James Bond and The Queen London 2012 Performance - YouTube
Someone has written another Bond novel:
James Bond: William Boyd's novel is the PC version. So can he still be 007? | Books | The Guardian
William Boyd's Solo is a success as it assigns James Bond a new mission | Books | theguardian.com
And BBC radio has just started serialising the book:
BBC Radio 4 - Book at Bedtime, Solo, Episode 1
But how about this Q&A session with the celebrity himself:
William Boyd Q&A with James Bond | William Boyd | Books | The Guardian
BOND: THE ANSWERS
When I lived with a
young woman called Tiffany Case for some months in 1954. It's as close as I've
come to being settled domestically.
She left me for an
American soldier, a marine officer.
Dying in a plane
crash.
Sunlight on snowy
mountains in Switzerland
Admiral Sir Miles
Messervy. He knows me better than I know myself.
Consider the first
letters of his names.
For a man in my
profession I shed tears far too easily.
Snobbery.
A Mark VI Continental Bentley.
My flat in
Having breakfast on
the terrace of the Blue Hills Hotel in Kingston , Jamaica
I have this lock of hair that keeps falling across my forehead. It drives me mad.
A combination of Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn.
I smoke far too much.
Guerlain's Shalimar. The perfume my mother used to wear.
"Goose" as in "Don't be a goose."
Currently The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene.
I detest fancy dress.
"You're going to die, Mr Bond."
Dog.
A cocktail I invented called the Vesper. Three parts gin, one part vodka, one half measure of Kina Lillet.The gin and the vodka to come straight from the freezer. Add a slice of lemon peel. It's extremely powerful.
I was too young when they died to have learned anything from them.
Je ne regrette rien.
Teresa di Vicenzo, known as "
There's a mercenary soldier called Kobus Breed whom I particularly dislike. He killed a very dear friend of mine in an extremely cruel way.
Ben Hogan, Lafcadio Hearn, Giacomo Casanova, Nell Gwyn, Greta Garbo and Mary, Queen of Scots.
"Same again, please."
Japanese fisherman.
What cannot be avoided must be accepted.
I'd go to 17th-century
Gambling, drinking, smoking, driving.
Is this some kind of joke?
A Jensen Interceptor II.
That the show is still on the road.
Noises.
"After You've Gone" by
Posterity is not our business.
Seize the day.
The last thing you know about yourself is your self.
Did you get the right questions?
BOND: THE QUESTIONS
When were you
happiest?
What went wrong?
What is your greatest
fear?
What is your earliest
memory?
Which living person do
you most admire and why?
Who is he?
What is the trait you
most deplore in yourself?
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Aside from a property,
what's the most expensive thing you've ever bought?
What is your most
treasured possession?
Where would you like
to be now?
What do you most
dislike about your appearance?
Who would play you in
the film of your life?
What is your most
unappealing habit?
What is your favourite
smell?
What is your favourite
word?
What is your favourite
book?
What is your fancy
dress costume of choice?
What is the worst
thing anyone's ever said to you?
Cat or dog?
What is your guiltiest
pleasure?
What do you owe your
parents?
To whom would you most
like to say sorry and why?
What or who is the
greatest love of your life?
Which living person do
you most despise and why?
Who would you invite
to your dream dinner party?
Which words or phrases
do you most overuse?
What is the worst job
you've ever done?
If you could edit your
past, what would you change?
If you could go back
in time, where would you go?
How do you relax?
What is the closest
you've ever come to death?
What single thing
would improve the quality of your life?
What do you consider
your greatest achievement?
What keeps you awake
at night?
What song would you
like played at your funeral?
How would you like to
be remembered?
What is the most important
lesson life has taught you?
Tell us a secret.
And here's the full interview:
William Boyd Q&A with James Bond
All you ever wanted to know about Bond – his earliest memory, his most treasured possession, his most unappealing habit. Don't miss William Boyd's interview with 007
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Priciest purchase … a Mark VI Continental Bentley. Photograph: Motoring Picture Library
James Bond was born in 1924. His father was Andrew Bond, a Scottish engineer who worked for the Vickers armament firm, and his mother, Monique, was Swiss, née Delacroix. Bond was initially educated abroad and became fluent in German and French. His parents, however, died in a tragic climbing accident when Bond was 11 years old. He was sent to Eton, and spent only two terms there before being expelled. The rest of his secondary education took place in Scotland, at Fettes College, Edinburgh, his father's old school. Bond left school at the age of 17 in 1941, and, lying about his age, joined a branch of what would become the Ministry of Defence. He ended the war with the rank of commander in the Special Branch of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and continued to work with the ministry. In 1962 he was briefly married to Teresa di Vicenzo. Since 1953 he has lived in Wellington Square, Chelsea, in south west London. He has no living relatives.
When were you happiest?
When I lived with a young woman called Tiffany Case for some months in 1954. It's as close as I've come to being settled domestically.
When I lived with a young woman called Tiffany Case for some months in 1954. It's as close as I've come to being settled domestically.
What went wrong?
She left me for an American soldier, a marine officer.
She left me for an American soldier, a marine officer.
What is your greatest fear?
Dying in a plane crash.
Dying in a plane crash.
What is your earliest memory?
Sunlight on snowy mountains in Switzerland.
Sunlight on snowy mountains in Switzerland.
Which living person do you most admire and why?
Admiral Sir Miles Messervy. He knows me better than I know myself.
Admiral Sir Miles Messervy. He knows me better than I know myself.
Who is he?
Consider the first letters of his names.
Consider the first letters of his names.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
For a man in my profession I shed tears far too easily.
For a man in my profession I shed tears far too easily.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Snobbery.
Snobbery.
Aside from a property, what's the most expensive thing you've ever bought?
A Mark VI Continental Bentley.
A Mark VI Continental Bentley.
What is your most treasured possession?
My flat in Chelsea.
My flat in Chelsea.
Where would you like to be now?
Having breakfast on the terrace of the Blue Hills Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica.
Having breakfast on the terrace of the Blue Hills Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I have this lock of hair that keeps falling across my forehead. It drives me mad.
I have this lock of hair that keeps falling across my forehead. It drives me mad.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
A combination of Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn.
A combination of Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn.
What is your most unappealing habit?
I smoke far too much.
I smoke far too much.
What is your favourite smell?
Guerlain's Shalimar. The perfume my mother used to wear.
Guerlain's Shalimar. The perfume my mother used to wear.
What is your favourite word?
"Goose" as in "Don't be a goose."
"Goose" as in "Don't be a goose."
What is your favourite book?
Currently The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene.
Currently The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene.
What is your fancy dress costume of choice?
I detest fancy dress.
I detest fancy dress.
What is the worst thing anyone's ever said to you?
"You're going to die, Mr Bond."
"You're going to die, Mr Bond."
Cat or dog?
Dog.
Dog.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
A cocktail I invented called the Vesper. Three parts gin, one part vodka, one half measure of Kina Lillet.The gin and the vodka to come straight from the freezer. Add a slice of lemon peel. It's extremely powerful.
A cocktail I invented called the Vesper. Three parts gin, one part vodka, one half measure of Kina Lillet.The gin and the vodka to come straight from the freezer. Add a slice of lemon peel. It's extremely powerful.
What do you owe your parents?
I was too young when they died to have learned anything from them.
I was too young when they died to have learned anything from them.
To whom would you most like to say sorry and why?
Je ne regrette rien.
Je ne regrette rien.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Teresa di Vicenzo, known as "Tracy". Our marriage lasted only a few hours.
Teresa di Vicenzo, known as "Tracy". Our marriage lasted only a few hours.
Which living person do you most despise and why?
There's a mercenary soldier called Kobus Breed whom I particularly dislike. He killed a very dear friend of mine in an extremely cruel way.
There's a mercenary soldier called Kobus Breed whom I particularly dislike. He killed a very dear friend of mine in an extremely cruel way.
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Ben Hogan, Lafcadio Hearn, Giacomo Casanova, Nell Gwyn, Greta Garbo and Mary, Queen of Scots.
Ben Hogan, Lafcadio Hearn, Giacomo Casanova, Nell Gwyn, Greta Garbo and Mary, Queen of Scots.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"Same again, please."
"Same again, please."
What is the worst job you've ever done?
Japanese fisherman.
Japanese fisherman.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
What cannot be avoided must be accepted.
What cannot be avoided must be accepted.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
I'd go to 17th-century France, to the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King.
I'd go to 17th-century France, to the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King.
How do you relax?
Gambling, drinking, smoking, driving.
Gambling, drinking, smoking, driving.
What is the closest you've ever come to death?
Is this some kind of joke?
Is this some kind of joke?
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
A Jensen Interceptor II.
A Jensen Interceptor II.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
That the show is still on the road.
That the show is still on the road.
What keeps you awake at night?
Noises.
Noises.
What song would you like played at your funeral?
"After You've Gone" by Layton and Creamer, sung by Judy Garland or Ella Fitzgerald.
"After You've Gone" by Layton and Creamer, sung by Judy Garland or Ella Fitzgerald.
How would you like to be remembered?
Posterity is not our business.
Posterity is not our business.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Seize the day.
Seize the day.
Tell us a secret.
The last thing you know about yourself is your self.
The last thing you know about yourself is your self.
William Boyd Q&A with James Bond | William Boyd | Books | The Guardian
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