Synopsis:
In À Bientôt, delivered, along with his own hand-drawn sketches, to his publisher mere days before he passed away, Roger looks back on his life—and gives it his trademark sideways glance. Nostalgic, funny, charming and, most importantly, very human, his reflections on age and aging encompass all aspects of this universal experience, from reminiscences on childhood and “what might have been;” keeping abreast of the everchanging times; senior moments, memory and getting to grips with technology; the joys—and frustrations—of travel; work and play.
Along with these he tells of the intense happiness—and some equally intense sadnesses—of family life. Featuring his own sketches throughout, this book sees Roger at his most open and forthright. The true stories and situations he shares in this warm and intimate book reveal a “Bond unbound,” the human being inside the action-adventure character that made him so famous the world over. Always upbeat and—as ever—endearingly self-effacing and unpretentious, he shares the joys he experienced every day along with the tiny triumphs that life brings to us all at the most unexpected times
A Brief History:
I have been a fan of Roger Moore’s work on the big and small screen for most of my life. Whether it was as The Saint, James Bond, or even in “Boat Trip,” Moore was always great. But over the last few years, my attention was turned from his acting, to his books.
In fact, some of my favorite books over the last few years have been written by Roger Moore. So being a fan of Mr. Moore, there was no way I was going to pass on his final book, “Roger Moore: À Bientôt . . .”
My Thoughts:
If you’re expecting a play by-play account of Moore’s time as James Bond, you’re out of luck. This time, Roger Moore focuses more on family, relationships, and some fun stories he had before, during, and after his time as 007. In this book Moore writes quite a bit about his wife Kristina, his kids, and the res of his family. I would say “Roger Moore: À Bientôt . . .” is easily the most personal book Moore wrote.
Throughout the book, Moore has these interludes he called “What if,” which detail roles he passed on, or missed out on. I don’t want to spoil any of these stories, but I will say that many of them were fascinating, and thought-provoking. A few of these “What If” moments left me wondering what might have been, or what we might have missed out on if Roger Moore had chosen a different path during his long career. And at least one “What if” left me scratching my head wondering how Roger Moore would have been in that particular role.
Final word and score:
It saddens me that “Roger Moore: À Bientôt . . .” is the last book I’ll ever read by Roger Moore. I’m going to miss reading his funny stories about something that happened to him at airports, or as he got older, or something took place at home with his wife Kristina. But most of all I’m going to miss his wit.
As sad as his passing was, I have to admit “Roger Moore: À Bientôt . . .” was a perfect way to end. This is one of those rare books that I will definitely read again, and again. So thank you Roger Moore for the fun 007 movies, the Saint, and all the great laughs your books always brought.
“Roger Moore: À Bientôt . . .” score: A+