The Life of Ian Fleming
(1908-1964)

by John Cork, The Ian Fleming Foundation
He is also the author of The James Bond Encyclopedia

Ian Fleming lived a remarkably uncompromising life in a world full of compromises. To sum up his life in the short space available would be an impossible task even for the most efficient writer, so all that follows is a simple pastiche. Further reading is highly recommended.

Family Background

Born in 1908 as the son of Valentine Fleming, and the grandson of the wealthy Scottish banker Robert Fleming, Ian Lancaster Fleming grew up the member of a rare class of Englishmen for whom all options are open. The privilege of class and respect came not merely from his grandfather's money, as wealth alone in England does not guarantee open doors. The Fleming family earned their social stripes with service and blood. Ian's father was a service-oriented land-owner in Oxfordshire and a member of Parliament. W ... Читать дальше »