Books

London: Jonathan Cape. 1965 [actually issued late 1964]. [Thriller] An UNCORRECTED PROOF copy of the first edition, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.221; [3], blank. Printed green wraps. One of just 596 copies. A few light marks and creases to rear cover, spine rolled otherwise near fine. Jon Gilbert's copy, with his pencilled note and ownership to inside cover. His encyclopaedic guide to the works of Ian Fleming (2012) won the 16th Breslauer Prize for bibliography. Gilbert A13a.

The Man with the Golden Gun is the twelfth novel (and thirteenth book) of Ian Fleming's James Bond series. It was first published by Jonathan Cape in the UK on 1 April 1965, eight months after the author's death. The novel was not as detailed or polished as the others in the series, leading to poor but polite reviews. Despite that, the book was a best-seller. The story centers on the fictional British Secret Service agent Commander James Bond, who had been thought dead, only to return to the Secret Service alive and well. In the novel, Bond is sent to assassinate Francisco 'Pistols' Scaramanga, a notorious hitman, who is believed to be responsible for the disappearance of several British intelligence operatives.