60th Anniversary of Diamonds Are Forever (the novel)

By: Anders Frejdh

Published:
2016-03-26

On 26th March 2016, FSWL celebrates the 60th anniversary of the 4th James Bond novel written by Ian Fleming, Diamonds Are Forever. The novel was first published in the UK on this day in 1956 by Jonathan Cape.

Here are the first lines in Ian Fleming's Diamonds Are Forever:

With its two fighting claws held forward like a wrestler's arms the big pandinus scorpion emerged with a dry rustle from the finger-sized hole under the rock.

There was a small patch of hard, flat eath outside the hole and the scorpion stood in the centre of this on the tips of its four pair of legs, its nerves and muscles braced for a quick retreat and its senses questing for the minute vibrations which would decide its next move.

The James Bond novels:
Since the first novel in 1953, over 50 James Bond novels has been published based on the fictional agent that Ian Fleming created.

Ian Fleming wrote 14 James Bond novels before he sadly passed away - Casino Royale (1953), Live and Let Die (1954), Moonraker (1955), Diamonds Are Forever (1956), From Russia with Love (1957), Doctor No (1958), Goldfinger (1959), For Your Eyes Only (1960), Thunderball (1961), The Spy Who Loved Me (1962), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963), You Only Live Twice (1964), The Man with the Golden Gun (1965) and Octopussy and The Living Daylights (1966).

Kingsley Amis, under the pseudonym Robert Markham, wrote Colonel Sun which was published in 1968.

Two novels is written by Christopher Wood based on screenplays, James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and James Bond and Moonraker (1979).

16 novels was written by John Gardner from 1982 to 1996: Licence Renewed (1981), For Special Services (1982), Icebreaker (1983), Role of Honour (1984), Nobody Lives Forever (1986), No Deals, Mr. Bond (1987), Scorpius (1988), Win, Lose or Die (1989), Brokenclaw (1990), Licence to Kill (1990), The Man From Barbarossa (1991), Death is Forever (1992), Never Send Flowers (1993), Seafire (1994), Cold (1996) and GoldenEye (1996).

Nine novels is written by Raymond Benson from 1997 to 2002: Zero Minus Ten (1997), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The Facts Of Death (1998), High Time to Kill (1999), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Doubleshot (2000), Never Dream of Dying (2001), Die Another Day (2002) and The Man With the Red Tattoo (2002).

Five novels about the Young Bond was written by Charlie Higson - Silverfin (2005), Blood Fever (2006), Double or Die (2007), Hurricane Gold (2007) and By Royal Command (2008).

One novel is written by Sebastian Faulks, Devil May Care (2008).

One novel is written by Jeffery Deaver, Carte Blanche (2011).

One novel is written by William Boyd, Solo (2013).

The latest James Bond novel (Trigger Mortis) is written by Anthony Horowitz and was first published in the UK on 8th September 2015.

Editor's note:
For literary James Bond news featured on From Sweden with Love, click here.

For other anniversaries featured on From Sweden with Love, click here.

Photo above:
The first edition UK cover of Ian Fleming's Diamonds Are Forever (1956) from a private collection.

More information about James Bond novel Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming on the book page:
jamesbond007.se/james-bond-novel.asp?novel=Diamonds_Are_Forever

Tags:
#anniversaries
#diamonds_are_forever

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60th Anniversary of Diamonds Are Forever (the novel)

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