a natural nine

Ian Fleming

In honor of the release of Casino Royale, here are some passages from the original book that might not have made it into the movie.

SPOILER ALERT - If you haven't seen the movie or read the book and plan on either don't read the last quote.

Bond to Felix Leiter:

"I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made."

Describing Le Chiffre's bodyguard:

"He had something of a Lennie in Of Mice & Men, but his inhumannity would not come from infantilism but from drugs. Marihuana, decided bond."

Bond on Vesper Lynd:

"And then there was this pest of a girl. He sighed. Women were for recreation."

On Bulgarian Hitmen:

"They're stupid, but obedient."

Upon meeting CIA agent Felix Leiter:

" . . . Bond reflected that good Americans were fine people and that most of them seemed to come from Texas."

Bond on Vesper Lynd. The last line of the book:

"Yes dammit I said 'was'. The bitch is dead now."