Was Ian Fleming a Jack London fan?
dpbs...@gmail.com
1964, chapter 21, "Obit:"
James Bond is believed dead, and his obituary is published in The
Times. The chapter concludes, p. 226-7:
If indeed our fears for him are justified, may
I suggest these simple words for his epitaph? Many of
the junior staff here feel they represent his
philosophy: "I shall not waste my days in trying to
prolong them. I shall use my time."
It cannot be a coincidence that these are also the concluding words of
the "Jack London Credo." (Jack London is best known as author of "The
Call of the Wild." He was also the author of an essay on "The Terrible
and Tragic in Fiction." "The Call of the Wild" and contains more
violence and sadism than people think, and quite a lot of Jack
London's fiction is very dark in tone).
The Jack London Credo doesn't appear in his published work, but was
published in a 1916 news story about him and is believed by scholars
to be genuine. See http://london.sonoma.edu/credo.html for details. It
is:
I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out
in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom
of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.
So, was James Bond's epitaph an intentional _hommage?_ Was Ian Fleming
an admirer of Jack London?
jbu...@yahoo.com
> Ian Fleming, _You Only Live Twice,_ New American Library hardbound,
> 1964, chapter 21, "Obit:"
>
> James Bond is believed dead, and his obituary is published in The
> Times. The chapter concludes, p. 226-7:
>
> If indeed our fears for him are justified, may
> I suggest these simple words for his epitaph? Many of
> the junior staff here feel they represent his
> philosophy: "I shall not waste my days in trying to
> prolong them. I shall use my time."
>
> It cannot be a coincidence that these are also the concluding words of
> the "Jack London Credo." (Jack London is best known as author of "The
> Call of the Wild." He was also the author of an essay on "The Terrible
> and Tragic in Fiction." "The Call of the Wild" and contains more
> violence and sadism than people think, and quite a lot of Jack
> London's fiction is very dark in tone).
>
> The Jack London Credo doesn't appear in his published work, but was
> published in a 1916 news story about him and is believed by scholars
> is:
>
> I would rather be ashes than dust!
> I would rather that my spark should burn out
> in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
> I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom
> of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
> The function of man is to live, not to exist.
> I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
> I shall use my time.
>
> So, was James Bond's epitaph an intentional _hommage?_ Was Ian Fleming
> an admirer of Jack London?
Jack London was an amazing writer; I've read some of his works but far
from all. First I've heard of Fleming possibly being a fan, and even
if that's true, I don't see a London influence. There may be something
underlying and subtle, but nothing jumps out at me.
Nick Xylas
> There may be something
> underlying and subtle, but nothing jumps out at me.
Me neither, apart from the direct quote ;)
jbu...@yahoo.com
LoL Well, yeah, there's that...but I meant in Fleming's overall
writing style.
Zapanaz
Thunder crashed, dpbs...@gmail.com laughed madly, then wrote:
>"I shall not waste my days in trying to
> prolong them. I shall use my time."
I think that's a pretty good summary of Ian Fleming's philosophy too,
if you think about it.
--
Zapanaz
International Satanic Conspiracy
Customer Support Specialist
http://joecosby.com/
My skull is stuffed with dead sparrows, but my BREATH is CLEAN and
MINTY-FRESH!
:: Currently listening to Light My Fire, 1967, by The Doors, from "The Doors"
Mark
> Ian Fleming, _You Only Live Twice,_ New American Library hardbound,
> 1964, chapter 21, "Obit:"
>
> James Bond is believed dead, and his obituary is published in The
> Times. The chapter concludes, p. 226-7:
>
> If indeed our fears for him are justified, may
> I suggest these simple words for his epitaph? Many of
> the junior staff here feel they represent his
> philosophy: "I shall not waste my days in trying to
> prolong them. I shall use my time."
>
> It cannot be a coincidence that these are also the concluding words of
> the "Jack London Credo." (Jack London is best known as author of "The
> Call of the Wild." He was also the author of an essay on "The Terrible
> and Tragic in Fiction." "The Call of the Wild" and contains more
> violence and sadism than people think, and quite a lot of Jack
> London's fiction is very dark in tone).
>
> The Jack London Credo doesn't appear in his published work, but was
> published in a 1916 news story about him and is believed by scholars
> is:
>
> I would rather be ashes than dust!
> I would rather that my spark should burn out
> in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
> I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom
> of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
> The function of man is to live, not to exist.
> I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
> I shall use my time.
>
> So, was James Bond's epitaph an intentional _hommage?_ Was Ian Fleming
> an admirer of Jack London?
It wouldn't be the first time Fleming plagarized, would it? :)