Len Deighton bibliography

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Len Deighton (born 18 February 1929) is an English author known for his novels, works of military history, screenplays and cookery writing. He had a varied career, including as a pastry cook, waiter, co-editor of a magazine, teacher and air steward before writing his first novel in 1962: The IPCRESS File . [1] [2] He continued to produce what his biographer John Reilly considers "stylish, witty, well-crafted novels" in spy fiction, [3] including three trilogies and a prequel featuring Bernard Samson. [4] [lower-alpha 1]

Contents

Deighton authored two television scripts, the first of which was Long Past Glory in 1963; he also wrote a film script, Oh! What a Lovely War (1969). His long-held interest in cooking—his mother had been a professional chef and instilled a love for cuisine in her son—led to an illustrated cookery column in the Sunday newspaper, The Observer , for two years. The work was collected into two later books, Len Deighton's Action Cook Book and Où est le garlic (both 1965); he subsequently wrote several other cookery books. [5] Deighton has produced several other works of non-fiction, including a study of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, a history of the airship, Second World War military history and a short e-book about James Bond. [6] [7]

Novels

The novels of Len Deighton
Title [1] [8] [9] Year of first
publication		First edition publisher
(All London)
The IPCRESS File 1962 Hodder & Stoughton
Horse Under Water 1963 Jonathan Cape
Funeral in Berlin 1964 Jonathan Cape
Billion-Dollar Brain 1966 Jonathan Cape
An Expensive Place to Die [lower-alpha 2] 1967 Jonathan Cape
Only When I Larf 1967Privately printed [lower-alpha 3]
Bomber 1970 Jonathan Cape
Close-Up1972 Jonathan Cape
Spy Story 1974 Jonathan Cape
Yesterday's Spy1975 Jonathan Cape
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Spy1976 Jonathan Cape
SS-GB 1978 Jonathan Cape
XPD 1981 Hutchinson
Goodbye, Mickey Mouse 1982 Hutchinson
Berlin Game 1983 Hutchinson
Mexico Set 1984 Hutchinson
London Match 1985 Hutchinson
Winter 1987 Hutchinson
Spy Hook 1988 Hutchinson
Spy Line 1989 Hutchinson
Spy Sinker 1990 Hutchinson
MAMista 1991 Random House
City of Gold1991 Random House
Violent Ward1993 HarperCollins
Faith 1994 HarperCollins
Hope 1995 HarperCollins
Charity 1996 HarperCollins

Miscellaneous

Several of Deighton's works have been adapted for screen: the films The Ipcress File (1965), [12] Funeral in Berlin (1966), [13] Billion Dollar Brain (1967) [14] and Spy Film (1976). [15] In 1988 Granada Television produced the miniseries Game, Set and Match based on his trilogy of the same name. [16]

Miscellaneous works of Len Deighton
Title [17] [18] Year of first
publication		First edition publisher
(London, unless otherwise stated)		Notes
Long Past Glory1963–Television script [19]
Len Deighton's Cookstrips1963 –1965 The Observer Weekly cookery strip [20] [21]
Drinkmanship1964 Haymarket Press As editor
Oh! What a Lovely War 1969–Film script; Deighton requested that he not be given screen credit for his work. [22]
Declarations of War1971 Jonathan Cape Short stories
How to be a Pregnant Father1977 Macmillan Publishers Book by Peter Mayle; Deighton provided the chapter "The Pregnant Father's Cookbook"
It Must Have Been Two Other Fellows1977–Television script [3]
Tactical Genius in Battle1979 Phaidon Press Book by Simon Goodenough; Deighton acted as editor and provided the introduction
The Adventure of the Priory School1985Santa Teresa Press, Santa Barbara, CAIntroduction only; original work by Arthur Conan Doyle. This edition was published for copyright purposes; limited to 25 copies
Pests1994Chris Martin, Mansfield Woodhouse, NottsA limited edition of 226 copies
Sherlock Holmes and the Titanic Swindle2006 Crippen & Landru, Norfolk, VAA short story included in The Detection Club anthology The Verdict of Us All, edited by Peter Lovesey [23]

Non-fiction

Non-fiction works of Len Deighton
Title [1] [8] [9] Year of first
publication		First edition publisher
(London, unless otherwise stated)		Notes
Len Deighton's Action Cook Book 1965 Jonathan Cape
Où est le garlic1965 Penguin Books
The Assassination of President Kennedy1967 Jonathan Cape Co-written with M Rand and H Lockston
Len Deighton's London Dossier1967 Jonathan Cape
Continental Dossier1968Michael Joseph
Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain 1977 Jonathan Cape
Airshipwreck1978 Jonathan Cape with Arnold Schwartzman
Blitzkrieg: From the Rise of Hitler to the Fall of Dunkirk 1979 Jonathan Cape
Basic French Cooking1979 Jonathan Cape
Battle of Britain1980 Jonathan Cape
The Orient Flight1980 Germany Philatelic Society, Chesterfield, MOAs "Cyril Deighton"; with Fred Blau
The Egypt Flight1981 Germany Philatelic Society, Chesterfield, MOAs "Cyril Deighton"; with Fred Blau
ABC of French Food1989 Century
Basic French Cookery Course1990 Century
Blood, Tears and Folly 1993 Jonathan Cape
James Bond: My Long and Eventful Search for His Father2012 Amazon Kindle In e-book format only [7]

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ↑ The ten books are:
    The prequel, published in 1987, is Winter . [4]
  2. ↑ First edition came with a wallet of fictional secret documents [10]
  3. ↑ Private printed edition of 150 copies is the first true edition; the public edition came in 1968, published through Michael Joseph. Deighton was also a co-producer of the film version of the novel. [11] [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>The IPCRESS File</i> Spy novel

The IPCRESS File is Len Deighton's first spy novel, published in 1962. The story involves Cold War brainwashing, includes scenes in Lebanon and on an atoll for a United States atomic weapon test, as well as information about Joe One, the Soviet Union's first atomic bomb. The story was made into a film in 1965 produced by Harry Saltzman, directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Michael Caine; and a 2022 TV series, starring Joe Cole, Lucy Boynton and Tom Hollander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spy film</span> Film genre

The spy film, also known as the spy thriller, is a genre of film that deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as a basis for fantasy. Many novels in the spy fiction genre have been adapted as films, including works by John Buchan, le Carré, Ian Fleming (Bond) and Len Deighton. It is a significant aspect of British cinema, with leading British directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Carol Reed making notable contributions and many films set in the British Secret Service.

Leonard Cyril Deighton is a British author. His publications have included cookery books and works on history, but he is best known for his spy novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Palmer</span> Fictional secret agent

Harry Palmer is the name given to the anti-hero protagonist of several films based on spy novels written by Len Deighton, in which the main character is an unnamed intelligence officer. For convenience, the novels are also often referred to as the "Harry Palmer" novels.

<i>Funeral in Berlin</i> Book by Len Deighton

Funeral in Berlin is a 1964 spy novel by Len Deighton set between Saturday 5 October and Sunday 10 November 1963. It was the third of Deighton's novels about an unnamed British agent. It was preceded by The IPCRESS File (1962) and Horse Under Water (1963), and followed by Billion-Dollar Brain (1966).

<i>Billion-Dollar Brain</i> 1966 novel by Len Deighton

Billion-Dollar Brain is a 1966 Cold War spy novel by Len Deighton. It was the fourth to feature an unnamed secret agent working for the British WOOC(P) intelligence agency. It follows The IPCRESS File (1962), Horse Under Water (1963), and Funeral in Berlin (1964). As in most of Deighton's novels, the plot of Billion Dollar Brain (1967) is intricate, with many dead ends.

<i>Horse Under Water</i> Book by Len Deighton

Horse Under Water (1963) is the second of several Len Deighton spy novels featuring an unnamed British intelligence officer. It was preceded by The IPCRESS File and followed by Funeral in Berlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tío Pepe</span> Brand of sherry

Tío Pepe is a brand of Sherry. It is best known for its fino style of dry sherry made from the palomino grape. The Tío Pepe brand is owned by the González Byass Sherry house.

<i>Berlin Game</i> 1983 spy novel by Len Deighton

Berlin Game is a 1983 spy novel by Len Deighton. It is the first novel in the first of three trilogies about Bernard Samson, a middle-aged intelligence officer working for the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). Berlin Game is part of the Game, Set and Match trilogy, being succeeded by Mexico Set and London Match, and followed by the Hook, Line and Sinker trilogy and the final Faith, Hope and Charity trilogy. Deighton's novel Winter (1987) is a prequel to the nine novels, covering the years 1900-1945 and providing the backstory to some of the characters.

<i>Spy Sinker</i> 1990 spy novel by Len Deighton

Spy Sinker is a 1990 spy novel by Len Deighton. It is the final novel in the second of three trilogies about Bernard Samson, a middle-aged and somewhat jaded intelligence officer working for the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). Spy Sinker is part of the Hook, Line and Sinker trilogy, being preceded by Spy Hook and Spy Line. This trilogy is preceded by the Game, Set and Match trilogy and followed by the final Faith, Hope and Charity trilogy. Deighton's novel Winter (1987) is a prequel to the nine novels, covering the years 1900-1945 and providing the backstory to some of the characters.

The Ipcress File may refer to:

<i>The Ipcress File</i> (film) 1965 British spy film by Sidney J. Furie

The Ipcress File is a 1965 British spy film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Michael Caine. The screenplay, by Bill Canaway and James Doran, was based on Len Deighton's novel The IPCRESS File (1962). It received a BAFTA award for the Best British film released in 1965. In 1999, it was included at number 59 on the BFI list of the 100 best British films of the 20th century.

Raymond John Hawkey was an English graphic designer and author, based in London.

<i>Bullet to Beijing</i> 1995 television film directed by George Mihalka

Bullet to Beijing is a 1995 made-for-television film that continues the adventures of the fictional spy Harry Palmer, who appeared in the 1960s films The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin and Billion Dollar Brain, based on books by author Len Deighton. Though an alternative title is Len Deighton's Bullet to Beijing, Deighton was not associated with the film.

<i>Spy Story</i> (novel) Espionage novel by Len Deighton

Spy Story is a 1974 spy novel by Len Deighton, which features minor characters from his earlier novels The IPCRESS File, Funeral in Berlin, Horse Under Water, and Billion Dollar Brain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colonel Ross</span> Fictional character

Colonel H. L. Ross is a fictional character from the series of novels by Len Deighton variously described as the "Secret File" or "Unnamed hero" novels. His first names are not revealed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cookstrip</span>

Cookstrips are recipes drawn as black and white graphics with short instructions. They were invented by Len Deighton while studying at the Royal College of Art in the 1950s. Deighton, who is a keen cook, originally drew the cookstrips as instructions to himself in order to keep his expensive cookbooks from becoming dirty in his kitchen.

"I’m very messy, and didn’t want to take them into the kitchen. So I wrote out the recipes on paper, and it was easier for me to draw three eggs than write ‘three eggs’. So I drew three eggs, then put in an arrow. For me it was a natural way to work."

Len Deighton's Action Cook Book is a 1965 collection of cookery strips originally published in the Observer newspaper, with additional information and notes. Aimed at "an audience of men unskilled at knowing their way around the kitchen", the book has been described as a cult classic from the period and helped pave the transition from cooking being only for women, into being a sophisticated expectation of a modern man.

<i>The Ipcress File</i> (TV series) 2022 British spy thriller television series

The Ipcress File is a British cold war spy thriller television series loosely based on the 1962 novel The IPCRESS File by Len Deighton. Written by John Hodge and directed by James Watkins, it stars Joe Cole, Lucy Boynton and Tom Hollander. It was first broadcast at 9pm from Sunday 6 March to 10 April 2022 on ITV. The entire series was available for streaming, with commercials, on ITV Hub after episode 1 was broadcast. Within a week the full series was also available, commercial-free, on BritBox in the UK.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Len Deighton". Contemporary Authors . Gale. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.(subscription required)
  2. ↑ Jackson & Gwilliam 1999, p. 4.
  3. 1 2 Reilly 1980, p. 449.
  4. 1 2 Jackson & Gwilliam 1999, pp. 6–8.
  5. ↑ Jackson & Gwilliam 1999, pp. 6, 11, 14.
  6. ↑ Jackson & Gwilliam 1999, pp. 10–12.
  7. 1 2 Burton 2016, p. 121.
  8. 1 2 Jackson & Gwilliam 1999, pp. 16–17.
  9. 1 2 Brown 1987, p. 12.
  10. 1 2 Jackson & Gwilliam 1999, p. 16.
  11. ↑ "Only When I Larf". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  12. ↑ "The Ipcress File (1965)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  13. ↑ "Funeral in Berlin (1966)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  14. ↑ "Billion Dollar Brain (1967)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  15. ↑ "Spy Story (1976)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  16. ↑ "Game, Set and Match (1988)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  17. ↑ Jackson & Gwilliam 1999, p. 17.
  18. ↑ Milward-Oliver 1987, pp. 27–29.
  19. ↑ "Long Past Glory (1963)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  20. ↑ Stummer, Robin (14 December 2014). "Len Deighton's Observer cookstrips, Michael Caine and the 1960s". The Observer. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  21. ↑ Walsh, John (17 June 2009). "A taste of the action: Len Deighton's cult Sixties' cookbook is back". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  22. ↑ "Oh! What a Lovely War". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  23. ↑ "The Verdict of us All". Kirkus Reviews . 20 May 2010. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.

Sources

  • Brown, Geoffrey (February 1987). "The Thrillers and Spy Novels of Len Deighton". The Book and Magazine Collector (35). Diamond Publishing Group.
  • Burton, Alan (2016). Historical Dictionary of British Spy Fiction. London: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   978-1-4422-5587-6.
  • Jackson, Crispin; Gwilliam, Graham (March 1999). "Len Deighton: The Master Thriller Writer Turns Seventy". The Book and Magazine Collector (180). Diamond Publishing Group.
  • Milward-Oliver, Edward (1987). The Len Deighton Companion. London: Grafton. ISBN   978-0-586-07000-0.
  • Reilly, John M (1980). Twentieth Century Crime & Mystery Writers. London: Macmillan. ISBN   978-1-349-81366-7.

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