Superspy Science

May 23, 2022
Chemist Harkup (A Is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie) analyzes the plausible and implausible parts of the James Bond canon in this breezy and amusing outing. As Harkup compares what’s appeared on screen with the workings of the real world, she covers such topics as poisons, firearms, deadly animals, diamonds, and bioterrorism. She uses a classic scene in Goldfinger, in which the eponymous villain plans to use a laser to shoot Bond between the legs, to explain how lasers were invented and how the film’s special effects team made the prop version work on-screen (by adding red light when the camera couldn’t pick up on the real thing). A murder from Thunderball is a jumping-off point to explore the chemistry involved in using an aerosol spray to kill just one person and spare bystanders (it’s “not as far-fetched as you might think”). Doses of humor keep the tone light (“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Bond villain in possession of a plan for world domination must be in want of a lair”), and though there’s some filler—the chapter on the changing role of women in the films feels out of place—overall, Harkup succeeds at being both entertaining and informative. This is catnip for Bond fanatics.

Starred review from July 1, 2022

Countless books have been written about the James Bond movie franchise, but Harkup (A Is for Arsenic) takes a unique approach by focusing on the science behind these films and the real-world rationale of the endless gadgets and the high-concept plans of Bond villains. Dealing with the films in chronological order (from 1962's Dr. No to 2021's No Time To Die), Harkup explores Goldfinger's laser, the poisoned blade in Rosa Klebb's shoe, the structural merits of a golden gun, and the anatomical reasons that made Casino Royale's knotted rope torture so painful. The former chemist's most intriguing chapter may be on the cyanide capsules so often referenced in Bond films (memorably featured in Skyfall). Throughout her well-structured book, Harkup also explores the backstory of the "James Bond" character, who underwent several dramatic changes with each of the seven actors who portrayed him. Harkup specializes in this kind of study, having already penned successful books on poisons in Agatha Christie and means of death in Shakespeare. She has a true skill for turning complicated ideas into easily digestible and endlessly fascinating reading. VERDICT An entertaining, page-turning, sure-fire hit with all fans of 007.--Peter Thornell

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