James Bond celebrates his 90th birthday today

11-Nov-2010 • Literary

The literary character of James Bond celebrates his 90th birthday today, according to "James Bond: The Authorized Biography of OO7", an official spin-off book penned by John Pearson back in 1973. Pearson also wrote the biography "The Life of Ian Fleming" in 1966.

November 11th marked the end of World War I and is better known as Armistice Day.

Although John Pearson's fictional biography of Bond gives him a birth date on 11 November 1920, the books themselves are inconsistent on the matter. In Casino Royale, he is said to have bought a car in 1933 and to have been an experienced gambler before the Second World War. Two books later, in Moonraker, he is said to be in his middle thirties; the setting of this book can be no later than 1954 as it refers to the South Goodwin Lightship, which was lost in that year. There is a further reference to Bond's age in You Only Live Twice, when Tanaka tells him he was born in the Year of the Rat (1924/25 or 1912/13).The books were written over a twelve-year period during which Bond's age, when mentioned, thus varies, but is usually around forty.

The literary James Bond will have his history re-booted for Jeffery Deaver's official continuation novel (working title 'Project X') where readers will find 007 a contemporary hero of the 21st century. The book will be publised in May 2011.