‘For a character widely considered the embodiment of heterosexual masculinity, a book with a title like Bond, Queer Bond – The Fabulous Other History of a Spy could be seen as a provocation to more delicate minds – both shaking and stirring. But this alternative account of one of Britain’s biggest cultural icons should “enhance, not detract”, argues its author Mark O’Connell. And so he does.‘
‘There is a fascinating discussion of how queer culture intersects with this ostensibly straight icon: how both Sean Connery and Roger Moore started their careers as beefcake models, often for “thinly veiled publications for gay markets”, and how queer parodies were there from 007’s start.’
‘Bond, Queer Bond is about more about marking the parallel history of queer contributions to England’s greatest spy.’
‘A cast of interviewees and a rich bed of research tells the story… this case is laid out like a witty, moving, affectionate thesis. “This book exists because queer history exists”, O’Connell writes, “and that includes the chronicle of the openly straight James Bond.’
‘You may think that you’ve read every history of James Bond, but this highly original, well-argued account shines a new light on an old spy. Oh James!’
★★★★ | EMPIRE, July 2026
‘Could the next Bond actually be queer? The question hangs over the franchise as it works towards Bond 26. So far, queerness in the films has been a punchline or a deleted scene. Diamonds are Forever gave us a pair of camp henchmen. Skyfall let Javier Bardem’s Silva flirt with Daniel Craig’s Bond for one scene that fans still talk about. That has been the ceiling.
Broccoli has said repeatedly that Bond is and will remain a straight man, even as the search for the next 007 has fuelled speculation about a more reflective version of the character. O’Connell’s book does not demand a canonically gay Bond. It argues something more useful. The queer talent that built 007 deserves to be visible, and the franchise has been built on that talent the whole time.’
‘There’s a rich queer history of 007 that’s largely been hidden from plain sight, one that’s part of the very fabric of the tuxedo he famously wears and so much more. All we needed was for someone to pull at that thread.
‘In his new book Bond, Queer Bond – The Fabulous Other Story Of A Spy, author Mark O’Connell does just that. It’s a thrilling journey through the colorful collection of queer individuals who in some way helped shape the man we still fawn over today—the writers, directors & editors, the artists & illustrators, the singers & songwriters, and even Truman Capote!—which in turn examines the myriad ways Bond has impacted queer culture, too.’
‘A lifelong devotee, O’Connell writes with wit and charm as he connects the gay dots in this wide world of espionage, while also incorporating the voices of both its creators (like longtime series shepherd Barbara Broccoli & composer David Arnold) and super-fans (like out actor Mark Gatiss & drag royalty Peaches Christ).’
‘Those already familiar with 007 lore will delight in seeing a whole new side of their beloved spy, but anyone can appreciate the way the book illuminates the stories of how queer people have so thoroughly influenced popular culture at large, even if they’ve been behind-the-scenes—or undercover.’
‘In this ambitious, potentially complex, often moving and highly engrossing book, Mark O’Connell skillfully guides the reader through the lives of the queer talents that have played a pivotal role in the world of Bond, and beyond…’
‘The book is structurally clever, delivering an opening chapter ‘pre-title sequence’ exploring both The Trials Of Oscar Wilde (1960) and Cubby Broccoli…’
‘This is an intricate feat of storytelling. Throughout O’Connell writes with clarity and élan…’
‘There are lovely design touches. The illustrations accompanying each chapter title, and the author’s prolific use of his own photography throughout the book – including an eight-page colour section – further enhances its originality. The Bond books and movies are all the richer for what the author describes as the ‘queer DNA of a cultural icon…’’
