Bonding on Board
In which I am honored to be asked to join fellow Bond folks as 007 heads into a new era.
This past week, a real personal highlight for me was joining the board of the Ian Fleming Foundation I am looking forward to working with my fellow board members to continue and grow the Foundation's impact and importance as the legacy of Ian Fleming's work enters a new era.
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The Ian Fleming Foundation is dedicated to the study and preservation of Ian Fleming’s creative works, including the James Bond novels, films, and associated merchandise and media. We embrace original research into the Bond phenomenon and its impact on popular culture. In addition to providing scholarships and endowments, we procure, restore, preserve, and archive materials related to Ian Fleming’s life and works, from personal papers and correspondence to props and vehicles from the James Bond films.
The Ian Fleming Foundation (IFF) is a public benefit nonprofit U.S. 501(c)3 corporation, and donations are tax-deductible for U.S. citizens and entities.
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You can find out more about the Ian Fleming Foundation HERE.
Alan
Other Stuff
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Brabazon Bits
Well all my galley proofing notes are back with the publishers, so once again the book is out of my hands as it continues through the publication process.
Just a reminder that we will celebrate the UK launch of the Brabazon book at the Aerospace Bristol Museum on Saturday, June 7th.
I have started to book some podcast interviews to talk about the writing of the book, as well as the Brabazon’s story. - I had fun last week talking about the Brabazon book and my writing process in general for an episode of the A Book Finds You podcast. I’ll be posting a link once it goes live.
“Bristol Brabazon: The Ocean Liner of the Skies and its Ongoing Legacy” will be published on 30 MAY, 2025 in the UK and 30 JULY, 2025 in the US.
There is now an increasing list of online bookstores where the book is available for preorder
Bookshop.org (US) - helps independent stores
Pen & Sword (publishers)
Waterstones (UK) - Free shipping in the UK
Word Slinging
This week I’ve been focused on the Casino Royale book. - With a lot of research notes written up, plus a good start on drafting the next two chapters that discuss the 1960s spy craze, and the stories behind how the Casino Royale project went from being a straight adaptation to “a high comedy incorporating gaudy sets and ‘60s psychedelia.” (to quote a Variety article from the time.)
I also did a bit of research for the in-progress Musketeers short story (which has stalled lately) in the hope of triggering some ideas on where I want to take it.
Podcast Procrastinations
The next episode of the Chronological Christie podcast on The Murder on the Links has been recorded, edited, and drops this Sunday (March 9th) so if you’d like to hear our thoughts on Hercule Poirot’s second outing you can check it out at https://creators.spotify.com/pod/chronologicalchristie
And for updates and reminders, you can also follow the podcast's Instagram account
Pages and Screens
Books Read in 2025 - “Tarzan The Untamed” by Edgar Rice Burroughs
This is a strange muddled Tarzan outing. In many ways, it’s a soft reboot as ERB once again strips his ape-man of the trappings of civilization he’d built up as Lord Greystoke and returns him to a pure animal of the jungle bent on revenge for the atrocity that opens the story.
Written around the end of World War One the story addresses the conflict in East Africa and is filled with the jingoistic prejudices of the time alongside the usual uncomfortable racial stereotyping.
But that being said there are in effect three good pulp adventure stories here of a quest for revenge, a lost airman and a femme fatale spy, and the inevitable lost city. However, any real sense of ugrency is somewhat lost in an interwoven narrative.
The ending also feels rushed with all the dangling plot threads neatly resolved in the last chapter, and one key item from the early part of the book that was then rarely mentioned again suddenly being sorted in the penultimate paragraph.
Over at our online bookstore at Bookshop.org I’ve now added a new section listing books read so far in 2025, so you can pick up copies of any that interest you, while also helping out local independent bookstores.
Weekly Web Round-Up
Batman On The Cover - We continue our chronological look at Batman’s publishing history in December 1969 with translated editions from Australia, Brazil, and Denmark
My standout this week was this Australian cover, which features what looks to be a suitably sunburnt trio of The Flash, Batman, and Superman.
Where on the Web is Alan?
You can now find links to all the places you can find me online, websites, newsletters, social media, and more in a single LINKS page on my personal website.
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See you next time
Alan J. Porter
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