"James Bond FAQ: All That's Left To Know About Everyone's Favorite Superspy" by Tom DeMichael

Bond is back....again. The fiftieth anniversary of Ian Fleming's suave secret agent has spawned the highest grossing Bond film to date, Skyfall, an upcoming reunion of all six actors who have played James Bond onscreen at this month's Academy Awards, and a new book, James Bond FAQ: All That's Left To Know About Everyone's Favorite Superspy (Applause), by Tom DeMichael. Every official (and unofficial) Bond film is featured, from Dr. No to Skyfall, in great detail. Of course, without beautiful women (Bond Girls), nefarious villains, cool gadgets, fast cars and an unforgettable theme song, Bond just would not be Bond. Thankfully, everyone and everything gets their due in James Bond FAQ.

The author examines Ian Fleming's books that spawned the film series, the six actors who played Bond, from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, and even pays homage to the composers who helmed each film. One of the most fascinating chapters focuses on the various tools of the trade that James Bond utilizes to thwart his many adversaries. From firearms to ridiculously expensive (and creative) automobiles and from jet packs to yo-yo saws, all of those gadgets add something substantial to the legendary superspy. In addition, the chapters focusing on the various supporting cast members, including allies, love interests and heavies, not only provides information about the characters, but also includes information about the actors who portrayed them. Those mini-biographies often contain interesting and little known information about the countless actors who have populated the world of James Bond for the past half century.

The nearly 400 page book also features many black and white photographs of movie stills, posters and publicity shots and even includes a chapter on the people behind the scenes, such as Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, who shepherded the film series from the beginning. While I do not consider myself an expert on James Bond, there was a great deal of information that surprised me, especially concerning the older Bond films, which I have either not seen in many years or have yet to watch for the first time. For instance, I was unaware that actor Donald Pleasence portrayed the villainous Blofeld in You Only Live Twice. I have always admired Pleasence for his work in the Halloween film series, as Dr. Loomis, who tried to stop the rampage of Michael Myers. 

One of the most fascinating stories featured in James Bond FAQ centers around Pierce Brosnan, whose road to play Bond was riddled with potholes, thanks to his ties to the television series Remington Steele. While I recall a dispute between the actor and NBC at the time, I did not realize that the implications were so dramatic. Not to be outdone, Timothy Dalton and Roger Moore's quests to play Bond are equally enthralling. As exciting as the James Bond films usually are, they are sometimes trumped by what transpires behind the scenes, which only adds to the mystique around the unique, legendary, vastly successful and unforgettable Bond franchise. 

James Bond FAQ: All That's Left To Know About Everyone's Favorite Superspy, by Tom DeMichael, is now available.