Ian Flemming's Life :The Bond Style

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There are innumerable young and handsome men who would exchange anything for the 'Bond Lifestyle'. But there has been a man who closely lived the Bond life, being none other than the creator of the legendary Spy Series himself.

Ian Fleming led as colorful a life as his immortal super spy. According to Fleming's niece Lucy,James Bond,is what Fleming fantasized about. "I mean, Ian liked danger. He liked cars. He liked guns, although he didn't like shooting," CBS News quoted her as saying.

"And he liked girls, and he liked gambling. So, you know, it's all there. Those are Bond ingredients, aren't they?" she added. Most of the adventures of the superspy are inspired by Fleming's real life experiences.

Even the gambling scene in 'Casino Royale' was drawn from Fleming's own experience in Lisbon At a young age, Fleming started working as a journalist, reporting from Moscow for Reuters. After the World War II broke, he became the personal assistant to Admiral John Godfrey, who was the director of naval intelligence at the time.

James Taylor, curator of the Fleming exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, revealed that Fleming's access to top-secret information, defence plans and schemes has inspired many of 007's adventures.

Just as his protagonist, Fleming has also had a history of affairs. His sex appeal lied in his wit, charm, and angular good looks. Joan Bright Astley, now 97, dated Fleming after meeting him during the war.

"I liked Ian. I thought he was awfully attractive and fun, but elusive," she said."I think he was a ruthless man." "He would drop someone if they didn't want them anymore that would be it," she added.

However, Astley still insists they were just friends."No torrid love affair. I've got nothing to tell you on that side," she said. Fleming would have been 100 years old this year. The centenary of his birth is being celebrated in an exhibition at London's Imperial War Museum, and with the release next week of the 22nd Bond film, 'Quantum of Solace' That is quite some news as every Bond flick makes you wonder if at all it is possible to lead the extravagant and mysterious Bond life. Now we know, that it sure is.