Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Ian Fleming at the early age of 56 after suffering a heart attack brought about by a lifetime of heavy smoking and drinking.
![The James Bond Books - a variety of paperback editions](http://www.thejamesbonddossier.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/james-bond-books.jpg)
Without Fleming our lives would be far poorer, as without him Bond would never have been born. Whether you are a fan of the books, or just love the film series that the books brought about, I invite you at some point today to lift your glass and drink a toast to the memory of Ian Fleming.
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