Smithsonian Channel
  THE REAL STORY: JAMES BOND

Amid the tense uncertainty of the Cold War, James Bond was an answer to the public need for an imperfect hero. Who was that man of mystery? Was he a personification of a real spy or a fantasy spun by author Ian Fleming? Find out the reality behind 007 in this episode The Real Story.

  VIDEOS

SEX, SNOBBERY, AND SADISM
Ian Fleming drew on his past and his imagination to craft the James Bond novels, the ultimate in escapist literature.

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FLEMING, IAN FLEMING
The author shared many characteristics with his "fictional" hero. Were they one and the same? The answer is surprisingly complex.


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