Goldeneye

January 12, 2015
On the north coast of Jamaica in 1952, Ian Fleming began work from a home he designed next door to Noel Coward’s estate, writing about a suave secret agent named James Bond. In this fascinating exploration of that house, called Goldeneye, Parker tells the exciting story of how the Bond novels were produced—and how strongly Jamaica influenced Fleming’s direction in life. The languishing British colony proved the perfect setting for the former soldier to relax and craft the tales of a world-conquering British spy. Parker proceeds chronologically, showing that the creation of Goldeneye and the Bond novels was inextricably intertwined with the drama of Fleming’s love life. To that end, what began as Fleming’s adulterous WWII relationship with Ann Charteris, whom he later married, explains much of why he wanted to remain in the Caribbean, away from the British press. Parker treats each Bond novel, beginning with Casino Royale, with respect and expertise, taking care to show that Fleming often integrated his deep knowledge of Jamaica into the plotlines. The depiction of Fleming’s own life of luxury in Jamaica, meanwhile, is mesmerizing. The book is as charming as Bond himself, leaving us a greater understanding of the world’s most famous spy, his creator, and the house in which he was conceived.