Fictional Chronologies
Independent scholar John Griswold constructed a "high-level chronology of James Bond's life", based on the logic of depicted events and actual time periods referred to in the books. This chronology differs from the publication sequence. Griswold also deliberately discounts the chronological significance of actual historic events mentioned in the novels and stories, arguing that Fleming made such references for effect without synchronising them accurately to his fiction. Fellow Bond-scholar Henry Chancellor also worked through the Bond chronology, which broadly agrees with Griswold, although there are differences. Chancellor noted that "Fleming was always vague about dates", although the novels are supposed to be set in order of publication.
| Episode | Griswold chronology | Chancellor chronology |
|---|---|---|
| Casino Royale | 01951-05-01May 1951 to July, or May to July 1952 | 01951-01-011951 |
| Live and Let Die | 01952-01-01January 1952 to February | 01952-01-011952 |
| Moonraker | 01953-05-01May 1953 | 01953-01-011953 |
| Diamonds Are Forever | 01953-07-01July 1953 to 1 August | 01954-01-011954 |
| From Russia, with Love | 01954-06-01June 1954 to August | 01955-01-011955 |
| Dr. No | 01956-02-01February 1956 to March | 01956-01-011956 |
| Goldfinger | 01957-04-01April 1957 to June | 01957-01-011957 |
| "Risico" | 01957-10-01October 1957 | 01957-10-01October 1957 |
| "Quantum of Solace" | 01958-02-01February 1958 | 01957-10-01October 1957 |
| "The Hildebrand Rarity" | 01958-04-01April 1958 | 01958-04-01April 1958 |
| "From a View to a Kill" | 01958-05-01May 1958 | 01958-05-01May 1958 |
| "For Your Eyes Only" | 01958-09-01September 1958 to October | 01958-10-01October 1958 |
| Thunderball | 01959-05-01May 1959 to June | 01959-01-011959 |
| "Octopussy" | 01960-06-01June 1960 | 01960-01-011960 |
| "The Living Daylights" | 01960-09-01September 1960 to October | 01959-10-01October 1959 |
| "The Property of a Lady" | 01961-06-01June 1961 | 01961-06-01June 1961 |
| Chapters 1–5 of On Her Majesty's Secret Service | 01961-09-01September 1961 | 01961-01-011961 |
| "007 in New York" | 01961-09-01September 1961 (end of) | 01961-01-011961 |
| Chapters 10–15 of The Spy Who Loved Me | 01961-10-01October 1961 | 01960-01-011960 |
| Chapters 6–20 of On Her Majesty's Secret Service | 01961-11-01November 1961 to 1 January 1962 | 01961-01-011961 to 1 January 1962 |
| You Only Live Twice | 01962-08-01August 1962 to April 1963 | 01962-01-011962–1963 |
| The Man With the Golden Gun | 01963-11-01November 1963 to February 1964 | 01963-01-011963 |
Read more about this topic: List Of James Bond Novels And Stories, Ian Fleming
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