The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel
Encyclopedia
The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel is the first in a planned trilogy
of novels chronicling the life of Miss Moneypenny
, M
's personal secretary in Ian Fleming
's James Bond
series. The diaries were authored by Samantha Weinberg
under the pseudonym
Kate Westbrook, who is depicted as the book's editor. The first instalment, subtitled Guardian Angel was released in the United Kingdom
on October 10, 2005 by John Murray
publishers. A United States
edition was published by Thomas Dunne Books on May 13, 2008 , although this edition has no subtitle.
The second volume of the series, Secret Servant: The Moneypenny Diaries
was published on November 2, 2006 in the UK .
Weinberg is the first woman to write an officially licensed James Bond-related novel.
, Moneypenny is given a first name: Jane.
, the holder of the literary rights to James Bond, there was some confusion and even deception prior to release as to whether the book was actually authorised by them.
The trilogy had originally been touted as the secret journal of a "real" Miss Moneypenny and that James Bond was a possible pseudonym for a genuine intelligence officer, the idea of which was perhaps influenced similarly to John Pearson
's 1973
authorised biography of James Bond. James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007
was based on the obituary in Ian Fleming's You Only Live Twice in which Fleming hints that Bond is perhaps a real man.
An investigation by The Sunday Times
into whether or not The Moneypenny Diaries were in some way real forced John Murray publishers to admit that the novel was in fact a "spoof". Prior to the admission, Kate Westbrook was said to be niece of the "real" Jane Moneypenny and that the diaries were discovered after her death in 1990. It was also claimed that Westbrook was a fellow of Trinity College
, Cambridge
, however, the college replied stating no such person was in employment there. In an interview, Weinberg revealed that the 'Kate Westbrook' subterfuge stretched as far as her wearing a wig and coloured contact lenses for media interviews and at the launch party.
The novel was officially recognized as an authorised book from Ian Fleming Publications on the day of the book's publication in the UK, October 10, 2005. A side-effect of the deception resulted in a delay in this book finding an American
publisher.
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
of novels chronicling the life of Miss Moneypenny
Miss Moneypenny
Jane Moneypenny, better known as Miss Moneypenny, is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. She is secretary to M, who is Bond's boss and head of the British Secret Service...
, M
M (James Bond)
M is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, as well as the films in the Bond franchise. The head of MI6 and Bond's superior, M has been portrayed by three actors in the official Bond film series: Bernard Lee, Robert Brown and since 1995 by Judi Dench. Background =Ian Fleming...
's personal secretary in Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
series. The diaries were authored by Samantha Weinberg
Samantha Weinberg
Samantha Fletcher is a British Green politician, and under her maiden name of Samantha Weinberg, a novelist, journalist and travel writer. Educated at St Paul's Girls' School and Trinity College, Cambridge, she is the author of books such as A Fish Caught in Time: The Search for the Coelacanth and...
under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Kate Westbrook, who is depicted as the book's editor. The first instalment, subtitled Guardian Angel was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on October 10, 2005 by John Murray
John Murray (publisher)
John Murray is an English publisher, renowned for the authors it has published in its history, including Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord Byron, Charles Lyell, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Herman Melville, and Charles Darwin...
publishers. A United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
edition was published by Thomas Dunne Books on May 13, 2008 , although this edition has no subtitle.
The second volume of the series, Secret Servant: The Moneypenny Diaries
Secret Servant: The Moneypenny Diaries
Secret Servant: The Moneypenny Diaries is the second in a trilogy of novels chronicling the life of Miss Moneypenny, M's personal secretary in Ian Fleming's James Bond series...
was published on November 2, 2006 in the UK .
Weinberg is the first woman to write an officially licensed James Bond-related novel.
Plot introduction
The first diary fills in the gaps between a number of agent 007's missions including the period between On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice, but also includes an entire backstory for Moneypenny. For the first time since Fleming introduced the character alongside Bond in Casino RoyaleCasino Royale (novel)
Casino Royale is Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel. It paved the way for a further eleven novels by Fleming himself, in addition to two short story collections, followed by many "continuation" Bond novels by other authors....
, Moneypenny is given a first name: Jane.
An authorised book?
Although it has since been announced as an official book from Ian Fleming PublicationsIan Fleming Publications
Ian Fleming Publications is the production company formerly known as both Glidrose Productions Limited and Glidrose Publications Limited, named after its founders John Gliddon and Norman Rose...
, the holder of the literary rights to James Bond, there was some confusion and even deception prior to release as to whether the book was actually authorised by them.
The trilogy had originally been touted as the secret journal of a "real" Miss Moneypenny and that James Bond was a possible pseudonym for a genuine intelligence officer, the idea of which was perhaps influenced similarly to John Pearson
John Pearson (author)
John Pearson is a writer best associated with James Bond creator Ian Fleming.Pearson was Fleming's assistant at the London Sunday Times and would go on to write the first biography of Ian Fleming, 1966's The Life of Ian Fleming....
's 1973
1973 in literature
The year 1973 in literature involved several significant events and the writing of many notable books.-Events:*September 25 - The funeral of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda becomes a focus for protests against the new government of Augusto Pinochet...
authorised biography of James Bond. James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007
James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007
James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007 , by John Pearson, is a fictional biography of James Bond; Pearson also wrote the biography The Life of Ian Fleming ....
was based on the obituary in Ian Fleming's You Only Live Twice in which Fleming hints that Bond is perhaps a real man.
An investigation by The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
into whether or not The Moneypenny Diaries were in some way real forced John Murray publishers to admit that the novel was in fact a "spoof". Prior to the admission, Kate Westbrook was said to be niece of the "real" Jane Moneypenny and that the diaries were discovered after her death in 1990. It was also claimed that Westbrook was a fellow of Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, however, the college replied stating no such person was in employment there. In an interview, Weinberg revealed that the 'Kate Westbrook' subterfuge stretched as far as her wearing a wig and coloured contact lenses for media interviews and at the launch party.
The novel was officially recognized as an authorised book from Ian Fleming Publications on the day of the book's publication in the UK, October 10, 2005. A side-effect of the deception resulted in a delay in this book finding an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
publisher.
Publication history
- UK first hardback edition: October 10, 2005 John MurrayJohn Murray (publisher)John Murray is an English publisher, renowned for the authors it has published in its history, including Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord Byron, Charles Lyell, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Herman Melville, and Charles Darwin...
- UK first paperback edition: May 8, 2006 John Murray
- US first hardback edition: May 13, 2008 Thomas Dunne Books