Solving the Fleming Bond Book Edits Issue???

In a time of problem observing, this is my attempt to be a problem eliminator regarding the decision to edit the Bond literary works of Ian Fleming...
(BTW, the zip top in the video is Orlebar Brown...I mention it because people will ask!)
#ianfleming #jamesbond #007 #thebondexperience
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When David is not running an advertising and marketing company, his hobby is The Bond Experience which is primarily a video blog where he discusses Bond experiences and the people and brands that help to create those experiences...
The mantra of living like Bond, one moment at a time emanates from a concept of experiencing the joy of collecting small moments in life that add up to amazing journeys and stories....whether it's through style, locations, literature, fitness, and the movies themselves the world of Bond is explored through its people and their stories.
Ultimately though, The Bond Experience channel is a celebration of the James Bond franchise and the many people that form a true community. Our core mission is to create a strong connection in the Bond community amongst all the fans, regardless of interest or demographic.
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The Bond Experience is not affiliated with any James Bond copyright holder and is an unofficial entity.

[@spenser9908]

Vote with your wallet. Refuse to buy the new editions.

[@greatwuta]

Facts

[@BrianSheridan]

The solution!

[@rrassoc]

Go woke; go broke

[@mrdsfitness]

Simples.

[@dtuk22]

They ain't getting my cash.

[@jeffreardon3969]

I agree, a 70th anniversary collection is a fantastic idea. But let's not get away from the discussion and what is happening here. The publisher is changing the character of the art. It is no longer the art as intended by the artist/writer, nor is it his work. They are already offering both versions. I will have nothing to do with the edited versions. I will read the Bourne series if I want something different.

[@the16thGemini]

It is said that 10% of the population buys 90% of the books. Those who enjoy reading prefer the author's works as they were written. You can compare this to when albums had parental advisory labels on them. Listeners primarily bought the unedited album and stirred clear from the edited one. With a serious reader, spy fiction enthusiast or literary Bond fan, the preference will always be for the original material. Who knows that might have been the game all along. Those edited editions could have a small print run.

[@gf4670]

Well that's the thing I'm wondering: what's the market for these edited editions? Gen Z is not going to buy the books no matter what. Their media consumption is very different from the rest of us and that's not going to change. On top of that, Gen Z is the smallest generation by quite a bit; their revenue stream is not going to keep the lights on.

[@RolandHulme]

I hope Ian Fleming Publications appreciate what a positive, level-headed, and reasonable advocate you are for the Bond community! I know you're a lot more reasonable than I feel about this. It's really disheartening that all of this news came out so close to the publication date, because I think IFP have committed to certain things at this point and it's not going to work out well for them. Short of scrapping the edits to the books, I don't see how they are going to appease those of us who feel betrayed by this decision.

[@JasonBarnhart]

They’re celebrating Bond by deciding it offends them and changing it. I can’t decide if that makes it vandalism or fan fiction, but it’s not Fleming. “Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten… History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the Party is always right.” -George Orwell This is just the new version of banning books.

[@Professor_Fate]

There's so much they could have done. They could have put out REALLY NICE "legacy" editions, each one introduced by a distinguished writer or scholar or even a Bond actor or someone from the cinematic 007 universe. Each volume could also have had a "character index" at the back or a "Historical Reference" section where the various people, places, things and events, Fleming mentions in the text are explained for modern audiences that might not be familiar with what the Suez Crisis was or what a Kina Lillet was. They could even have had a special essay as an epilogue to each novel, a "History of Chemin-de-Fer" for Casino Royale or "Background to the Arms Race" for Moonraker. Think of what they COULD have have done. Instead of giving us the DEFINITIVE "legacy edition" of Fleming's works, they're giving us the equivalent of those expurgated versions of classics geared for grade school libraries that Scholastic Magazine (in the US) used to produce. We could have had the "master class" edition of Fleming, instead we're getting "The Children's James Bond."

[@hkr0065]

I'm not even opposed to getting "The Children's James Bond.' I just want them to not make them sound like the definitive edition. Hell, I'm black. But not only is this not actually educating people on how the values have changed, but it's not even honoring every minority out there. Asians are still called various slurs. They only focused on the black people for this representation shit. That's how hypocritical it is. Have an intro by a Bond aficiando explaining how the values have changed, or do what the Looney Tunes DVD did, and just have a disclaimer and that's it. Problem solved. I'm all for Live and Let Die itself being toned down a little bit. (That's a rough read just because there are SO many black characters. Dear God, Fleming was a product of his time). But they also don't need to tone every single thing down. Some of the stuff I'd change is just to have the black villains' English be far better written. I'd have them talk like they had at least finished grade school. The other stuff can be explained away by a disclaimer.

[@muds1123]

David is an absolute icon. Keep up the great content. Would love to see even more QoS Tom Ford videos. They are the best style content on KZbin.

[@timhardman9386]

Nobody’s heart will be won with censorship, no matter how good the intention.

[@timhardman9386]

Another good point, David: Everything they do seems to focus on the negative, like „offensive terms“. But a sticker, a special cover and even a claim, stating different versions and most importantly the WHY of the edits would win new fans and might even convince the old ones to buy those 🎉 This might win hearts.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

The biggest problem is there is little to no information available. We still don’t know for sure if the new HarperCollins editions here in the US will be the edited texts or not. Most alarmingly I’ve seen different copies of used and older editions disappear or start to shoot up significantly in price. Ultimately IFP’s revisionism approach isn’t helping anyone and it certainly isn’t the way to treat the 70th anniversary. I don’t normally make videos on such topics, but I’ve already made three. If IFP were to actually announce some kind of release of the unaltered versions then we would be at least a bit less concerned. They don’t need to be removed from public access. I do completely agree on the e-book idea of having both texts available. Once the new e-books come out of the altered text they will supplant the originals. Already the books have been removed in physical form from all major retailers and are currently unavailable. An affordable facsimile of UK 1st editions would be a beautiful way to celebrate the anniversary and have something for die hard fans who could never afford original copies in good condition.

[@stevemilberg8187]

The vote with your wallet makes sense. You can’t edit art or books. Perhaps you can have multiple versions of the books. But the originals need to be available. That’s only thing that makes sense to me.

[@olivergiggins7931]

If they want to celebrate the 70th anniversary, they should release a new Fleming book. There are at least 7 currently unavailable non-Bond Fleming short stories, not to mention Bond film and TV treatments & screenplays by Fleming, and all the articles, including ones Fleming wrote on Bond. That's at least one good book's worth, and even enough material to put the 007 logo on the cover.

[@Professor_Fate]

And his journalism! I would love to read the pieces he wrote before WW II on Russia and Germany.

[@olivergiggins7931]

@@Professor_Fate Absolutely! Not to mention his first hand account of the Dieppe raid and memorandum on the creation of the cia and the trout memo. There's almost a book's worth of stuff just on ww2 and the cold war, and then there's all the book and treasurehunting stuff, amongst other things!

[@PharaohMan007]

How can you identify the edited books? I obviously don't want to buy them by mistake.

[@DAGDRUM53]

2023 is Bond's 70th publication anniversary, you can confidently buy any publication before 2023, when the edits were introduced. I found edits in even in one the Signet books from the 60s (Live and Let Die) otherwise Signets are a safe purchase. If you want Fleming's words totally untouched, British spellings and all, get the British PAN paperbacks, online booksellers have them for $15 to $20 apiece (same price you'd pay for new ones) but 60+ year old books show their age.

[@zaphod5660]

how do we measure progress when we dont know vthe start p j barrington.

[@chrisb2116]

Ah, Sanity, thank you. Funny I had emailed the Fleming publisher on their website months ago about what I wanted from special editions and it mirrors what you said here. If only they’ll listen. They’d get all my money like the Folio Society did. We shall see

[@kentishmale1969]

Just makes the older unabridged, original, uncensored versions even more valuable I'd imagine going forward...

[@michaelsoldau7677]

Why were they EVER edited in the first place?? If some people have a problem with some of the language then don’t read the books!!!!! Nobody’s forcing anyone to read them in the first place!! I’ll bet those who have a problem aren’t bond fans anyway!!

[@krunoslavkovacec1842]

Where did you get that zip-up sweatshirt you're wearing ?

[@zulu6ix290]

Orlebar brown. It’s in the description.

[@klaudiagrob]

Solution is leaving these books alone. Nothing will erase who literary James Bond is and what his attitudes were towards people. Edited versions will not reflect the actual story. In order to celebrate it properly they should have released a new books with nice covers or new stories instead of saying 'actually for 70th anniversary we will change book passages'. It's not about celebration. I would argue it's about profit margins and not about Fleming's desire to have books changed.

[@ianscorey5293]

Hi David...... totally agree with your thoughts!!!! But just one small change.... Instead of bringing all the old Bond novels out on mass this year with the golden crest as you have stated.... over the next decade every Bond novel will be celebrating a 70th anniversary!!!! I just that each novel be released on its 70th anniversary... 2023..... Casino Royale..... 2024...... Live and let die..... 2025.... Moonraker.... Etc etc Don’t smash the market with a mass release of the novels..... Keep them hanging on by releasing a book every year for the decade!!! Great video!!!! Regards Ian Scorey 👨‍🎤🇳🇿

[@EthanKnight97]

I simply will not buy anymore from IFP if they ruin Fleming works. The only other solution is protest sign petition and the fans speak up. If for now on they'll publish only edited versions the originals will eventually be lost to time.

[@josephinemori3289]

David, you are the maestro of marketing.

[@rrassoc]

Absolutely correct. The edited versions of the books DO NOT celebrate the past 70 years. To a certain extent, the edits denigrate the originals. The big issue with considering people's offended feelings with a new inclusive perspective is that inclusivity excludes who are likely the majority viewpoint holders, as if the majority are unequivocally wrong.

[@konstantinosbooras9300]

David, you're an incredible diplomat on this, and kudos to you for keeping your composure on the tragedy that occurred here. Editing Fleming's work is tantamount to blasphemy in my opinion. NO ONE has the right to alter an artist's work to appease anyone's feelings, period. The publisher caved to the woke mob, just like others have. They came after Dr. Seuss, now Fleming, and the next thing you know they'll be altering Picasso's masterpieces. Our country is changing, for the worse.

[@martineastland2455]

Are they ACTUALLY changing them, or is it just an attempt to boost sales of flagging authors?

[@michaelpoplawski2998]

Great points made. I think they should publish "retro" versions of the books with an explanatory front page. I would love a collection with the original covers. Then they could publish the other "updated" versions of the books with a cover blurb. So many real 70th anniversary ideas they could do. I still wish my mother would have let me buy Octopussy when it came out, I would have had an original edition, but I was only 10 years old.

[@stefanosantonios2571]

Hello from Montreal. Please use Sean C. voice. '' Looks to me like someone been bought" Just discovered your show. It's Great lots of fun. I work for Sony Canada. All the men here are trying to find the older books in the storage room. I found 2. Thank god. It would be Stupid to release both versions the edited one would loose. Nobody likes to be tampered with. Keep up the Great work!

[@Zeppelin180]

Great idea for the special covers, David 👍🏻

[@johnhansen1501]

To me, that sound like a great way to celebrate 70th and offer alternatives to readers.

[@neilmarktaylor4386]

When you do your videos how about having a white cat on your lap

[@yestoadventure007]

I wish, I wish, I WISH Ian Fleming Publications would listen to you... At least you have the gravitas of being a professional marketing expert. Is there any hope that they would see your videos? Is there any way you could send this to the powers that be?

[@jerrymanas671]

That's what I was thinking, either two versions or an unedited one with an inscription in the beginning that offers the context. I think two versions may be the only way, sort of like Coca Cola did when they made the mistake with New Coke and then came out with Coke Classic. I love the idea of a 70th anniversary special edition as the "Coke Classic."

[@mr.thegreat557]

They should just leave them alone, they are a part of English history. And I’ve noticed most of these ‘sensitivity’ writers are foreigners. Makes my blood boil.

[@jerrymanas671]

@Mr. The Great that would be ideal. I just meant if they "must" do something, but the best would've been to publish them in their original format. They're like a time capsule, for better or worse, just like Gone With the Wind.

[@mr.thegreat557]

@@jerrymanas671 I understand what you mean by two versions. The novels ARE like a time capsule. Reading them gives you a great idea and feeling of what the 50s must’ve been like.

[@martinrenner2992]

Roald Dahl's book edits have been cancelled. There's no need to edit anything.

[@andrewstorm8240]

Why didn’t they add to the book rather than takeaway content

[@martinwells5747]

A 2023 IFP version of the 90s Fascimile Edition Library (FEL) with intros, extras etc would certainly be good. Personally, i dont care about the edits. It doesnt bother me at all. Its a storm in teacup and already old news.

[@SNEED456]

An illustrated Bond, photos of the locations, objects, etc.

[@paulwillard9687]

I’ve been buying up old books that I haven’t got because I ordered them on amazon but I had to wait for the edit to be released. I didn’t want the edit so I have got original copies from the 50s & 60s and they are cheaper then the censored ones.

[@k31rifleman]

The art crowd changing Art. Rich

[@HOTD108_]

Actually it's the publisher changing things. Also, are you saying Bond isn't legitimate art? How dare you.

[@jking2860]

To censor and reformulate historical works to conform to the sensitivities of a 2023 audience may work for the short term. But how many reformulations and censorship of Fleming's work will continue over the years as standards of social justice constantly change? Every edit, every reformulation, every act of censorship is a perversion of the past, presenting a diminished history and a diminished text.

[@johnhansen1501]

Also, if you start a company to acquire the rights for the books, I'll invest!

[@jorgerosas5138]

I would name the unedited versions the “Historical version” with a passage explaining the work was “written at a different time…” and then maybe don’t name the new versions and include a blurb somewhere explaining that a historical version exists. I also think the editing of these books shouldn’t be met with anger or animosity (none shown by you) as inclusion shouldn’t be the divisive topic it is. I know, I’m living in a dream world sadly. Anyway, great video as always! Keep up the great work!

[@xXxCatsnakexXx]

It isn’t inclusivity though… -it’s Orwellian perpetual-revision and cannot be tolerated.

[@gustavofischer9657]

Every single one - I think - of Agatha Christie's novels has been reissued in a 'Fac-simile' format. The books are bound in hardcover and have a dustcover that replicates the original artwork. Very good stuff. The same is not going to happen to Fleming's work, sadly.

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

I’d say there’s nothing inherently wrong with making an amended version for cultural sensitivities or clarification, but only if the original unedited text is available also as well. Shakespeare for example has been edited and adapted so that modern audiences can read and understand his works but the originals are also available to see how the English language was written during his time. Fleming’s books at least the original versions are like this as well, we cringe and sometimes go “WTF?!” when we see glaring passages such as “sweet tang of r*pe” and other racist and sexist passages, but we’re also understanding of the cultures and time periods around the publication of those works and how language was used back then. If you want to release an edited version to get modern audiences into Bond, it’s fine so long as the original texts are available so we can learn about language use at the time and what stuff written back then should not be published in a modern book.

[@johnseeger9083]

Excellent suggestion. As a cheapskate collector of US editions, I would buy that 70th edition. Unless, it was outrageously priced…😂

[@wizard73282]

I hope you don’t do a promotion with them on these new books. That would be disappointing!

[@John4ka]

How about we all start being less offended? That would serve a much wider purpose and solve many issues for the future. Changing words, being afraid of words, being offended by words is a symptom of a much deeper problem. I will not be part of this new age whiny "don’t hurt my feelings" era. It’s ridiculous and it’s a dead end. Why? Where will we stop? Which words will remain "acceptable" and who gives a few the right to decide which aren’t? See the bigger picture here? Leave the texts original. If someone doesn’t like it, guess what? Steer clear of it. That simple. This is my solution for this issue.

[@anonamos6086]

This will go down like George Lucas’s edits to the original trilogy. A turd in a punch bowl.

[@raminagrobis6112]

Those aren't "new editions". They are goddamn censored versions. Editors don't alter original contents (they usually know better).

[@cosmodoc]

why don’t you have the books printed yourself to your liking, David? Copyright has long expired..

[@thechaosvibration1181]

My father was a Bond fan, of Connery, and a die die hard Mets fan... Why am I saying this.... This 70th anniversary bru hah feels like being a Mets fan, instead of a Bond fan. Ill always love the character, but I've become so ambivalent about the Bond franchise industry, I have no interest in what comes out next. Horrowitz' last book sucked, the last movie sucked- while it has grown on me, still sucks; and now this shit. I'm here for the Bond fans, and my relationship with the character. I doubt I will be participating in the next installment of 007 any other way. Ironically after Brosnan I found myself uncaring about the future, Craig changed that, now we're back to square one. Who cares? It's a series lost in its own history and self parody again.

[@gf4670]

Well let's be honest about the actual problem: "legacy" media/art/literature/ etc -- as in 20th Century stuff -- is desperately trying to remain relevant to people born in the 21st Century. The Fleming estate, Eon, Roald Dahl's estate, etc, all need to maintain their revenue stream into the future, but at the end of the day everything eventually fades into irrelevance. And in that way IMO it's futile and therefore less of a "problem" than it is an inevitability, and therefore the attempts to alter that trajectory are more likely to be a liability than an asset.

[@silentsaturn7604]

THANK YOU! Finally someone gets it. This is not about appeasing some pearl clutchers but to keep the books relevant for a new generation that's not necessarily interested in 70+ year old books, which promote outdated views.

[@gf4670]

@@silentsaturn7604 Oh I'm not saying it's a good thing or that it's appropriate, just that it won't do what they hope it will. Young people don't and won't care; their media interests and consumption is too different and it's a waste of time, money, and effort to try to court an indifferent audience. It's the same story across the entertainment industry. It's about money, which of course it is, but they're not going to generate any extra sales by doing this.

[@silentsaturn7604]

​@@gf4670 I'm not saying its a good thing either but people should at least get the point right, they're opposed to.

[@gf4670]

@@silentsaturn7604 Yeah, exactly. It's a business decision by IFP. It won't work, but it is rooted in business and "relevance" is revenue in media and entertainment. But that's become the nature of Hollywood and media etc, especially since the streaming frontier has been settled now and its returns are not exactly lighting the world on fire and the writing is on the wall in regards to theaters and box office. A lot of these legacy institutions born a century ago and generated a lot of economic activity for a long time are looking at the end of the line.

[@jsadowski5]

Great idea! I would by that.

[@DHaworth100]

Once you edit the books it is no longer a Fleming book.

[@danelisslow3269]

As a young person I can't say I care one way or another. The story is likely fundamentally the same.

[@shamrockballs1066]

I have 5 Bond books that I've bought over the last load of years. Every now and then I like to dive more into the Bond universe. My intention was to collect all Flemings works but only buy the next one I want to read. Looks like that's ending now as I will not buy edited works of an author or artist who is long dead and cannot have their say or defend themselves. I will not waste my money on diluted versions to suit peoples sensitivities. I nowregret not picking up Live and Let Die, Moonraker and On Her Majesties Secret Service when I had the chance. I recently bought Roger Moore's Filming Live And Let Die book and there was a disclaimer at the start about the sensibilities of the times. They should have just done that! I don't know if this is just a marketing ploy by the publishers but people just need to vote with their wallets. No book burning!

[@MultiCastorFiber]

Used bookstores are your friend. It's very easy to find used copies of the fleming books. Especially if you live in the US or UK

[@shamrockballs1066]

@@MultiCastorFiber Yes that's true. I had a copy of Dr No from the 1990s and I give it away as I thought I'd pick up a new copy lol

[@susannevanberkum5724]

About the same thing for me, started a tradition last year to pick up a Bond book at every London visit and reading it then, thinking I had all the time in the world.

[@shamrockballs1066]

@@susannevanberkum5724 Great Pun lol Exactly, I thought the same. I've been doing a lot if fiction reading the last few years and thought I'd throw an odd Bond book in, maybe once a year so didn't feel the need to buy all of them and binge read them. This is another important example of why physical books and media should never go out of circulation so the nanny state can't control what we consume and how we think! I hope it backfires and we get the proper editions again.

[@assistantdogconsult]

I appreciate your thoughts and the thinking that went into your ideas...but they've changed the books and I hope they lose their ass on this abomination.

[@WilliamDusing]

Solved it

[@Dr_LK]

Your sound level is too much. Distorting a bit.

[@benjackson103]

Editing these works is a absolute disgrace. The Fleming estate should be ashamed of themselves. Editing books is like editing history. It is morally wrong I was enjoying the audiobook versions narrated by celebrities like Bill Nigh. these have now been taken away because of these new edits. Fleming would be rolling over in his grave right now. Any defense of this is weak and pandering to the mob.

[@suryaprakash72771]

Just leave alone those originals works by Ian Fleming. No one gives a damn about PC when even films like Django Unchained was hugely popular and endearing despite the liberal use of the N-word.

[@mikecassidy1623]

Boycott the Wankers. There, fixed it for you David

[@johnwalters4792]

Like one half of Randall and Hopkirk. James Bond is deceased.

[@tommythunder99]

Damn right, it should be a celebration. I’d definately buy the books again with original covers and no edits. I will never ever read an edited ‘less offensive’ Bond book.

[@KingRandor]

It's quite simple. You release a range of the original books as "classic editions' and then also publish some edited "snowflake editions" and release them too, where all the snowflake generation who are scared by their own shadow can read the books without fear of their souls being crushed. Maybe also change Bond's licence to kill to Licence to tickle.

[@kafken]

Really?

[@KingRandor]

@@kafken absolutely, two editions. Snowflake edition and classic edition.

[@blurredvision1013]

Great solution..👍👍

[@kafken]

Oh ok. But shouldn't the version names be the other way around? People taking issue with the changes seem to be the ones that are in need of an alternative version.

[@HOTD108_]

Why are you artificially making this a generation thing? This isn't a generation thing. Cut it out with all these unnecessary lines in the sand and forced conflict between age groups. It just comes off as desperate and scapegoat-y.

[@danielb8877]

I would say from IFP point of view if they want to be seen to be "doing the right thing" they must commit to the edited versions and say this is the way it has to be going forward. If they choose to release both edited and non-edited versions, it makes the changes in edited books a bit hollow and meaningless ... a half-hearted effort if you will. My suggestion would be to draw a line in the sand .... make the 70th books with the original covers and original edits. Give fans a chance to collect them all, as is, then put out the statement from every release going forward they will be the edited versions.....which I don't agree with of course. There is no point trying to change what happened in the past to please people in the future. It's part of who we all are today and how we got here, how we become more appreciative of those around us. It creates a discussion for good.

[@TinkerTailorSailorTy]

These edits are straight up immoral, plain and simple. Keep your physical copies people!!

[@bombazine2]

The Taliban and ISIS in the middle east destroyed religious or other sculptures or pictures that “offended them”. Woke washing by the new secular religion of wokism is no different.

[@teamhonzilla]

People these days are so sensitive 🤦‍♂️ David do you know what white sneaker did Daniel Craig wore in Galss Onion? Thanks

[@ediesedgwick4462]

People who are offended by what they read should go back to their old bedroom at mom's place, with the horsies and angels on the bedspread and the holographic butterfly decals on the pink walls, and stop bugging the rest of us with their whining and emotionalism. Hopefully, they'll remember to bring their coloring book and crayons so we don't have to hear them whining about how bored they are. The world belongs to adults, not to adolescents with arrested emotional development.

[@silentsaturn7604]

Is this you not whining?

[@ediesedgwick4462]

@@silentsaturn7604 Good one! 😂

[@JWBabaYaga]

It's simple. I suggest we do not buy these new editions. Money talks.

[@michaelmacleod6517]

Except I don't believe they've earned those years. Wasn't IFP founded in the mid 90's? No matter what anyone believes, those responsible at IFP have dropped the ball on this. First off, it might have been better to have waited for the 75th anneversary to do a re-release instead. Give us more than just special covers. Include the introductions from the UK Vintage editions, or maybe some new introductions from noted authors or even fans of Bond...in that wat we get a sense of perspective in knowing what the cannon or universe means to them. And if there must be edits, then fine. People won't be buying them. We're nearing the end of wokeness and the concept of sensitive readers anyhow. If it was approved by Fleming himself then edits should not be made. End of story...art or not. Respect what the original writer wanted for his work and IFP can stick it. They're supposed to be representing Ian Fleming and these newer editions are most certainly not doing that.