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Book SynopsisDiamonds Are Foreverthe fourth James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, published in 1956is widely recognized as one of the most intriguing and original works in the 007 series. With its exciting settings including West Africa, Las Vegas, and the horse-racing center of Saratoga Springs, the novel explores the thrilling themes of diamond smuggling, gambling, gangsters, sex, and espionage. Moreover, the novel is unique in being set outside the conventional Cold War milieu of other Fleming novels, allowing readers to explore Fleming's views of America without reference to its Cold War antagonist, the Soviet Union. This collection of essays is the first to explore Fleming's novel in depth, as well as delve into the remarkable 1971 film adaptation directed by Guy Hamilton (who also directed Goldfinger), and starring Sean Connery in his final official appearance as 007. Updating Fleming's novel for the post-1960s culture of sexual liberation and mass-market consumerism, Hamilton's film departs from
Trade ReviewWhat joy! A collection on my favorite Bond book, the one with most wit. This sparkling collection offers interesting perspectives both on the film and on the more lackluster but still worthwhile novel of that title. Both novel and film focus on America during its age of unrivaled power. -- Jeremy Black, University of Exeter, author of The World of James Bond: The Lives and Times of 007
The Many Facets of Diamonds Are Forever offers an abundance of riches for both Fleming scholars and fans. In particular, Guy Hamilton's 1971 adaptation of Fleming's novel receives considerable attention and, in the phrasing of one of the volume's fine contributors, proves to be a 'key transitional film for the Bond series.' Readers and viewers alike will find much of value in this anthology. -- Stephen Watt, Indiana University
Countless books have been written about the James Bond franchise over the years, but only a small handful have focused exclusively on one individual title in the series. Instead, most tend to approach the Bond phenomenon from an all-inclusive perspective. In fact, other than Charles Helfenstein’s exhaustively researched making-of volumes about “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” and “The Living Daylights,” and Andrew McNess’s superb book-length analysis of “A View to a Kill,” it’s difficult to think of another example where an author delves deeply into one particular entry in the series rather than covering the entire 007 filmography as a whole. Well, it’s time to add an intriguing new title to that short list. (Excerpted from interview with the author, available at https://jamesbondradio.com/inside-oliver-bucktons-new-book-the-many-facets-of-diamonds-are-forever/) -- James Bond Radio
Table of ContentsForeword by Tom Cull Introduction: Oliver Buckton Part I: Sound, Affect, Adaptation, and Intertextuality in Diamonds Are Forever Chapter One: Elyn Achtymichuk-Hardy, “The Scorpion as Emblematic of Affect in Diamonds Are Forever” Chapter Two: Jesc Bunyard, “The Sounds of Diamonds Are Forever” Chapter Three: James Chapman, “Transforming Bond: Diamonds Are Forever in its Contexts” Chapter Four: Oliver Buckton, “James Bond, Meet John Blaize: Identity Theft and Intertextuality in Ian Fleming’s Diamonds Are Forever and The Diamond Smugglers” Part II: Gender and Sexuality in Diamonds Are Forever Chapter Five: Grant Hester “My Adversary, Myself: An Examination of James Bond and How Wint and Kidd Reflect His Own Psyche in Diamonds Are Forever” Chapter Six: Jennifer L. Martinsen, “The Devolution of Tiffany Case” Chapter Seven: Ihsan Amanatullah, “The Eyes of Tiffany Case: And What they Tell About Ian Fleming’s First Successful Female Character Part III: Culture, Consumption, and America in Diamonds Are Forever Chapter Eight: Matt Sherman, “Attitudes Are Forever: America Disdained” Chapter Nine: Mark David Kaufman, “The Desert of the Real: Diamonds Are Forever as a Hollywood Novel” Chapter Ten: Edward Biddulph, “Brizzola, Brandy and Bond: Representations of food and drink in the book and film of Diamonds Are Forever” Index About the Editor About the Contributors
