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Has anyone been to the IU Ian Fleming Library ?

PerdoggPerdogg
edited May 2013 in Literary 007 Posts: 686
Has anyone been to the Ian Fleming Library at Indiana University? I have always wanted to see the works, is it available to the public?

Comments

  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    It is. I went there for a few hours in the fall of 1997.

    You have to put your belongings (backpack, pens and the like) in a locker. You're allowed to bring a pencil and paper. I looked at a few of the manuscripts, including From Russia With Love (it had a different ending than the published novel). You can also read letters Fleming wrote (they're typewritten). I read some exchanges of correspondence he had with Raymond Chandler and one of the Dulles brothers.

    http://www.hmss.com/articles/lillylib.html
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    AlexanderWaverly wrote:
    http://www.hmss.com/articles/lillylib.html
    As Spock would say, fascinating!
  • DiscoVolanteDiscoVolante Stockholm, Sweden
    Posts: 1,347
    News -> Literary
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,805
    Major Tallon over on CBn has many notes on the Ian Fleming Library etc. He would be worth asking if you are a member over there @Perdogg.
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    The Ian Fleming collection is part of the Lilly Library at Indiana University. There isn't a "James Bond Library" per se. The Lilly Library contains all sorts of other rare works.
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,539
    Talking of this... I assume there is no critical edition of Ian Fleming´s work, is it? It could be a fantastic work... for someone living near Indiana, I mean ...
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    What's the Indiana connection in terms of how this lot ended there?
  • PerdoggPerdogg
    Posts: 686
    007InVT wrote:
    What's the Indiana connection in terms of how this lot ended there?

    $$$$$$$$
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,805
    Perdogg wrote:
    007InVT wrote:
    What's the Indiana connection in terms of how this lot ended there?

    $$$$$$$$

    You could well be right there, @Perdogg!

  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    The Lilly Library bought Ian Fleming's rare book collection from the author's widow, around 1970. It got the manuscripts and letters as part of the deal. The library's holdings include a Gutenberg bible, so this is the kind of things it seeks to acquire.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,805
    AlexanderWaverly wrote:
    The Lilly Library bought Ian Fleming's rare book collection from the author's widow, around 1970. It got the manuscripts and letters as part of the deal. The library's holdings include a Gutenberg bible, so this is the kind of things it seeks to acquire.

    Yes, you are right. This is probably the best place for this type of thing, though the UK would be a lot nearer for me!
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    Put another way: the library's main interest was Fleming's collection of first-editon books. The manuscripts, letters, etc. were an added bonus. The library hosted a reception in 2003, the 50th anniversary of Casino Royale, where some members of the Fleming family attended. There was a conference at the same time where a number of academic papers related to Bond were submitted.
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    Three places for Bond-related material in the U.S. Midwest:

    Indiana University: Fleming manuscripts and correspondence.
    University of Iowa: Richard Maibuam papers (Maibaum graduated from there).
    Newberry Library in Chicago: Ben Hecht collection of papers. That's where Jeremy Duns found Hecht's scripts for Charles K. Feldman's Casino Royale production.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,805
    AlexanderWaverly wrote:
    Put another way: the library's main interest was Fleming's collection of first-editon books. The manuscripts, letters, etc. were an added bonus. The library hosted a reception in 2003, the 50th anniversary of Casino Royale, where some members of the Fleming family attended. There was a conference at the same time where a number of academic papers related to Bond were submitted.

    Could you provide more details on the academic papers - a webpage perhaps? Sounds like my kind of thing.
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    edited May 2013 Posts: 2,115
    Dragonpol wrote:
    AlexanderWaverly wrote:
    Put another way: the library's main interest was Fleming's collection of first-editon books. The manuscripts, letters, etc. were an added bonus. The library hosted a reception in 2003, the 50th anniversary of Casino Royale, where some members of the Fleming family attended. There was a conference at the same time where a number of academic papers related to Bond were submitted.

    Could you provide more details on the academic papers - a webpage perhaps? Sounds like my kind of thing.

    This might provide a start:
    http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/fleming/

    Also this:
    http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/948.html

    Of course, both are 10 years old. A number of the academic papers were later published, but I don't have the details.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,805
    AlexanderWaverly wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    AlexanderWaverly wrote:
    Put another way: the library's main interest was Fleming's collection of first-editon books. The manuscripts, letters, etc. were an added bonus. The library hosted a reception in 2003, the 50th anniversary of Casino Royale, where some members of the Fleming family attended. There was a conference at the same time where a number of academic papers related to Bond were submitted.

    Could you provide more details on the academic papers - a webpage perhaps? Sounds like my kind of thing.

    This might provide a start:
    http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/fleming/

    Also this:
    http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/948.html

    Of course, both are 10 years old. A number of the academic papers were later published, but I don't have the details.

    Thank you very much, @AlexanderWaverly. I will have a look through this lot.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    AlexanderWaverly wrote:
    The Lilly Library bought Ian Fleming's rare book collection from the author's widow, around 1970. It got the manuscripts and letters as part of the deal. The library's holdings include a Gutenberg bible, so this is the kind of things it seeks to acquire.

    Thanks!

    If I ever find myself in Indiana, I'll take a visit for sure.
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,539
    AlexanderWaverly wrote:
    This might provide a start:
    http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/fleming/

    Also this:
    http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/948.html

    Of course, both are 10 years old. A number of the academic papers were later published, but I don't have the details.
    Very interesting links. That´s what I was talking about when I mentioned a critical edition: corrections, revisions, additions... All together compiled and explained in a good Fleming edition.

    I assume that is yet a work to be taken...
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,350
    Great thread, this. Very informative, thanks all.
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