John Wyndham

[Snowdog]

Interestingly, Wyndham's multi-barelled name came in handy as the basis for a number of pen-names, including the one he is most famous as. I also have an early work by him that was relased under the name John Benyon Harris, and another book was supposedly co-written with one Lucas Parkes - rather cheeky, that!

It was The Outward Urge, by John Wyndham and Lucas Parkes (as technical adviser), and this is the first time I knew they were one and the same!

It was my first sf book and I just started reading it again last night.

 

[Thadlerian]

Hey! Was this radio adaptation in Norwegian or English? It would be interesting to see if recordings are available anywhere.

Sorry, Norwegian.

 

[Paige Turner]

I think the time is ripe for a new screenplay for Day of the Triffids. Deftly-handled CG could really bring this story to life. But where is the screenplay? Do I have to write it to get this movie made? Because I will if I have to. I'm already kind of freaking out about the scene where the neighbour carries his wife out of their (8th floor) suite and reassures her as he steps out the window. That scene in the book really hammered me.

 

[Clangador]

I just wonder why he used so many pen names.

 

[j d worthington]

My understanding of it, from various memoirs and accounts of the period, is that many of the writers used several pen names for two main reasons: 1) to be seen contributing too much to one magazine tended to put readers off, and they began to avoid that writers' work; Lovecraft, Howard, Kuttner, Campbell, etc., all did this at various times; 2) Wyndham wrote various types of stories and, as with today, readers often expect the same type and are disappointed or even turned against a writer they like if he ends up writing and publishing something different -- some writers are able to overcome this (Moorcock and Ellison come to mind), but it often causes a sharp reaction against a writer if they don't give their readers what they expect, and by using various pen names, readers can have a guide to what kind of story they're getting. It's becoming less common, but has been a tendency in publishing since at least Horace Walpole.

 

[tarifa]

the trouble with lichen, no one's mentioned so far, also good

thnking bout this has raised a memory, the BBC did the Day of the Triffids (70s?) as a series. Remember watchin it as a child, scary as anything but i was hooked!

 

[BAYLOR]

Ive seen the movie for Day of the Triffids and Village of the Dammed is based on one of his others. But Ive not read any of his stuff

ive read Day of the Triffids and his post Apocalyptic novel Rebirth. Bth excellent. . Ive seen both versions of Veggie o the Damed and prefer the original film to the 1995 version.