Books

London: Jonathan Cape, 1954. [James Bond] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.240. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, embossed in gilt, with purple dust-wrapper showing the original price of 10/6 to both flaps. With 'author's skill' text correctly spaced to rear panel, as described in the bibliography, page 61. Housed in a custom-designed cloth clamshell case. Contents and page edges clean, gilt remains very bright (often discoloured), jacket a little browned to rear panel, some light wear to crown and with a neat, historic repair to one small area at upper edge. An attractive copy, housed in a protective clamshell box. Gilbert A2a (1.1).

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.