Quotes from Ian Fleming

Clusters of bats hung like bunches of withered grapes from the roof and when, from time to time, either Kerim's head or Bond's brushed against them, they exploded twittering into the darkness.

Outside the bus the smell of sulphur hit Bond with sickening force. It was a horrible smell, from somewhere down in the stomach of the world.

He cursed himself and cursed the hubris which had made him so sure the battle was won and the enemy in flight.

The bitch is dead.

These politicians can't see that the atomic age has created the most deadly saboteur in the history of the world Ã¢â'¬â€œ the little man with the heavy suitcase.

You only live twice: Once when you are born And once when you look death in the face.

I decided on moustaches.

Even the highest tree has an axe waiting at its foot.

Peter Pedersen

Ah hears tings which Ah don' like at all. Cain't say much. Get mahself 'n plenty trouble. But yuh all want to watch yo step plenty good. Yassuh.

He looked up at Mathis to see how bored he was getting with these introspective refinements of what, to Mathis, was a simple question of duty. Mathis smiled back at him.

Push dem under the doors,' he said. 'Ah cain't do nuthen else. Git mah throat cut. But Ah don' like any foolin' aroun' wid da customers 'n my cyar. Nossuh.

People are so damn sensitive about colour around here that you can't even ask a barman for a jigger of rum. You have to ask for a jegro.

Now in order to tell the difference between good and evil, we have manufactured two images representing the extremes – representing the deepest black and the purest white – and we call them God and the Devil. But in doing so we have cheated a bit. God is a clear image, you can see every hair on His beard. But the Devil. What does he look like?' Bond looked triumphantly at Mathis. Mathis laughed ironically.

I don't care the hell what other people eat so long as they enjoy it. I can't stand sad eaters and sad drinkers.

So,' continued Bond, warming to his argument, 'Le Chiffre was serving a wonderful purpose, a really vital purpose, perhaps the best and highest purpose of all. By his evil existence, which foolishly I have helped to destroy, he was creating a norm of badness by which, and by which alone, an opposite norm of goodness could exist. We were privileged, in our short knowledge of him, to see and estimate his wickedness and we emerge from the acquaintanceship better and more virtuous men.

He shrugged his shoulders to shift the pain of failure Ã¢â'¬â€œ the pain of failure that is so much greater than the pleasure of success.

Mister. Nothing is forever. Only death is permanent. Nothing is forever except what you did to me.

We're both travelling bad roads and all bad roads lead to the bad town.

the moustaches on the men were just a lot of moustaches.

I am allergic to almost every form of international agency, conference or committee.

We have been feeling for some time that Le Chiffre is getting into deep water. In nearly all respects he is an admirable agent of the U.S.S.R., but his gross physical habits and predilections are an Achilles heel of which we have been able to take advantage from time to time and one of his mistresses is a Eurasian (No. 1860) controlled by Station F., who has recently been able to obtain insight into his private affairs.

Bond slowly, wearily bent his head and looked at the ground between his spread hands. It was the girl, Tilly. She was watching the buildings below. She had a rifle Ã¢â'¬â€œ a rifle that must have been among the innocent golf clubs Ã¢â'¬â€œ ready to fire on them. Damn and blast the silly bitch!

However that may be, it is clear that he could have found many investments more savoury than prostitution, if he had not been tempted by the by-product of unlimited women for his personal use. Fate rebuked him with terrifying swiftness.