'NOBODY DOES IT BETTER'.......THE ULTIMATE BONDING WITH BOND.......

Nobody Does It Better: The Complete Uncensored, Unauthorized, Oral History Of James Bond by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman (2020)

                 As a dedicated Bond Fanboy since 1962, we couldn't even count how many non-fiction books we've devoured about the Bond novels, the Bond films, Ian Fleming......and everything else related to the cultural phenomenon of James Bond.......

                  We've plowed through the doctoral-level treatises, the shameless fan love-fests and every book that falls somewhere in between........

                    One single truth links them all together.........

                    As incisive, witty, informative and exhaustive researched as many of them are........the authors share this.......

                     Opinions.

                     On who's the best Bond, on which of the  films are classic, which are great, which are so-so.......and which ones flat out suck.

                      Authors Gross and Altman are no different.......and you may or may not agree with them. But their huge book isn't really about them at all. They insert themselves sporadically in a vast collection of hundreds of  one paragraph anecdotes arranged in the chronological order of the Bond films.......all the way from the live TV dramatization of "Casino Royale" to "Spectre"......

                     They've done this before in two books detailing the history of the Star Trek films and TV shows.......and the concept remains an addictive reading experience.......you may find yourself not knowing where to stop.....

                      Most importantly, the bulk of the anecdotes come from the people directly involved in the ongoing Bondian history......the producers, directors, writers, cast members, crew members......as well as entertaining observations from a variety of writers who've devoted themselves to Bond lore and legend.......

                      It's heavily loaded with revelations, both fun and fascinating.......('Live and Let Die' villain Yaphet Kotto, just like the rest of us, was embarrassed by his balloon blow-up death scene) And it's nice to hear that we're not the only one who thought Rik Von Nutter's Felix Leiter from "Thunderball" sounded like a porn star who stumbled into the wrong movie.......

                      Since that accursed Coronavirus has thwarted us Bond fanatics from enjoying an April release of "No Time To Die", this book can serve as the next best thing........(as well as watching the films all over again)........so to all fellow Bond-O-Maniacs.....dig in and enjoy......"Nobody Does It Better" is a 5 star (*****) FIND OF FINDS.

                      Pardon us while we pump out some hand sanitizer......shaken, not stirred. (Our favorite Bond? Do you even have to ask.......Sean Connery)  Best movie with Connery: From Russia With Love......Best Movie without Connery: On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

                       If you treasure your own favorites, feel free to share.........