Pre-order now, releasing 18th November 2026.
For the very first time, fans of James Bond and Ian Fleming, can dive into writer, John Pearson's meticulous notes made while researching Fleming in 1965. Ian Fleming – The Notes is a book about writing a book. At 360 pages, it charts not only Fleming’s life but Pearson’s own journey while investigating his subject. Compelling, insightful, irreverent and written in Pearson’s inimitable style, it includes fascinating details, letters and interviews that never made it into the finished biography.
Pearson occupies a unique role in the world of 007. He has the distinction of being James Bond’s only authorised biographer and his celebrated work, The Life of Ian Fleming was the first book about Fleming ever to be published. He first met Fleming in 1954 when he was a young journalist and was offered a job as his assistant on the Sunday Times Atticus column.
Pearson got to know Fleming well, and after his death in 1964, was commissioned to write what would become his highly successful Authorised Biography of Ian Fleming. While researching his book, Pearson was struck by the way the character and life of James Bond overlapped with that of his creator, which gave him the idea of writing what become the parallel Authorised Biography of 007. Pearson went on to write successful biographies of many interesting figures including the Kray Twins and Barbara Cartland. He died in 2021.
'Here is Ian, his cushions still warm, his gumboots in the porch, his oversize Boodles glasses on the sideboard, his presence fresh in the memory of his friends (and enemies).' Fergus Fleming
