The cruelly sophisticated yet boyishly winsome mask of British intelligence agent James Bond (007) conceals the identical mask of Commander Ian Fleming, RNVR. In this collection of frivolous travel articles about thirteen cities around the world ["Thrilling Cities"] …, the fictitious mask is off, but the inner one remains impenetrable. Fleming really tells very little about the essence of his experiences abroad while ostensibly telling all. Nevertheless, for the countless people who enjoy the squeaky-clean, anxiety-free hazards and the smear-proof Playboy sex of the Bond novels, here is a sizable package of raw materials for do-it-yourself escapism….

Ian Fleming's thrilling clichés invoke a feeling of Anglo-Saxon superiority to Abroad and the lesser breeds who live there. Unlike Kipling, however, Fleming condescends without preaching—not, it seems, because of any new-fangled recognition of international moral equality. It is simply that he has nothing to suggest, except that might is still right, make-believe might is better than nothing, and, whatever you do, shake, don't stir, the Martinis…. When he travels, Fleming's attention is focused, he says, "on the bizarre and perhaps the shadier side of life." A melancholy confession.

Although the articles are not new, at the end of each of them a reasonably up-to-date practical guide is appended, listing hotels, restaurants, and other amenities recommended by London Sunday Times correspondents. Some of the expertise seems rather obvious …, but Fleming's sieve is a fine one and he has panned some bright little nuggets of esoterica….