Description
Book Synopsis This is a critical history of spy fiction, film and television in the United States, with a particular focus on the American fictional spies that rivaled (and were often influenced by) Ian Fleming''s James Bond. James Fenimore Cooper''s Harvey Birch, based on a real-life counterpart, appeared in his novel The Spy in 1821. While Harvey Birch''s British rivals dominated spy fiction from the late 1800s until the mid-1930s, American spy fiction came of age shortly thereafter. The spy boom in novels and films during the 1960s, spearheaded by Bond, heavily influenced the espionage genre in the United States for years to come, including series like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Matt Helm. The author demonstrates that, while American authors currently dominate the international spy fiction market, James Bond has cast a very long shadow, for a very long time.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Preface
- Introduction: Enter Ian Fleming
- One. The Brave and the Bold
- Two. The War That Did Not End War
- Three. Pulps and Serials
- Four. Hugh North Sees It Through
- Five. Thank You, Mr. Marquand
- Six. The War That Changed War
- Seven. Assignment—Edward S. Aarons
- Eight. Hamilton and Helm
- Nine. Killmasters—and Mistresses!
- Ten. Heavy Hitters
- Eleven. Agents in the Outfield
- Twelve. Multimedia Master Spies
- Thirteen. Up Until Today
- Epilogue: The Shape of Spies to Come?
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
