Read about another entry on the list.James Bond from Casino Royale
Notes an LA Review of Books article discussing Bond's psychopathic tendencies, Ian Fleming's Thunderball kicks off with Bond harshly criticizing himself, acting fidgety and destructive, all because he's feeling a little bored. This need for excitement, cited by Psychology Today as a symptom of psychopathy, is characteristic of the Bond from books. He's a classic misogynist, and seems to view potential bedfellows as tasks to complete rather than individuals. But he's suave, handsome, and daring, and so difficult to dislike. Seven positive attributes of well-socialized psychopaths are outlined in a book titled called The Wisdom of Psychopaths; they are ruthlessness, charm, focus, mental toughness, fearlessness, mindfulness and action, and Bond embodies all of them.
Quote:"When she had failed once or twice to respond to some conversational gambit or other, Bond also relapsed into silence and occupied himself with his own gloomy thoughts."
Casino Royale also made Lee Child's list of six favorite debut novels, Danny Wallace's six best books list, Mary Horlock's list of the five best psychos in fiction, John Mullan's list of ten of the best floggings in fiction, Meg Rosoff's top 10 adult books for teenagers list, and Peter Millar's critic's chart of top spy books.
--Marshal Zeringue
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