‘Beware of female drivers and don’t waste your time on women who wear bracelets on their left ankle’: Ian Fleming’s rules of life are revealed when James Bond creator’s private notebook is auctioned
The creator of 007 filled his pocket-sized notebook with ideas and observations
He wrote the notes while drafting the 11th Bond novel You Only Live Twice in 1962
The novelist targeted women in two of the 13 notes
Another piece of advice warned to ‘beware of people who smell’
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A notebook of ‘how to live’ rules written by James Bond creator Ian Fleming has appeared 60 years later.
The creator of 007 filled his pocket notebook with ideas and observations while drafting his 11th Bond novel You Only Live Twice, published in 1962.
His list of 13 rules included a ‘beware of cars with two women in the front’ warning.
He targeted the opposite sex in another instruction, warning, “Don’t waste your time on women who wear bracelets on their left ankles.”
And one piece of advice that wouldn’t look out of place in a Bond novel is, “Don’t draw your gun unless you see both the other man’s hands.”
Others are “beware of people who smell” and “careful around mustaches, sideburns and beards.”
The 39-page notebook, written in blue and black ink, is up for sale at Heritage Auctions of Dallas, Texas.
It was sent by a private collector and is tipped to sell for £17,000. ($20,000).
A notebook of ‘how to live’ rules written by James Bond creator Ian Fleming has appeared 60 years later
The creator of 007 filled his pocket-sized notepad with ideas and observations while drafting his 11th Bond novel You Only Live Twice in 1962. His 13-line list included a warning to “beware of cars with two women in the front.”
The British writer also had no love for the country’s ruling class, as he wrote ‘avoid people who call you Old Boy, and all politicians’.
And pet owners were also given short shrift to Fleming’s words, “don’t buy anything that eats.”
On a more serious note, he wrote down an alternative motto for You Only Live Twice.
It read, “You only live twice. Once when you are born and once when you are about to die.’
It is very similar to the final version used in the book: “You only live twice: once when you are born, and once when you face death.”
His final point, returning to the Bond theme, is “live until you’re dead.”
You Only Live Twice was published in 1964 and was made into a movie three years later starring Sean Connery as 007 in the lead role.
It was Connery’s fifth appearance as Bond.
Joe Maddalena, Vice President of Heritage Auctions, said: “James Bond has been around for so long and has become such an icon and written big in literature, film and pop culture that we take the character and his creation for granted; it’s like he’s always been there.
“But these handwritten documents straight from its creator give us an insight and perspective that often makes 007 seem brand new.
‘We are allowed to enter the creative process; we’ll be over his shoulder when Bond is born.”
Fleming died in 1964.
The sale will take place on July 16.
The notebook is just the latest item associated with Fleming that has come up for auction in the past year.
In March, two first edition Bond novels, which Fleming had given to his assistant Una Trueblood, went on sale for £60,000.
Fleming’s novel You Only Live Twice was turned into the fifth Bond film in 1967 starring Sean Connery
Last November, a pair of Fleming’s cufflinks with a spy-like secret code sold at auction for £4,000.
The creator of 007 wore the cultured pearl set to the Dr No post-film screening party in 1962.
The backs of the cufflinks were inscribed with the letters ‘WUS’, ‘SIL’, ‘UDH’ and ‘NUF’ – believed to be a hitherto unsolved secret message.
Rule number 12 was: “Limit your drink if your eyes turn red and don’t smoke if your breath feels short. Don’t worry about liver cirrhosis or cancer. In his last line he added: ‘Live until you’re dead’