News from my contact at Len Deighton's publishers Harper Collins that they are planning a major reissue of Len's books over the next few years. In May this year they will publish the Action Cook Book in hardback, and this is followed in June with paperbacks of Bomber, SS-GB, XPD and Goodbye Mickey Mouse in June; in October they republish The IPCRESS File, Horse Under Water, Funeral in Berlin and The Billion Dollar Brain. All books will feature new introductions by Len, and he recently recorded the intro for Bomber, which they're hoping to make available as audio clips.

They will have great new designs by Len's old friend, the Oscar-winning film-maker, Arnold Schwartzman. Copies of the new book images can be seen on the Deighton Dossier website.

What do people think? Will you be buying any of the new reissues?

Saturday's Daily Telegraph review section contained the first substantial interview with Len Deighton in a couple of years, clearly as part of the PR push by Harper Collins surrounding the publication of new issues of his most famous books. The article can be read here. I don't think we learn much substantially new, but it does confirms a number of things that I've read about Len over the last few years. One, that he's against any honours being awarded for services to literature, which might suggest that in the past awards - had they been discreetly proposed to him - would surely have been met with a stern rebuff! Also, it's clear from his comment about facing up to the "gruelling" task of writing a new book that we've probably can expect no more major outputs from him on the fiction front, though the book on aero engines sounds one for the completist to purchase. He's clearly enjoying being retired, and who's to say he shouldn't spend his time travelling with his wife and enjoying good food! What are people's comments having read this article?

At least Len sounds healthy, so who knows, after his aero engine book, and seeing all his previous works reissued he may feel inclined towards a new fictional novel, preferably one to link the Samson series together !

My first post here so hope all goes well.

I am delighted that Harper Collins are going to reissue the books. Can't wait to get new copies of the 'Harry Palmer' novels, but I really hope that the Bernard Samson series is also on the agenda in the not too distant future: my own books are falling to bits because I have read them so often.

It is such a pity that Len hasn't written anything on the post 9/11 period, but we fans will just have to content ourselves with the great writing he has already completed.

The next four reissues by Harper Collins are now heading to the shops. The IPCRESS File, Horse Under Water, Funeral in Berlin and Billion Dollar Brain have all been reissued with new introductions by Len Deighton giving new insights into the genesis and development of these stories.

Also, each has a new cover design by Deighton's friend, design Arnold Schwartzman, which in my opinion bear comparison with the original Raymond Hawkey designs from the sixties.


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"Muy complicado, Bernard. Muy bloody complicado!"