Release and reception You Only Live Twice (novel)

ian fleming, bond s obituary

you live twice, chapter 21

you live twice published in uk on 16 march 1964, jonathan cape , cost sixteen shillings. there 62,000 pre-orders book, significant increase on 42,000 advance orders hardback first edition of on majesty s secret service. richard chopping, cover artist spy loved me, engaged design. on 17 july 1963, michael howard of jonathan cape had written chopping artwork, saying: have had talk ian ideas ingredients of design. in favour of toad ... suitable array of oriental embellishrangment, i.e. toad plus japanese flower arrangements, thinks should sitting in suitable piece of japanese pottery, perhaps ornamented dragon motif. if manage pink dragonfly sitting on flowers, , perhaps 1 epicanthic eye peering through them thinks splendid! chopping s fee rose 300 guineas cover, rise 250 guineas received spy loved me.

you live twice published in united states new american library in august 1964; 240 pages long , cost $4.50.

reviews

cyril connolly, reviewing live twice in sunday times wrote fleming s latest book reactionary, sentimental, square, bond-image flails way through middle-brow masses, relaxation great, stimulus humble, common denominator between kennedy , oswald . critic times largely unimpressed live twice, complaining moderate middling travelogue follows do ... plot concomitant sadism not going until more half way through . in contrast previous novels, times continued, though mr. fleming s macabre imagination interesting ever, of old snap seems have gone . dealing cliffhanger ending story, reviewer wrote mr. fleming keep on tenterhooks, @ rate of going devoted admirers free before long.

the critic spectator felt ian fleming has taken hint films of books , inclined send himself up. not @ sure wise , while belfast telegraph considered fleming still in class of own. bookman declared live twice must rank among best of bonds . malcolm muggeridge, writing in esquire magazine disagreed, writing live twice has decidedly perfunctory air. bond can manage sleep japanese girl aid of colour pornography. drinking sessions seem somehow desperate, , horrors absurd horrify ... s rather muddle , scarcely in tradition of secret service fiction. perhaps earlier novels better. if so, shall never know, having no intention of reading them.

maurice richardson, in observer, thought live twice though far best bond, easy read of them . critical of number of aspects, saying narrative bit weak, action long delayed , disappointing when comes surround of local colour ... has been worked on unique combination of pubescent imagination , industry mr. fleming s speciality. in guardian, francis iles wrote think [fleming] must getting tired of ineffable james bond , perhaps of writing thrillers @ . iles reasoned of 260 pages of live twice... only 60 concerned actual business of thriller , , enjoyment further diminished considered grossness of bond s manners , schoolboy obscenities .

peter duval smith, in financial times, in 2 minds book, believing on 1 hand background excellent ... mr. fleming has caught exact feel of japan , , on other live twice not success , s bond s fault mainly. doesn t add human being . maggie ross, in listener little dissatisfied, writing novel can read thriller and, if interest flags, may do, book can treated tourist guide of more interesting parts of japan. went on since not in way of real excitement happens until latter half of book, perhaps better ignore whole thing .

robert fulford in toronto-based magazine maclean s, noted characteristic makes fleming appear silly helps make him popular: moral simplicity. when read james bond know side on, why on side , why win. in real world no longer possible. charles poore, writing in new york times, noted bond s mission aimed @ restoring britain s pre-world war ii place among powers of world. , on subject, above others, ian fleming s novels endlessly, bitterly eloquent. boston globe s mary castle opined agent s trip bond s latest , grimmest mission , called escapism in grand manner .