'The Incredible World of Spy-fi: Wild and Crazy Spy Gadgets, Props, and Artifacts from TV and the Movies'Another great bargain-bin discovery at Half-Price Books, 'The Incredible World of Spy-Fi' was actually published in 2004 ('missed it by that much')...but the treasures within are totally timeless. Anybody who reads this blog knows that i'm a total horror/sci-fi geek when it comes to film/TV, but the 'spy' genre is equally important in the molecular structure of my geekdom. I bonded (pun not totally intended) w/ my Dad over all the 007 flicks and even read a healthy handful of Ian Fleming's books in my youth.
That said, luckily, the level of geekdom displayed by author Danny Biederman is unparalleled and we have a blast of a book as a result. Biederman has been immersed in the world of international espionage (at least as Hollywood depicts it) from the time of his youth in the 1960s, when he was introduced to a world of 'spies, gadgets, adventure, and beautiful women - everything that a ten-year-old boy could possibly want.' Since then, he has collected over 4,000 props from various sets, amassing such an impressive bunch of artifacts that the CIA asked him to exhibit it at its HQ in 2000.
This book tells the story of each film and TV series through Biederman’s props, with both historical perspective and (often funny) personal anecdotes (his search for his 'holy grail,' the cigarette-pack transmitter from U.N.C.L.E., is fantastic) thrown in for good measure. Great stuff from James Bond, 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.', 'Mission Impossible', 'The Wild Wild West', 'I Spy' and even Maxwell Smart's shoe phone/Austin Powers glasses are all represented (to name a few).
With over 200 color images from this vast collection and insight offered up from such a fanatic, this is a must-have for anybody who even remotely digs the genre. Like I said, I got it for a steal and it's available on most of online retailers, new and used. Check it out.
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