James Bond First Editions

The Kemsley Manual of Journalism.

[FLEMING, Ian Lancaster] Various.

London: Cassell 1950. [Reference] FIRST EDITION. Illustrated quarto (25 x 19cm), pp.i-xiv; 424; xvi-xlvi, advertisements. Publisher's cloth, gilt titles to spine, dust-jacket with printed price of 25'-net. Some spotting to top edge. Wrapper lightly handled, spine toned with some chips to head and tail and one small hole to same. Very good. Ian Fleming's first appearance in book-form, following a privately distributed ring-bound manual for Kemsley journalists. His contribution was a very readable essay (pp.238-246) in which he discusses his department and provides an insight to the news-gathering techniques of the Foreign service, whilst describing the qualities required for his 'ideal foreign correspondent'; who must be able to 'drink with the meanest spy or the most wastrelly spiv,...be grounded in the history and culture of the territory in which he is serving,...be intellectually inquisitive,... able to keep a secret,... physically strong,... fast with a typewriter,... and able to drive a car.' After the war, Lord (later Viscount) Kemsley was quick to take Fleming under his wing by offering him a job as foreign manager of his Newspaper empire. Throughout their working relationship, Kemsley regarded Fleming as a favoured son and although by no means a senior figure in the organisation, Fleming was the only person in the building who would call Lord and Lady Kemsley by their first names, and frequently saw them socially. Fleming soon brought the ailing Sunday Times glamour, social cachet and credibility, and in return was given the means and opportunity to pursue his lifestyle with little inconvenience, ultimately leading to the creation of James Bond. Item #60677

Price: £250.00