Desert Orchid
Senior Jockey
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2005
- Messages
- 27,966
The author died this afternoon.
I am not the world's most avaricious reader* and, of his books, the only one I have read is The Day of the Jackal. I do have Icon in my library but haven't got round to reading it yet.
However, I recall like it was yesterday going into WH Smiths in Glasgow Central in late September 1976 just before boarding the train to London which would have been the first leg of my journey to Bordeaux where I was to work for the upcoming academic year.
I was really just looking for something to while away the tedium and I'd already read all the Alistair McLean novels in stock. I thought, "I've heard of this book so I might as well give it a go. I'll read for an hour and doze for an hour until I get to Bordeaux and finish it once I get there."
For the one and only time in my entire life I can honestly say I could not put the book down and I reckon I'd finished it within about half an hour of leaving the Gare d'Austerlitz.
It's probably still the most engrossing novel I've ever read.
When the film came out (they were always a few years behind the books back then and I think the screening in France was later than in the UK) I had to watch it and was very pleased that it was extremely close to the book. I also thought the film was brilliantly cast. I have the DVD and watch it probably at least once a year plus any time it comes on TV.
Anyway, we all die and Forsyth's time on this earth has come to a close but he will live on in my heart on account of that book.
* As a kid it was normal for me to get through a couple of books a week from the local library but high school killed my enjoyment of reading, in particular my second-year English teacher, an old old-school type of master who decided it would be a good idea to give 12/13yos Barnaby Rudge as the first-term reader. I had English last two on Tuesdays and I have never been an afternoon person so I found myself fighting off sleep to the point I cannot remember the first thing about the book other than it was very long and the font was very small. I never got back into reading after that so for The Day of the Jackal to grab me like that was a very big deal. I've since read other books but not many, to be frank, and I tend to take a long time to get through them.
I am not the world's most avaricious reader* and, of his books, the only one I have read is The Day of the Jackal. I do have Icon in my library but haven't got round to reading it yet.
However, I recall like it was yesterday going into WH Smiths in Glasgow Central in late September 1976 just before boarding the train to London which would have been the first leg of my journey to Bordeaux where I was to work for the upcoming academic year.
I was really just looking for something to while away the tedium and I'd already read all the Alistair McLean novels in stock. I thought, "I've heard of this book so I might as well give it a go. I'll read for an hour and doze for an hour until I get to Bordeaux and finish it once I get there."
For the one and only time in my entire life I can honestly say I could not put the book down and I reckon I'd finished it within about half an hour of leaving the Gare d'Austerlitz.
It's probably still the most engrossing novel I've ever read.
When the film came out (they were always a few years behind the books back then and I think the screening in France was later than in the UK) I had to watch it and was very pleased that it was extremely close to the book. I also thought the film was brilliantly cast. I have the DVD and watch it probably at least once a year plus any time it comes on TV.
Anyway, we all die and Forsyth's time on this earth has come to a close but he will live on in my heart on account of that book.
* As a kid it was normal for me to get through a couple of books a week from the local library but high school killed my enjoyment of reading, in particular my second-year English teacher, an old old-school type of master who decided it would be a good idea to give 12/13yos Barnaby Rudge as the first-term reader. I had English last two on Tuesdays and I have never been an afternoon person so I found myself fighting off sleep to the point I cannot remember the first thing about the book other than it was very long and the font was very small. I never got back into reading after that so for The Day of the Jackal to grab me like that was a very big deal. I've since read other books but not many, to be frank, and I tend to take a long time to get through them.
