Books

First edition. First impression. In the first issue dust jacket. A near fine copy, only with slight bumping to the boards. The gilt bright and unfaded. A bookseller's ticket to the front pastedown. The faintest blemish to the top edge of the outer text block, not affecting the contents. The unclipped dust jacket near fine, only with slight edge wear and a bit of toning and rubbing at the rear panel. A faint touch of damp stain to the verso, not apparent at the front. An uncommonly sharp example overall, wholly unrestored, and scarce in the first issue. Housed in a custom box in calfskin leather over marbled boards. Adapted to film almost two decades later, Live and Let Die was written at Fleming's Goldeneye estate prior to the publication of what would be first Bond novel, Casino Royale.

Live and Let Die is the second novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series of stories, and is set in London, the US and Jamaica. It was first published in the UK by Jonathan Cape on 5 April 1954. In the novel, Bond must defeat a dangerous drug lord with plans to finance Soviet espionage in America. The story was developed during Fleming's second stay in Jamaica, where he had extensive knowledge of the local scenery, wildlife, and underworld.

Identifying a first edition of 'Live and Let Die' by Ian Fleming can include looking for the publisher name 'Jonathan Cape' on the book's dust jacket or spine, no other printings mentioned, and checking the publication date.