Moonraker – The James Bond Book Club with David Craggs and Simon Conway (145)

Moonraker the James Bond Book Club is also available in video format on YouTube on Spybrary TV!

It is 1955 and we review the latest Ian Fleming James Bond 007 novel, Moonraker With David Craggs, author Simon Conway and Spybrary Host Shane Whaley. If you enjoyed this episode do check out our deep-dive discussions about Casino Royale and Live and Let Die at The James Bond Book Club section.

Author Simon Conway is a former British Army officer and international aid worker. He has cleared landmines and the other debris of war across the world.

As Co-Chair of the Cluster Munition Coalition he successfully campaigned to achieve an international ban on cluster bombs.

He is currently working as Director of Capability for The HALO Trust.

He lives in Edinburgh with his wife the journalist and broadcaster Sarah Smith. He has two daughters.

Simon Conway's books come highly recommend by Spybrary contributors and listeners. Check out his previous appearance on the Spybrary Podcast.

On the James Bond Book Club, we will dissect each 007 novel in order and by :

1) Discussing the timing of each book. The year in which it was written.    The zeitgeist of that time. Key historic and cultural events.
2) Background to the plot and any links to Fleming’s personal experiences.
3) The U.K. first edition cover art.
4) The plot.
5)  Locations
6) Bond’s character development.
7) The Villain. 
8) La femme fatale.
9) The supporting cast.
10) The branding.
11) Key set pieces and the best chapters.
12) Critical reception

We will not be referring to or discussing the 007 movies.

We will only be referencing previous books rather than those published in the future – as if we are experiencing the work of Fleming for the first time.