The Spy Who Loved Me

London: Jonathan Cape, 1962 First edition, first impression with "Jonathan Cape's" on half-title page, line 13. Publisher's dark gray cloth, with dagger illustration centrally stamped to front board in blind and silver, spine lettered in silver, and red endpapers; in the original pictorial dust jacket designed by Richard Chopping, with an illustration to the front panel of a charred paper pinned to a desk with a dagger and a carnation resting on top, lettered in black. Near fine book, with light toning to spine (silver foil is bright), a touch of wear to head of spine, a light mark to top right corner of front board, and "Ell's of Newcastle" label to front pastedown; very good clipped dust jacket, with light wear to spine ends, a small closed tear to top edge of rear panel, some very light soiling to panels, light spotting to rear panel, a tiny abrasion near knife handle on front panel, and lightly nicked corners. Overall, a crisp copy. Gilbert A10a (1.1). The Spy Who Loved Me is a unique Bond novel, written from the point of view of the main character, Vivienne Michel. Michel narrates the text, beginning with her troubled childhood, and, interestingly, Bond does not appear until well into the second half of the novel. The Spy Who Loved Me was an experiment for Fleming, who was "interested in this view of James Bond, through the wrong end of a telescope, so to speak." The novel was commercially unsuccessful, and, in response, Fleming asked Jonathan Cape to suppress any paperback editions, a request which the publisher honored during the author's lifetime. The subsequent 007 novel, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963), returned to the classic Bond story format, as it was set in the Picardy resort where readers had first encountered 007 in Casino Royale. The 1977 film adaptation of The Spy Who Loved Me bears almost no resemblance to this text other than the title.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Dust Jacket Included.