Does anyone still remember John Wyndham?

tangaloomababe

tangaloomababe

Living in Paradise
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Hi All

I remember the first Wyndham book I read was Day of the Triffids. I was in my teens and we had the choice to read either Triffids or To Sir With Love as a school text. I chose Triffids and my love for Wyndham novels began.

I think I have read all of them, well almost but Triffids remains the firm favorite. Although The Chrysalids and Chocky are pretty close.

Just wonder what other readers thought.:)
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

I recently picked up Day of the Triffids, and I have to say it's a good read.:)
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

Haven't read much of Wyndham's work for quite some time, and never read as much as I should or would have liked, but I'd certainly put him in there as one of the mainstays of British sf. As for my favorite... that would be hard to say, but probably The Chrysalids, for personal reasons (and yes, it was my first encounter with his work). However, Triffids and Midwich Cuckoos are also high on my list, and some of his short stories aren't too shabby, either....
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

Good questiom, Tangal, to which the simple answer is 'Yes!' :)

To give a slightly more in-depth response, I always attribute hearing a radio 4 adaptation of The Chrysalids with first sparking my interest in SF. Not certain how old I was at the time, but I suspect 9 or 10, and this radio play completely hooked me. Subsequently, I read the book (which remains my favourite Wyndham) as well as several others, enjoying all of them.

In addition to The Chrysalids, The Kraken Wakes, The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos (the novel on which various versions of 'Village of the Damned have been based) have all stayed with me.

He also wrote some very good short fiction, such as "Consider Her Ways".

A fine, fine writer.
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

As part of it's scifi season earlier this year, BBC4 TV showed an excellent documentary on John Wyndham. You should try and get hold of it. They also showed the BBC adaptation of The Day of the Triffids which was faithful to the book, unlike the Hollywood film.

I read all of his books as a child, though not for some time. The Chrysalids, I've read many times and I also still like it the best. The Midwich Cuckoos is excellent and again was much better than the film. I would strongly suggest that anyone who thinks they know Wyndham from seeing the films, go and read the books.
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

Thanks Dave although living in Australia might be a bit harder, I shall try the BBC webset or even our ABC. I have seen the BBC series, I vaguely recall it, my recollection of it was positive. I didnt realise there was a Hollywood adaptation. If its anything like what they did to War of the Worlds I think I will give it a miss!!!
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

I have recently re read The Day Of The Triffids, as I love the book and also the film. I don't know if you are interested but there is a book out called The Night Of The Triffids by Simon Clark. It is set 25 years later with the grown up son of Bill Masen taking the lead role. I have to say that it is a fantastic book, one I just could not put down. John Wyndham really was a brilliant author, the popularity of his books prove that.:)
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

I've read The Day Of The Triffids and Out Of The Deeps aka The Kraken Wakes. They're both good, very good. I also have The Chrysalids, Chocky, and Trouble With Lichen. I've yet to find his story collection. Anybody who says they know John Wyndham from the movie adaptation of his work is a gutless wuss. They can't pick up his books and read 'em?

Here are some adaptations of his novels that I know of:

Day Of The Triffids (Hollyweird and BBC)
The Midwich Cuckoos (Village Of the Damned both hollyweird & BBC)
Chocky (tv adaptation shown on Nickolodean)
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

I read the last one of his to be published, Web, last year. Published in 1979, ten years after his death. I found it in a second hand bookshop and was a bit suprised as I'd never heard of it before.

It was a little disapointing and as you've propably guessed about spiders.
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

I went through a phase of his stuff in my early teens, but always felt that 'Triffids,' was his best work.
 
Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

have recently re read The Day Of The Triffids, as I love the book and also the film. I don't know if you are interested but there is a book out called The Night Of The Triffids by Simon Clark. It is set 25 years later with the grown up son of Bill Masen taking the lead role. I have to say that it is a fantastic book, one I just could not put down. John Wyndham really was a brilliant author, the popularity of his books prove that.:)
Click to expand...

Thanks Serin, I was not aware of this book and YES I am very interested. I wonder if John Wyndham would have thought to do this had he lived longer? I shall see if I can find a copy.
 
I remember Triffids well - it had a big impact in the UK in my youth, way beyond the usual sf genre readers.

An interesting comment I read about it was that it was successful despite breaking the cardinal rule for such departure-from-normal-reality plots, in that it didn't stick to one major plot invention, it introduced two: the triffids, plus the mass blindness.
 
I'm quite fond of the old apocalypse-racker's books, and usually re-read one every year. The most recent was The Kraken Wakes. Brian Aldiss called him the master of the 'cozy apocalypse' and it is precisely for that paradoxical mix that I like his books. Terrible events are leading to terrible consequences, but we always view these through the reactions of admirably normal and sane individuals, who eventually win through to some enclave of normalcy from which a status quo can slowly be recreated.
 
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Re: Does anyone still remeber John Wyndham?

HardScienceFan said:
John Beynon Harris,forgotten?How absurd.
However,a lot of authors aren't mentioned (often)on this forum.
M John Harrison,Arthur Sellings,Charles Harness,James White,Charles Eric Maine,etc,:)
Click to expand...

Keith Roberts - who wrote a Wyndham tribute/pastiche: 'The Furies'. Earth is invaded by aliens in the form of four-foot wasps.
 
Ah, yes. Met the gentleman at the HG Wells centenary whatever, with Brian Aldiss and Kingsley Amis. Wine and cheese party, and me being a student (and them writers) the wine went faster than the cheese. Nice guy, as well as being a great author (apart from "the outward urge", but we won't talk about that)
I think the only thing of his in my bookshelves at present is "Jizzle"
 
Chris.
How fortunate you are to have meet Wyndham and co. One cannot pass up on a wine or two, especially being a student.
 
chrispenycate said:
Ah, yes. Met the gentleman at the HG Wells centenary whatever, with Brian Aldiss and Kingsley Amis. Wine and cheese party, and me being a student (and them writers) the wine went faster than the cheese. Nice guy, as well as being a great author (apart from "the outward urge", but we won't talk about that)
I think the only thing of his in my bookshelves at present is "Jizzle"
Click to expand...

:jealous smilie:
 
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