Sportsman, womanizer, naval commander, world traveler, spy; the creator of James Bond was infinitely more complicated and interesting than his fictional Agent 007. Ian Fleming's remarkable life provided the plausible backdrop for his Bond novels, and though his temperamental nature got him into trouble as a young man, World War II was the making of him, as he masterminded top secret operations and even had a role in shaping the CIA. "A thoroughly researched, definitive portrayal of a complex man who was rarely at peace with himself, a man who had a worldwide network of friends and acquaintances but died at age 56 in self-imposed loneliness."—Library Journal