FLEMING, Ian. You Only Live Twice.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1964
8vo., black publisher’s boards, lettered in silver to spine with publisher’s device to foot; Japanese characters gilt to front board; bamboo-effect endpapers; together in the unclipped dustwrapper (16s. net to front flap) featuring the toad, dragonfly and flower design by Richard Chopping; pp. [xiv], 15-255, [i]; a very good copy, small mark to upper board; lightly spotted to upper and fore-edge, with a few spots extending to the prelims; the wrapper near-fine, slightly darkened along the backstrip and folds, very lightly rubbed and nicked to edges.
First edition, first impression, second state, binding A, with ‘March 1964’ to publication page.
The final book in Fleming’s ‘Blofeld Trilogy’ (preceded by Thunderball (1961) and On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963)), which includes “some fine travel writing” (Gilbert). In 1959 Fleming had visited Japan, and had decided that his next Bond book would be set in “the land of the rising sun”. The present plot was written from a series of notebooks Fleming kept during his twelve days in the country, in which he noted down customs, phrases, philosophies and plot ideas during the trip. The story follows a grieving Bond as he is sent by M on one final ‘near-impossible’ mission. A spy master, a Swiss botanist, a ‘castle of death’ and some very thorough ninja training all feature. It was to be the final Bond novel published in the author’s lifetime - he passed away on 12th August 1964 at the age of just 56.
“You only live twice:
Once when you are born,
And once when you look death in the face”.
Gilbert, p. 391-2.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1964
8vo., black publisher’s boards, lettered in silver to spine with publisher’s device to foot; Japanese characters gilt to front board; bamboo-effect endpapers; together in the unclipped dustwrapper (16s. net to front flap) featuring the toad, dragonfly and flower design by Richard Chopping; pp. [xiv], 15-255, [i]; a very good copy, small mark to upper board; lightly spotted to upper and fore-edge, with a few spots extending to the prelims; the wrapper near-fine, slightly darkened along the backstrip and folds, very lightly rubbed and nicked to edges.
First edition, first impression, second state, binding A, with ‘March 1964’ to publication page.
The final book in Fleming’s ‘Blofeld Trilogy’ (preceded by Thunderball (1961) and On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963)), which includes “some fine travel writing” (Gilbert). In 1959 Fleming had visited Japan, and had decided that his next Bond book would be set in “the land of the rising sun”. The present plot was written from a series of notebooks Fleming kept during his twelve days in the country, in which he noted down customs, phrases, philosophies and plot ideas during the trip. The story follows a grieving Bond as he is sent by M on one final ‘near-impossible’ mission. A spy master, a Swiss botanist, a ‘castle of death’ and some very thorough ninja training all feature. It was to be the final Bond novel published in the author’s lifetime - he passed away on 12th August 1964 at the age of just 56.
“You only live twice:
Once when you are born,
And once when you look death in the face”.
Gilbert, p. 391-2.