SKU: 26216010657

"You Asked For It (Casino Royale)" 1955 FLEMING, Ian

Sale price$225.00 Regular price$250.00
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $62.50 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 23 - Aug 28

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

"You Asked For It (Casino Royale)" 1955 FLEMING, IanFLEMING, Ian[128] pp. Popular Library19556 7 8" x 4 3 8"You Asked for It was simply the title given to the very first U. S. paperback version of Casino Royale, the book that introduced British super spy James Bond, Agent 007, to the world. The original hardcover edition was brought out in Great Britain back in 1953 by publisher Jonathan Cape. Two years later, though, when New York based American Popular Library arranged to release a cheaper, softcover

FLEMING, Ian

[128] pp.

Popular Library

1955

6 7/8" x 4 3/8"

You Asked for It was simply the title given to the very first U.S. paperback version of Casino Royale, the book that introduced British super-spy James Bond, Agent 007, to the world.

The original hardcover edition was brought out in Great Britain back in 1953 by publisher Jonathan Cape. Two years later, though, when New York-based American Popular Library arranged to release a cheaper, softcover version in the States, the company’s marketing geniuses griped that the name Casino Royale wasn’t sufficiently saleable. (“Apparently, it was feared that American readers would not be able to pronounce ‘Royale,’” quips a piece at CommanderBond.net). They wanted something different, a replacement that was more in keeping with the tough-guy stories then flooding U.S. bookstores. “Fleming’s suggestions for a new title, The Double-O Agent and The Deadly Gamble, were disregarded, “in favor of You Asked The novel was subtitled ‘Casino Royale’ and made reference to secret agent 007 as ‘Jimmy Bond’ on the back cover” (left). Did the Popular Library honchos really believe 007 needed such a nickname to appeal to often folksier Yankee readers?*

CommanderBond.net calls the You Asked for It front “a wonderful piece of Bondamania. ... [I]ts illustrated cover features an alluring Vesper Lynd with a leering ‘Jimmy’ pouring a drink. The spine of the book reads, ‘She played a man’s game with a woman’s weapon.’ One would hardly recognize this book as an adventure of the suave sophisticated 007 of today. This remains a very scarce book, and one that is passionately sought after by Bond fans.

So who painted You Asked for It’s pulpish jacket? Well, there’s a mystery for you. According to novelist Bill Crider, who owns a copy of the paperback, “There’s absolutely no signature on that cover, nor is there any credit given to the artist on the inside.” Hoping for a more definitive answer, and because he’s been helpful to me before in solving this sort of puzzle, I dashed off an e-mail inquiry to Art Scott, the co-author of a comprehensive illustrated bibliography, The Paperback Covers of Robert McGinnis (2001), and a contributor to a forthcoming book from Donald M. Grant about McGinnis’ portraits of women. Alas, he couldn’t identify the artist here either. “[B]ut my best guess,” Scott wrote, “would be Ray Johnson, who did a lot of Pop [Library] covers in that era, and it looks like his style.” Johnson’s other works include the fronts of The World in the Evening, by Christopher Isherwood (1955); Mr. Trouble, by William Ard (1956); Love in Suburbia, by John Conway (1960); This Is My Night, by Richard Deming (1961); and Some Die Hard, by Nick Quarry (1961).

Fortunately, the rebranding of Fleming’s debut thriller was short-lived. Popular Library’s You Asked for It (released in April 1955) was the only edition to carry that title. Signet Books picked up the U.S. rights to the James Bond novels after 1960 and restored the Casino Royale name.
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 26216010657

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.7 ★★★★★
Based on 17 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
L
Verified Purchase
Ladyshell
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
First ball was great!
Color: Black Green, Size: 8 Inch
This ball was great! My dog loves it. I ordered another smaller one. It had no pump and the inside was separated from the outside piece so it couldn’t be pumped up.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2026
A
Verified Purchase
AMM
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Fun and durable
Color: Flag, Size: 6 Inch, Color: Flag, Size: 6 Inch
I have a 5 month old teething Whippet puppy and this toy is a favorite. She loves carrying it around by the straps, playing tug, and trying to chew it. I think it’s pretty tough and durable for someone her size. I could see how a shepherd might destroy it quickly, though. I was surprised to find you have to inflate it, but the pump and needles are included and it hasn’t lost any air over several days of rough play. (I kick it and toss it to her. We tug with the straps. She carries it everywhere.) The material feels like a heavy duty soccer ball, just smaller. It’s the perfect size for her. I’d definitely buy it again.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2026
L
Verified Purchase
Leo
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 4
It's a (smaller) soccer ball with nylon straps. Will no last long for aggressive chewers.
Color: Black Green, Size: 8 Inch
As the item title states, it's a soccer ball with straps. It feels like a soccer ball, but smaller and doesn't make any noises. The 8 inch size just right for my 50 lb dog. He can't get his mouth around the ball, but can bite down on the straps as we kick it around. He also plays and tosses it around by himself. It's also easy to clean. It's a good item, but suffers from two issues. 01) The nylon straps are tough, but not as durable as I though. My dog is aggressive chewer and has managed to chew them up a bit. 02) There is a nylon strap that is longer than all the others, so he tends to focus on that one. After about 15 days of playing with hit, he's managed to chew that strap up to the point that it's almost falling off. It would be nice if all the straps were the same, larger, size.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2025
D
Verified Purchase
debra
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
Highly recommend
Color: Black Green, Size: 8 Inch
I was skeptical that it would hold up to our aggressive chewer puppy (staffyX) - especially during teething. But it has survived past teething into adult chompers and is still fantastic! Its his favorite outside toy, especially the tags make it fun (and those have been holding up well too). If/when it fails, I'll buy another one.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2026
A
Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 3
great design, poor overall quality
Color: Black Green, Size: 8 Inch
My dog loves these balls. The "tags" are a great design. The problem I have is the quality as they aren't tough enough. He goes through them pretty quickly tearing off the tags and puncturing the ball. He doesn't get that these actually cost money! Each one also comes with a small pump, which I guess is great for a one time buy?, but man, if you don't own a pump just buy one and keep one. I have no use for several of these cheap pumps. How about offering the pump as an add-on for a dollar or two?
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2026

recommand products