James Fleming, editor of The Book Collector, dies at 80

Novelist and editor of The Book Collector literary journal James Fleming has died after a sudden illness.

The Book Collector was founded by James's uncle Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, in 1952. James became the proprietor in 2016 and editor two years later. In a statement, the editorial board and his family confirmed their intention of continuing to produce the popular journal.

In addition to his work on the title, James wrote several historical novels and a series of thrillers featuring the Scottish/Russian character Charlie Doig. He was also an expert commentator on Ian Fleming's work and the author in 2021 of Bond Behind The Iron Curtain.

"I had the pleasure of emailing with James over the years, sharing ‘editor talk'," said former editor of Fine Books & Collections magazine Rebecca Rego Barry. "He was a fan of Fine Books and a genial correspondent. In 2022, I interviewed him about his Bond book, and more recently, we exchanged emails about my new book. He was sweet, telling me I had "real style.” That still makes me smile. His is a loss for the whole book collecting community."

Fine Books & Collections offers our condolences to James's family and colleagues.