It was the first of fourteen James Bond books which have gone on to sell over 60 million copies worldwide and be translated into 20 languages.
His first novel, Casino Royale (1953), introduced spy hero, James Bond, agent 007, to the world. Furthermore, this 1960 Signet printing represents the first time Casino Royale appeared in paperback in the US under that title previously it had been published in paperback under the title You Asked for It by Popular Library in 1955. Ian Fleming was a British author and journalist. In my experience it's unusual to come across vintage US paperbacks at British book fairs, so that was one reason for picking it up plus there's that great Barye Phillips cover.
I spotted it on the table of a dealer who was new to the Lewes Book Fair and couldn't resist it, despite already owning British Pan and Panther paperbacks of the novel. The first American paperback edition – at least under its original title – of Ian Fleming's debut James Bond novel, Casino Royale, published by Signet/New American Library in 1960.īarye Phillips, whose extensive cover credits include novels by Peter Rabe, Edward S.
