Live and Let Die - Association Copy - Raymond Chandler's Copy

London: Cape, 1954. A first edition, first printing published by Cape in 1954. Raymond Chandler's ownership stamp to flyleaf (dated May 24 1954), original black cloth, lettered in gilt, design to upper board in gilt. In the dust wrapper with Kenneth Lewis' acknowledgement to the front flap. With very minor wear to edges, rear cover slightly toned - unclipped to the corners suggesting proof state. A superb association copy between the two masters of their genres. Ian Fleming and Raymond Chandler began a friendship in 1955, during a dinner at Stephen Spender's, and it lasted the remaining four years of Chandler's life. He inscribed a copy of his final novel, Playback for Fleming and received a warmly inscribed copies of Moonraker and Goldfinger from the Bond creator. Their relationship had perhaps the most profound effect on Fleming and his literary career. By the time the two men meet, Fleming was finished with Bond, having "convinced himself that he had gone as far as with writing about James Bond as he ever would or could" (Pearson, pp. 232-233). It was in large part thanks to Chandler's encouragement that Fleming was persuaded not to abandon Bond after the first two literary instalments, but rather to give him greater depth. Listed in Gilbert (2012) p.63, under 'notable association copies'