In family lore, Bond began with a bet. Ian Fleming’s elder brother, Peter, was already an established author. Ian’s niece Gilly explains: “Peter was writing away. He took himself very seriously, listened to himself on the radio, poured scorn on himself, wanting people to cheer him up and say, ‘You’re wonderful.’ Ian said, ‘Oh, for God’s sake, write a bestseller, why don’t you?’ Peter: ‘It’s not that easy.’ Ian: ‘I bet you a hundred pounds I could do it.’ And the bet was honoured. Ian got paid by Peter a hundred pounds. I’ve always known that story. All Flemings have to win.”
When asked why Ian wrote his books, his New York editor Al Hart replied: “He wrote because he got tired of being Peter
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