A comprehensive online resource about writer Len Deighton

_{News about Deighton - 1}

15 October - publication of next four re-issues of Deighton's novels

Following the reissuing of the first four books in Harper Collins programme of reissues to mark Len Deighton's 80th birthday - SSGB, XPD, Goodbye Mickey Mouse and Bomber - October sees the publication of his first four novels, the 'spy with no named' novels The Ipcress File, Horse Under Water, Funeral in Berlin and Billion Dollar Brain. Each contains a new introduction by Deighton, but the real pleasure will be the new front cover designs by his friend Arnold Schwartzman, who accepted the challenge of following the iconic designs of Raymond Hawkey on the originals. Already confirmed to me by Harper Collins are plans for a reissue on Father's Day or Berlin Game, Mexico Set and London Match. Arnold Schwartzman informs me that he has a concept in mind for the front cover.

13 August - Quentin Tarantino drops hints

Auteur and enfant terrible of modern cinema Quentin Tarantino has dropped a big hint in press briefings for his new movie - Inglourious Basterds - that he's giving serious consideration to filming Game, Set and Match. This article in The Guardian gives some more details. Seems he's not got beyond the mulling stage yet - and Tarantino's notorious for talking up a movie idea, but less good about getting them delivered - but it's still intriguing, particularly because it was filmed once as an ITV mini-series.

19 June - Robert Ryan in GQ on Deighton's influence

In an article entitled 'Literary super agent', UK thriller writer Robert Ryan "reopens the dossier on one of the UK's most gifted criminal minds" [sound like he's been reading this website, perhaps?]. Beginning with the recent 'rumours' of a possible awarding of the Cartier Diamond Dagger Award to the notoriously award-shy Len Deighton, and the news subsequently through Shots magazine that any award would be declined, he reports on the accolade of Harper Collins' reissuing of all of Deighton's key works this summer. He waxes lyrical about his espionage stories and cites that he owes a lot to Deighton in his own writing.

18 June - John Walsh on Action Cook Book

The Independent's literary editor and UK author John Walsh looks at why the Action Cook Book is his favourite of Deighton's books, which is an example of his "ahead-of-the-loop sophistication".

9 May - The Action Cook Book is back

The first reissue as part of the 80th birthday celebrations for Len Deighton is his Action Cook Book. Reproduced in hard back, it brings to a new modern audience the delights of his cookstrip style which for the first time arguably gave men a proper introduction to the kitchen and the culinary delights awaiting them. In the new foreword, Deighton describes the book thus: "of all the books I have written none of them is dearer to me or more personal than this one."

(c) R Mallows 2009