tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post8500806311969306405..comments2024-02-10T19:58:20.327+00:00Comments on Stuck in a Book: Mr. Allenby Loses The Way - Frank BakerStuckInABookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-43076184748135173632012-03-09T18:51:10.132+00:002012-03-09T18:51:10.132+00:00Yes - the collection is called "Letters from ...Yes - the collection is called "Letters from Menabilly". Daphne read Frank's book because he sent her a copy following their correspondence - and that must have been an original Peter Davies copy - but yet she does not mention that 'coincidence' in her letter to Malet. I suspect that this was because she had been so traumatised by the "Rebecca" plagiarism case, which had forced her to spend a long period in New York giving evidence to clear the company that made the 1940 film, that she was not going to say anything to anyone that might cast doubt. In any case, Baker had no possible claim against her as her story is nothing like his book. His complaint was against Evan Hunter and Hitchcock. My question remains though - if Hunter did use Frank's book as a source, how did he find out about it and where did he get his copy from? Anyway, all this has inspired me to read Frank Baker's "The Birds".Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-32000258265556217552012-03-09T15:03:14.298+00:002012-03-09T15:03:14.298+00:00I have a copy, which I have yet to read, but it...I have a copy, which I have yet to read, but it's all so very intriguing, isn't it? I hadn't realised it only sold 350 copies originally, nor that Daphne was related to the publisher... She did eventually read Baker's novel, and thought it much better (ideas-wise) than her story - she wrote to Oriel Malet about it, and it's in some collected letters to Malet.StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-30493595394777689622012-03-09T15:00:22.191+00:002012-03-09T15:00:22.191+00:00I have just acquired a copy of 'The Birds'...I have just acquired a copy of 'The Birds' - written by Baker in 1936 - so before Miss Hargreaves. This was of course long before the Daphne du Maurier short story of the same name (1952). All they really have in common is the notion of Birds attacking people which had been used before - e.g. by Arthur Machen in The Terror (1917). Baker may not even have been aware of Daphne's story when first published - the collection was called 'The Apple Tree'. But when the Hitchcock film was being made in 1962, Baker found out and took legal advice. He was advised that an action would be unlikely to succeed. He then wrote to du Maurier, who replied promptly saying she'd never heard of his book. And why should she have? After all, it was 25 years old and had only ever sold 350 copies! However, it was originally published by Peter Davies who was Daphne's first cousin. Early in 1936 she was researching for her family history "The Du Mauriers" (published in 1937) - so might well have been in Peter's office looking at papers belonging to his mother, Sylvia du Maurier, who had died when he was still a child. The central situation in the film is more like Frank's book than Daphne's short story. However, given the book's total obscurity - how could screenwriter Evan Hunter have obtained a copy in 1962? They are all dead of course. Hitchcock in 1980, Baker in 1988, Du Maurier in 1989 and Hunter in 2005. So we'll never know! Frank managed to sell the paperback rights on the back of the film - and it's this 1964 edition that I have just bought.Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-13180082905482236382012-02-17T12:53:19.080+00:002012-02-17T12:53:19.080+00:00I haven't, actually - I've got a couple, b...I haven't, actually - I've got a couple, but not read any.<br />And good point - if I'd started with this, I wouldn't have read Miss H. (Although I do sometimes persevere with authors with fantastic results - viz. Waugh, Spark, and EM Forster.)StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-90948348366885004422012-02-17T12:52:33.434+00:002012-02-17T12:52:33.434+00:00I think you might be right - I'd have been les...I think you might be right - I'd have been less disappointed if this book appeared under a different author's name.StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-73380816852895052992012-02-17T12:52:12.017+00:002012-02-17T12:52:12.017+00:00Ha! True. Was this one of your own mss? Don't...Ha! True. Was this one of your own mss? Don't think I know of a book with a public health inspector in it! Although Edith Olivier's The Seraphim Room has a lengthy plotline about drains.StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-80871122796815302462012-02-17T12:51:32.733+00:002012-02-17T12:51:32.733+00:00So pleased you like it! I'm tempted to sugges...So pleased you like it! I'm tempted to suggest you to stop there with Baker, as the others might be an anti-climax...StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-34627153720236260122012-02-17T12:51:06.844+00:002012-02-17T12:51:06.844+00:00But of course you have to, Claire - I'm very g...But of course you have to, Claire - I'm very glad that the beard is added incentive!StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-83170969268687941252012-02-15T21:40:20.606+00:002012-02-15T21:40:20.606+00:00Not entirely related but I'm curious - have yo...Not entirely related but I'm curious - have you read any Alice Thomas Ellis? As for Baker at least you found the one good book early otherwise you may never have found it at all which would have been a shame.Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-88806719215267452582012-02-15T13:35:57.850+00:002012-02-15T13:35:57.850+00:00I wonder if its about internal hype, bear with me....I wonder if its about internal hype, bear with me... I just recently picked up a book I was so excited about, not because of the author but because the book sounded so 'me' in terms of story and genres, and it fell flat with me. Part of this was because it wasn't that great but my inner disappointment caused by my own created pre-read hype made the blow all the worse.Simon (Savidge Reads)http://savidgereads.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-9178723860414030532012-02-15T08:58:33.236+00:002012-02-15T08:58:33.236+00:00It reminds me of the note attached to a returned m...It reminds me of the note attached to a returned manuscript: 'Your hero lacks charisma' - well, he was a public health inspector who spent his life looking down drains - so what would one expect? I suppose we are all surrounded by a certain amount of mediocrity and long for the extraordinary!OVWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-49892986584365327042012-02-15T07:43:49.509+00:002012-02-15T07:43:49.509+00:00I've just finished Miss Hargreaves (I haven&#...I've just finished Miss Hargreaves (I haven't even got round to writing about it yet), and can see why Simon raves about it. She really is the most wonderful creation. Haven't read anything else by Frank Baker though.Christine Hardinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09814026435889782750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-43518471900748938432012-02-15T04:52:01.333+00:002012-02-15T04:52:01.333+00:00It is clear to me now that I should probably final...It is clear to me now that I should probably finally read <i>Miss Hargreaves</i> (it is on my list for 2012) and that Frank Baker had the perfect 'dashing and artistic yet also intelligent and serious' beard - an impressive achievement, especially considering the sad beards so many other authors and artists have sported. This book definitely sounds like a miss but I do admire you for having followed through on your resolution and reviewed it.Claire (The Captive Reader)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07430380065718826213noreply@blogger.com