I just started re-reading Ian Fleming's James Bond series -- last read circa 1965 when I was in high school.

I brought several with me to Boston to occupy myself while we were hanging out close to mass General -- we travelled very light as we both have current mobility problems and have to schlep our small bags through North Station, trains, shuttle buses, cabs and on foot. Paperbacks in the '60s weren't the bloated things they are today and had smaller type, close leading and many fewer pages. I think publishers today produce such fat books merely to justify the $8-10 price tag. These Signet paperbacks were originally 50 cents -- more expensive than the 35 cent average at the time.

Discovered I haven't a copy of "Casino Royale" so started with "Live and Let Die". Wrapped that up the other day and yesterday finished "Moonraker". Interesting, Bond was driving a 1930 supercharged Bentley -- more of a John Steed car than the James Bond sports cars of the films. Also, interestingly, he didn't get the girl at the end -- Gala (with whom he'd been naked but innocent)marries her fiance a couple days after she and Bond save London.

Just started "From Russia With Love" this morning.

Bond smokes 3 packs a day (according to "Live and Let Die") and everyone else seems to be smoking at least as much. He also has a housekeeper named May, has a tax-free thousand pounds a year, plus his salary of (net) about a thousand pounds.

I've already learned about "Truman shirts" and the South Goodwin Lightship Disaster.

I need to find out what Signet copies besides "Casino Royale" that I need to scare up.

Linn