Bond "had a small but comfortable flat off the King's Road, an elderly Scottish housekeeper - a treasure called Mary - and a 1930 4 ½ -litre Bentley coupe, supercharged, which he kept expertly tuned so that he could do a hundred when he wanted to. On these things he spent all his money and it was his ambition to have as little as possible when he was killed, as, when he was depressed, he knew he would be, before the statutory age of forty-five." Chapter 1, p. 11.

"The hint of criticism came from the Puritan and the Jesuit who live in all leaders of men." Chapter 2, p. 17.

"to become very rich you have to be helped by a combination of remarkable circumstances and an unbroken run of luck. It certainly isn't only the qualities of people that make them rich." Chapter 5, p. 60.

"Nearly every night for more than a hundred and...