Frank Baker (1) (1908–1983)

Month of October 2022 - Spooky Classics

The Birds by Frank Baker (1936; 2021 Kindle Edition) 186 pages.

Setting: Mid-1930’s London

2.5 stars rounded up. I actually found the story a little confusing. It seemed to have gone in two directions. In the first 1/2 of the book, the author strongly lead you to believe there was something symbolic regarding the birds and an impending war, such as World War II, that was looming over London. He even mentions a small man in Germany, one who was known to prosecute Jews, spewing his propaganda to the masses when suddenly one of “the birds” flew over and pooped on his head. The people wanted to laugh, they lightly started snickering, when the soldiers hollered and warned them to be quiet. The man was too proud to even wipe off the bird poop dripping from his head and just kept rattling on.

The last half of the book read as if God had let loose the birds, along with Satan, upon, practically, the whole world. The storyteller was telling his story from his point-of-view while in London, the "City". There was a bird for every person; therefore, there were millions of birds. Each person had to face their own Demons inside themselves, or else the bird…the demon…would attack and kill them. The second wave of birds actually attacked a filled Cathedral full of people praying inside, killing even the clergies who had demons of their own that they could not face. Only two men, the storyteller, who was a young man at the time, and, presumably, Satan, made it out alive. He had faced his demons a few days earlier, and was free from any bird following him around or attacking him again. Satan even converses with him right outside the church doors as hundreds are dead, dying and fighting off the bird of their demons.

Now, in my opinion, if the author had focused on events that lead up to this second part, instead of just talking, talking, talking about his miserable life as a youth in an unsure world, and leading me astray to believe something else is going on, the story would have been 100% better.

An 89 year old man is telling his granddaughter the story of how London used to be before “the birds” arrived, which seemed very dystopian. But, bits and pieces of this story are, in fact, based on Frank Baker’s real life. His father really was a Marine Insurance Agent, and Frank, himself, did live with his parents as he commuted back and forth to work for five years as a clerk in marine insurance. And he really did write poetry and was into the arts. The Preface to this eBook lets you in on a lot of what is true to Frank’s real life. There's a lot more.

What’s interesting, is the fact that Frank Baker’s rendition of The Birds, although the first to be published, was, apparently, scarcely known. This was his second book to be published. The first one wasn't very successful either. He only sold 300, or 350, copies of The Birds. It depends on which source you read.

Then, Alfred Hitchcock produced the movie “The Birds” based on Daphne du Maurier’s rendition written in 1952. Frank wanted to sue Universal Studios, but was advised against it by his lawyer because he couldn’t really prove it since the stories were quite different. One source claims that Frank confronted Daphne about her story, and she claimed to have never even read his story. But, later did read it and told him that his story ran much deeper than her own. Whether true or not, who can say for sure.

In any case, here are the different publications of “The Birds”:

1936 - Frank Baker, original (published by Peter Davies)

1952 - Daphne Du Maurier (happens to be a cousin to Peter Davies……Hmmm!)

1963 - Alfred Hitchcock’s movie: The Birds (based on Daphne’s novel…which some sources say she literally detested the movie)

1964 - Frank Baker, 2nd publishing (Panther), was SUPPOSE to include all his corrections and changes and was labeled “revised edition”, but the publishers did not include any of the revisions.

2021 - Frank Baker, 3rd publishing (Little, Brown & Co), with all corrections and changes*. This eBook contains all the changes that were made, which were provided digitally from Frank Baker’s grandson, Gabriel Hughes.

*NOTE: These changes did not change the story. They were basic changes, eliminating repetitive sentences and grammatical errors, resulting in just a little shorter story.

Frank’s story was alright. I think I found it more interesting to read when I found out that some of this was based on his real life, probably more than we suspect, but pawned off as fiction...especially some of the inner turmoils inside of his own mind.

Next, I’ll read Daphne’s short story to see which one I like better, and to see if there are any similarities. Then, I’ll watch Alfred Hitchcock’s movie.… (plus d'informations)

This is a fantasy novel.
I feel like that statement needs to sink in. Because I don't read fantasy! And also this is a quiet domestic novel written in the 1930s with a little old lady. So it's a bit unexpected. But, yeah, this is a fantasy novel.
Norman Huntley and his friend Henry Beddow every now and then enjoy making up stories. Not with any malicious intent, but just for fun. At times it's almost a compulsion to just stir up stories from out of thin air and see how far they get.
They've been traveling, and one day they pop in to look at a church. For the benefit of the sexton at the church, they invent a little old lady of mutual acquaintance, name of Connie Hargreaves. They throw out all sorts of ludicrous details about her. She travels everywhere with her own bathtub. She has written a book of poetry, plays the harp, has a pet bird and a dog, etc., etc., etc.

Still in the throes of this creative process, Norman writes and mails her a letter inviting her to visit his family.

Guess what?

She comes. And she's exactly as he described.

The rest of the book is Norman's love/hate relationship with his creation. It's very different, that's for sure. At first Norman searches desperately for a rational explanation, but he can't find one. Miss Hargreaves takes her cues from his imagination, which he finds both delightful and terrifying. When things go too far Norman mentally washes his hands of her, allowing her to go rogue, and that's when he really starts to regret things.
This book is well written. It's not exactly my cup of tea, but I have to say it's well written and I was honestly moved by its poignant moments, like when Miss Hargreaves finally realizes that she is not real, that she is just a thought. Or when Norman dithers on his feelings about her and then finally decides what to do. The ending was pretty gripping. Yes, it's a unique book, and I think some people would immensely enjoy it.

If a metaphysical fantasy novel with all the outward trappings of British domesticity sounds like your thing, then this book is for you.… (plus d'informations)

En un día lluvioso, el joven Norman Huntley, organista de iglesia e hijo del librero de la imaginaria ciudad catedralicia de Cornford, y su amigo Henry Beddow, mecánico de coches, tienen la ocurrencia, de puro aburrimiento, de inventarse un personaje: una octogenaria, sobrina del duque de Grosvenor, intérprete de arpa, poeta, dueña de una perra y una cacatúa, e intrépida viajera que siempre va acompañada con su propia bañera. Cuál no será su sorpresa cuando, días después de tal invento, la anciana «en persona» se presenta, con todos sus bártulos, en la estación de Cornford.… (plus d'informations)

I knew the book from a radio adaptation but I'd not read it. It came up in conversation a propos someone coming into my life exactly fitting a character I'd sketched in my head, and the real person being a bit of a nightmare. So I thought I'd give old Miss H a read. I'd forgotten the father somehow, who's a great character, especially if you stick with the book til the end. Norman and Miss H are more frustrating and painful to read than I'd remembered and for that reason, I wouldn't recommend the book. But the premise and the philosophy are definitely worth the candle. For me, 'Miss Hargreaves' will forever be shorthand for something much much bigger...… (plus d'informations)