“A refreshingly authentic and engagingly written look at the little known ornithologist behind the iconic name. Ian Fleming could not have written better.” —Pete Dunne, author of Birds of Prey

“Whatever happened to him actually outshines anything I’ve had my James Bond do.” —Ian Fleming

James Bond: author, ornithologist, marksman, and . . . identity-theft victim? Packed with archival photos, many never before published, and interviews with the real James Bond’s colleagues, here is the real story of the pipe-smoking, ruthless ornithologist who introduced the world to the exotic birds of the West Indies.

When James Bond published his landmark book, Birds of the West Indies, he had no idea it would set in motion events that would link him to the most iconic spy in the Western world and turn his life upside down. Born into a wealthy family but cut off in his early twenties, James Bond took off to the West Indies in search of adventure. Armed with arsenic and a shotgun, he took months-long excursions to the Caribbean to collect material for his iconic book, Birds of the West Indies, navigating snake-infested swamps, sleeping in hammocks, and island-hopping on tramp steamers and primitive boats.

This adventure story will captivate armchair travelers, fans of 007, and birdwatchers!

“In the slim and elegant biography The Real James Bond, Jim Wright spills the secrets of Jim Bond.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Wonderfully researched, full of surprises, and written with zip and panache.” —Matthew Parker, author of Goldeneye: Where Bond Was Born: Ian Fleming’s Jamaica