Books

First edition, first impression, presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper to the eminent photographer, "To Erich Hartmann from his impatient patient. Ian Fleming". The recipient, Erich Hartmann (1922-1999), was the head of Magnum Photo, who "throughout his career, pursued many long-term personal projects, and photographic interpretations with literary echoes: 'Shakespeare's England', 'Joyce's Dublin', 'Thomas Hardy's Wessex'" (Magnum, online article), and took a series of photographs of his friend, Ian Fleming. This is the fifth novel in the James Bond series. A film adaptation starring Sean Connery was produced in 1963. This is the first of Fleming's novels for which Richard Chopping designed the jacket - as he would for virtually all the subsequent Bond books. Octavo. Original black cloth, titles to spine and revolver and rose motif to front cover in metallic red and silver. With dust jacket. Housed in a black quarter morocco solander box by the Chelsea Bindery. Very slight lean to spine, else firm and clean; jacket bright, with very light rubbing, and very light nibbling at extremities discreetly reinforced with archival tape on verso, price intact. A near-fine copy in very good jacket.

"From Russia, with Love" by Ian Fleming is a spy thriller featuring James Bond, the iconic British Secret Service agent. In this novel, Bond is assigned a perilous mission by MI6 to acquire a Soviet encoding machine, the Spektor, and to discern the true intentions behind the offering of this seemingly valuable device. The story begins with a depiction of the intricate planning by the clandestine Soviet agency SMERSH, which devises an elaborate plot to discredit and assassinate James Bond. Their strategy involves using a beautiful Russian cipher clerk, Tatiana Romanova, to lure Bond into a web of deceit. Bond is dispatched to Istanbul, where he is tasked with making contact with Tatiana and retrieving the Spektor. As Bond arrives in Istanbul, he becomes embroiled in a dangerous game of espionage and deceit. Tatiana, seemingly defecting from the Soviets, offers to provide the Spektor to the British, seeking asylum in return. However, Bond soon realizes that this apparent defection is part of a meticulously crafted scheme. His mission turns perilous as he discovers that Tatiana's involvement is orchestrated by SMERSH, aiming to eliminate Bond as part of their intricate plan to damage British intelligence. The novel follows Bond's encounters with various adversaries, including Red Grant, a skilled and ruthless assassin tasked with eliminating him. Bond faces life-threatening situations and engages in daring maneuvers to outwit his enemies, relying on his resourcefulness and skills to survive. Fleming's narrative is filled with suspenseful twists and turns, intricate plotting, and Bond's characteristic blend of charm, intelligence, and bravery. The story builds to an intense climax aboard the Orient Express, where Bond confronts Grant in a thrilling and deadly showdown. "From Russia, with Love" is a classic espionage novel that showcases the danger, intrigue, and high-stakes world of Cold War espionage. It remains a beloved entry in the James Bond series, celebrated for its gripping storyline, intricate plotting, and the depiction of Bond's cunning and resilience in the face of formidable adversaries.