diehard Bond know-all’s like me will find plenty to enjoy here. The author isn’t slow to throw in his critical opinion either, which is a good thing.

[James Tidd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hardly a secret history, basically a history of Fleming's best creation. True it contains a lot of what I didn't know about the books, the movies and the other merchandise. The trouble they had releasing Thunderball for example, and the daft original Casino Royale and Never say Never again, the enjoyable remake of Thunderball. The movies have stood the test of time and for Skyfall to break Thunderball's record, despite cinema viewing being down due to modern technology, is just extraordinary. Sean Egan states that Bond could live forever. If the team of Broccoli and Wilson continue their excellent run and their successors do the same, then James Bond will be around for a long time to come.

[Mark Pearce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent coverage of both the books and the films, although a couple of errors slipped in. The author writes with his opinion of the stories in both formats and I don't necessarily agree with his evaluations.

[Jaideep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a refresher on 50 years of Bond. Must read for any Bond fan.

[Crystal Miu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5! tosi kiinnostava ja paljon faktoja, mutta jäin kaipaamaan objektiivisempaa ja analyyttisempaa otetta. joka tapauksessa täydellisen viihdyttävää kesälukemista.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing secret in what feels more like a collection of the author's reviews of Bond books, films and even comics. If you're looking for juicy behind-the-scenes revelations, this is not the book you want. Still an enjoyable read for Bond fans, but definitely not essential.

[Thomas Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a "Secret History", there's nothing there that anyone who's done any research into the history of the franchise hasn't seen before.

I would suggest you look to the direct sources, like "The Golden Typewriter of Ian Fleming", which reprints old letters from the author himself.