Ian Fleming
Updated: 12/11/2025, 8:15:14 AM Wikipedia source
Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer, best known for his postwar James Bond series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his father was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and, briefly, the universities of Munich and Geneva, Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing. While working for Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War, Fleming was involved in planning Operation Goldeneye and in the planning and oversight of two intelligence units: 30 Assault Unit and T-Force. He drew from his wartime service and his career as a journalist for much of the background, detail, and depth of his James Bond novels. Fleming wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952, at age 44. It was a success, and three print runs were commissioned to meet the demand. Eleven Bond novels and two collections of short stories followed between 1953 and 1966. The novels centre around James Bond, an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Bond is also known by his code number, 007, and was a commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The Bond stories rank among the best-selling series of fictional books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Fleming also wrote the children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang (1964) and two works of non-fiction. In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945". Fleming was married to Anne Charteris. She had divorced her husband, the 2nd Viscount Rothermere, because of her affair with the author. Fleming and Charteris had a son, Caspar. A heavy smoker and drinker for most of his life, Fleming died from complications of heart disease in 1964, at the age of 56. Two of his James Bond books were published posthumously; other writers have since produced Bond novels. Fleming's creation has appeared in film twenty-seven times, portrayed by six actors in the official film series.
Infobox
Born
(1908-05-28)28 May 1908Mayfair, London, England
Died
12 August 1964(1964-08-12) (aged 56)Canterbury, Kent, England
Notable work
mw- James Bond series Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang
Spouse
mw- Ann Charteris (m. 1952)
Children
1
Parents
Valentine Fleming (father)Evelyn St. Croix Fleming (mother)
Relatives
Peter Fleming (brother)Amaryllis Fleming (half-sister)
Tables
Coat of arms of Ian Fleming · Arms
| | Notes Granted to his grandfather, Robert Fleming. Crest On a wreath of the colours A Goats head erased Argent collared, flory, counter flory Gules armed and holding the mouth a Lily of the field Or. Escutcheon Per chevron Sable and Argent in chief two Goats heads erased of the second armed and holding in the mouth a Lily of the field Or and in base a Cross flory Gules. Motto Let The Deed Shaw |
References
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- Despite the thaw, the Cold War became increasingly tense again shortly afterwards, with the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the co
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- Due to a legal battle, the book's storyline is also credited to Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham; see the controversy
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- Consisting of: "From a View to a Kill"; "For Your Eyes Only"; "Risico"; "Quantum of Solace" and "The Hildebrand Rarity".
- Originally published as two stories, "Octopussy" and "The Living Daylights"; modern editions now also contain "The Prope
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