Quantum of Solace

Believe it or not, another Shaken, Not Stirred event is almost upon us! This month we’ll be reading James Bond short stories from Quantum of Solace. All of the past books have been novels, so short stories will be a first for this group. After our last event, Tanya from dog eared copy did some research and discovered that not all of the short stories contained in the Quantum of Solace audiobook were used when creating the movie. She then mapped everything out and discovered that the films for both Quantum of Solace and For Your Eyes Only (March event) are based upon the same short stories. Please see her post for the complete analysis. Summing it all up here, listen to the following short stories contained within the Quantum of Solace audiobook for both this month and next month’s events:

• From a View to a Kill
• For Your Eyes Only
• Quantum of Solace
• Riscion
• The Hildebrand Rarity

The audiobook is published by Blackstone Audio. I purchased my copy through Audible, but you can pick up yours anywhere audiobooks are sold. If you’re lucky, your local library might also have a copy.

The Twitter event will be held on Saturday, February 25th. It will begin at 9:30 EST with a discussion of the audiobook, followed by a viewing of Quantum of Solace starring Daniel Craig as James Bond at 10 EST.

I hope you can join us! If you have any questions about using Twitter for the main event, I’ve written up a few tips. You can always feel free to contact me by email as well (literatehousewife (at) gmail (dot) com.

Goldfinger Twitter Party Tonight

After our December break, it’s time once again for the Shaken, Not Stirred Twitter party featuring Ian Fleming’s Goldfinger. We will be meeting up at 9:30 pm EST to discuss the audiobook and then will start the film at 10pm.

Goldfinger, Fleming’s seventh novel, stars Sean Connery at James Bond. Per Wikipedia, this film became the first Bond blockbuster in 1964. Based on the basic story line, it sounds like it should be pretty faithful to the book.

If you can join us, be sure to use the #shakennotstirred hashtag. I hope we see you there!

December Break

Due to the business of the holiday season, Shaken, Not Stirred will not be held during the month of December. The schedule as well as the monthly posts for October and November will be posted shortly. I hope that all Bond lovers and Simon Vance fans out there enjoy a wonderful holiday season!

Diamonds Are Forever ~ September 2011

In September the Shaken, Not Stirred Challenge is going into the underground world of smuggled diamonds. This fourth novel was originally published by Jonathan Cape on March 26, 1956.  Per Wikipedia, this novel was also adapted into a daily comic strip that ran in the British Daily Express from August 1959 through January 1960.

Diamond smuggling was a topic that greatly interested Ian Fleming. In addition to this Bond novel, he wrote a non-fiction book in 1957 about the topic titled The Diamond Smugglers.

What excites me the most going into this novel is the reappearance of Felix Leiter. When we last left him in Live and Let Die, he was not in the best shape after narrowly escaping a shark tank with his life. I was afraid that we’d seen the last of him. Thankfully, that is not the case.

While this will be the challenge’s first film starring Sean Connery as James Bond, this is actually the last Bond film Connery made. It was released in December of 1971, when I was a mere 2 months old. I hold no illusions that the movie will be faithful to the book, but I’m looking forward to watching Sean Connery at work. He’s always been Indiana Jones’ father to me.  :)

Here are the vital statistics and description for the audiobook from Blackstone Audio’s website:

Released: 2001

Available Formats: 6 CSs, 1 MP3 CD, 1 Playaway and 5 Tapes

Length: 6 hours and 8 minutes long

Description: 

African diamonds are being smuggled into the United States via London and it’s up to the British Secret Service to infiltrate the organized crime families in America and destroy the smugglers.

James Bond is not afraid of gangsters, but then he hasn’t really met any—until now. With advice from his American friend, Felix Leiter, Bond tracks a diamond smuggling ring from Africa through London to the United States. He is aided by the gorgeous, hard-boiled Tiffany Case, whom he uses to infiltrate the gang. But when the hunter becomes the prey, Bond must depend upon Tiffany for his very survival.

Shaken, Not Stirred Challenge Information

Participants:

Please leave a comment on this post when you’ve finished listening to Live and Diamonds Are Forever. If you’re a blogger, please use Mr. Linky at the end of this post to alert us to your posts and reviews.

Live and Let Die Twitter Party:

The second Shaken, Not Stirred Twitter Party will be held on Saturday, September 24 at 9:30pm EST. The party will begin with a 30 minute discussion about the audiobook followed by watching the movie. We will be using #ShakenNotStirred as the hashtag.

Note: Sony has had the Bond films removed from Netflix Instant Watch (I’m sending SMERSH out now to deal with them). Be sure to allow for time to rent the film ahead of the event.

Moonraker ~ August 2011

I apologize for posting this way too late. Moonraker is a wonderful novel. To date, it’s been my favorite. It was first published by Jonathan Cape on April 7, 1955. Prior to publication, it had 12 possible titles according to Wikipedia. My favorite title considered was “Mondays are Hell.” So very true. When Moonraker was first published in the United States, it was titled “Too Hot To Handle.” Parts of the text were also Americanized. Thankfully this edition was not. I don’t think we need to be saved from the “knave of hearts” now, do we?

Here are the vital statistics and description for the audiobook from Blackstone Audio’s website:

Released: 2001

Available Formats: 6 CSs, 1 MP3 CD, 1 Playaway and 5 Tapes

Length: 6 hours and 8 minutes long

Description: When James Bond is asked to settle a dispute over “ungentlemanly behavior” at an exclusive gambling club, the affair is embarrassing in the extreme, for the accused is the unimpeachable Sir Hugo Drax: business tycoon, popular hero, patriot extraordinaire, and head of the multimillion-dollar Moonraker missile program on which Britain’s future defense depends.

Soon, however, the “affair of honor” takes on a somewhat more serious tone as Bond finds out the bizarre and terrifying truth about Drax and Moonraker, a truth that could not only prove fatal for Agent 007 and his beautiful companion but could mean the deaths of millions.

We had a wonderful viewing party. Simon Vance joined us once again. The film was a lot of cheesy fun. If you publish a review of Moonraker, add your link to Mr. Linky below.

Twitter Party Tips and Tricks

After our first Twitter party last month, I thought it might be a good idea to write a post about tips and tricks for participating in a Twitter party.

1. You need a Twitter account: Creating a Twitter account is a pretty straight forward process. You need:
• A unique handle (name). For example, my twitter handle is lithousewife. When you first sign up, Twitter will provide some suggested handles or you can come up with your own.
• You’ll need to provide your full name. There’s no verification of this, so enter what you wish.
• You’ll need to provide a valid email address. Twitter will send a confirmation email, so be sure to provide an address to which you have access.
• You will need a password as well.
• Once you’ve verified everything, you’ll be able to write your first tweet.
2. Using Private Twitter accounts: If you have a private Twitter account, only those people you’ve granted access can see your tweets, even if you use the #shakennotstirred hashtag. If you have a private Twitter account, you have two options to participate:
• Allow all #shakennotstirred participants to follow you. I’m assuming that if you have a private account you have reasons for setting it up that way. While I’d be happy to be an approved follower, you might find the second option easier.
• Create a new open Twitter account just for #shakennotstirred. This is probably the easiest option. Another advantage is that you won’t clog your existing followers’ timelines with your #shakennotstirred comments.
3. Use TweetChat: Depending upon the number of people you follow, keeping up with everyone’s comments even with a hashtag search can be difficult with a traditional Twitter application. What makes TweetChat great is that you can identify a hashtag  and see only those tweets using that hashtag. Even better, when you sign in to TweetChat and enter #shakennotstirred, all of your tweets from TweetChat will automatically have the hashtag. You don’t have to type it in yourself. I find that to be very convenient. To use TweetChat to send tweets, you need to sign in using your Twitter account.

Those are the most important things you need to know in order to participate in a Twitter party. I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email or leave a comment to this post.

See you Saturday!

Request Your Live and Let Die DVD

Just a reminder. Netflix no longer has James Bond films streaming. Be sure to request your copy of Live and Let Die for the Twitter party on Saturday, July 23rd. Looking forward to it!

Live and Let Die ~ July 2011

The Shaken, Not Stirred Reading Challenge continues this month with Live and Let Die. This is the second Bond novel written by Ian Fleming. Per Wikipedia, this novel was originally titled The Undertaker’s Wind and it was meant to be more serious than Casino Royale, dealing with the nature of evil.

It was first published by Jonathon Cape in April 5, 1954 and it’s film adaptation in 1973 marked the introduction of Roger Moore as James Bond. Live and Let Die, the eighth official film, is loosely based on this novel and major plot elements from this novel are incorporated into the films For Your Eyes Only and Licensed to Kill.

This book features my personal favorite cover. All good Bond girls know where to place their cards.  It also features a theme song. As someone new to the Bond series, this song is what I associate with most. The original is from Paul McCartney and Wings (the video has fireworks, making it appropriate for my American participants today):

As a child of the 80s, I adore the cover of “Live and Let Die” performed by Guns N’ Roses:

Here are the vital statistics and description for the audiobook from Blackstone Audio’s website:

Released: August 2000

Available Formats: 6 CSs, 1 MP3 CD, 1 Playaway and 5 Tapes

Length: 6 hours and 8 minutes long

Description: When Agent 007 goes to Harlem, it’s not just for the jazz. Harlem is the kingdom of Mr. Big, voodoo baron and black master of crime. As gold coins from a Jamaican pirate hoard start turning up in pawnshops in Harlem, M suspects the treasure is being used to finance SMERSH activity in America. Agent 007 is sent to New York to uncover the criminal operation of Mr. Big, senior partner in SMERSH’s grim company of death.

Those Mr. Big cannot possess he crushes; those who cross him will meet painful ends, like his beautiful prisoner, Solitaire, and her lover, James Bond. Both are marked as victims in a trail of terror, treachery, and torture that leads from New York’s black underworld to the shark-infested island in the sun that Mr. Big calls his own.

Shaken, Not Stirred Challenge Information

Participants:

Please leave a comment on this post when you’ve finished listening to Live and Let Die. If you’re a blogger, please use Mr. Linky at the end of this post to alert us to your posts and reviews.

Live and Let Die Twitter Party:

The second Shaken, Not Stirred Twitter Party will be held on Saturday, July 23 at 9:30pm EST. The party will begin with a 30 minute discussion about the audiobook followed by watching the movie. We will be using #ShakenNotStirred as the hashtag.

Note: Sony has had the Bond films removed from Netflix Instant Watch (I’m sending SMERSH out now to deal with them). Be sure to allow for time to rent the film ahead of the event.

Blackstone Audio’s 007 Giveaway Winners for July!

Thanks to everyone who left their comments about Casino Royale and participated in the Twitter chat and viewing party.

We had a wonderful evening to say the least. The highlight for me was our conversation about Bond and his views of women. I found it very helpful to hear everyone else’s opinions. I feel as though I understand Bond better as a result. Needless to say, Daniel Craig certainly was a hit.

We have three winners for this month’s Blackstone Audio 007 Giveaway:

Xe Sands
Picky Girl
Poof Books

Congratulations, Bond girls!

Keep a look out in your mailbox for a copy of Live and Let Die autographed by Simon Vance! Enjoy, you lucky ducks! I’d love to see some picks of those prizes.

I will be posting information about  Live and Let Die later this weekend. I hope you can all join in.

Casino Royale Twitter Chat and Viewing Party

I must open this post by admitting to a failure. In my excitement to begin this challenge, I posted the date of 6/30 for the Casino Royale Twitter chat and viewing party. I’m not quite sure where I got this date because my intentions have always been to hold these on Saturday evenings. As it turns out, June 30th is a Thursday.

The easiest solution would be to move it up to Saturday, June 25th. One slight problem, though. I will be out of town that day and may not get back home in time to lead the discussion. I feel terrible about being off our first month. I hope my compromise will work well for everyone.

The Casino Royale  Twitter chat and Viewing Party

• Begins Sunday, June 26th beginning at 9:30pm EST.
• Discussion about the audiobook version of the book narrated by Simon Vance and from Blackstone Audio will begin promptly at 9:30 EST.
• We’ll follow discussion with watching the 2006 version of Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig at 10pm EST.
• Use the hashtag #shakennotstirred to join the discussion.

All those who participate will be entered into a drawing for Blackstone Audio’s July 007 Giveaway featuring our next read, Live and Let Die. I’ll also announce during the chat the special little bonus that has been added to the July prizes.

I will still honor the June 30th date for posting your reviews or leaving your comments about the audiobook on the Casino Royale post until June 30th for those who planned using that date. I’ll be announcing the 007 lucky winners on Friday, July 1st.

This is going to be fun, folks!