"Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang the Magical Car" Book 1964 Fleming, Ian

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FLEMING, Ian

[114] pp.

Random House

1964

Illustrated by John Burningham

Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car is a children's story written … Read more FLEMING, Ian

[114] pp.

Random House

1964

Illustrated by John Burningham

Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car is a children's story written by Ian Fleming and illustrated by John Burningham. It was initially published in three volumes, the first of which was released on 22 October 1964 by Jonathan Cape, before being published as one book. The story concerns the exploits of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang—a car with hidden powers and abilities—and its owners, the Pott family.

Fleming, better known as the creator of James Bond, took his inspiration for the subject from a series of aero-engined racing cars called "Chitty Bang Bang", built by Louis Zborowski in the early 1920s. Fleming wrote the book while convalescing after a major heart attack; he had created the story as a bedtime story for his son, Caspar. Although Fleming wanted The Daily Mail cartoonist Trog—the pseudonym of Wally Fawkes—as the book's illustrator, the newspaper did not allow him to work on the project, so Burningham was commissioned. Fleming did not live to see Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang published; he died of a heart attack on 11 August 1964 and the book was published two months later. See less