The original story is way more suspenseful and brilliant than the Hitchcock movie (and I love Hitchcock). Du Maurier wrote my favorite novel Rebecca.

I think they would be a great introduction. I absolutely agree with your conclusion. From that one single thread which she took from Baker’s story, she created a masterpiece, and I’m grateful she did that.

They are very cleverly done. All three creations, the two books and the movie, have identical basic idea from which each work developed differently. Thanks for sharing your research with us! Birds are gathering, in the sea, in the trees, in the countryside and in the cities.

It seems that the situation with The Birds was not the only one when du Maurier was accused of plagiarism.

In Baker’s story the events are taking place shortly after the First World War. ( Log Out /  I’ve also added the du Maurier to my TBR stack.

I’m happy it worked. I’m another one who had no idea there was a novel pre-dating du Maurier’s work. Frank Baker wrote a story in which birds are attacking people (although his birds have a slightly metaphysical, metaphorical quality). I understand that some people will get interested in the book’s philosophy and will try to read it.

by Daphne du Maurier.The Birds is a 1952 novelette by Daphne du Maurier first published in her short story collection, The Apple Tree. I had the same situation with a couple of other bloggers who also have not a name of the blog but the whole link there. More than once I’ve posted a review, only to notice that I’ve spelt the author’s name incorrectly…. That is what the author intended and she created it perfectly.

The Birds (1963) was directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock and based on a story by Daphne du Maurier. If she did act this way, I’m happy she chose to.

The book is a story of one family that acts differently to all others when the birds come and thus ends up in a very different situation. What stories by du Maurier did you like more than others?

Thank you again for your help with this! I hope you like whatever you read when you get to it . The Birds, immortalised in Hitchcock’s legendary film, is the opening story in this short story collection, the theme tying them together being the magical control the natural world can have on human nature. It focuses on one line of events only. I always have to google over and over to check I’m right. The book is quite heavy but there are no graphic details scrutinised under a microscope. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. It begins as screwball comedy. She created unbelievably great works, and I am grateful that now I have so many good books to read.

I don’t know much about The Fitzgeralds but I know that the wife was very talented and ambitious. I have no idea what’s going on. Baker even considered taking legal action against Hitchcock but was advised against it.

Apparently, the prose is elaborate, but confusing and hard to get through. I read an article once that called Daphne du Maurier a queen of suspense and now I understand why. I tried. He talks about everything from war, to religion, sexuality and love.

Thanks for letting me know about that! Sixteen years later Daphne du Maurier wrote the story in which birds are attacking people in a very literal way.

There is a hint of the supernatural in some, a more than hint of malice in all. This is a fascinating article – thank you so much! Whether the screenwriter did or did not peek into Baker’s book too is unknown.

Why are birds attacking and what can be done to stop them? Former Australia captain David Pocock announces retirement from rugby, Donald Trump and Joe Biden swap insults for real debate in second presidential clash, but neither lands a killer blow. . Well done! All of his, actually.


It’s a curious fact that the current version of the book was, apparently, extra edited before being republished in order to remove the parts unrelated to the plot. , I’ve never seen the film either, though I gather it’s different to the story. I’ll keep a look out for your review .

Because to me it did feel like a different type of work, not a typical post.

The reader is left with an unsettled feeling, a hint of unease that needs to be shrugged off. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. There’s some clever writing in there. I hope I didn’t mix it up for you now, again :)), Oh, you’re not the only one! .
First of all, I’m SO proud you called it an article. ↑ That’s me imagining the previous edition of the book. The Birds (1963) was directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock and based on a story by Daphne du Maurier.

Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) is a go-getting playgirl who drives a swish Aston Martin.

It’s an interesting point, by the way, about what actually plagiarism IS. .

A biography of her father and three other novels followed, but it was the novel Rebecca that launched her into the literary stratosphere and made her one of the most popular authors of her day. A strong, intelligent, immersive, engaging collection.

Genre: horror. Change ).

I haven’t read Zelda’s book yet, but I’m determined to do so once I get some free time.

I’d only read Frenchman’s Creek before of hers so these were very different.

. In Du Maurier’s story the events happen shortly after the Second World War. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The story opens in a small English town in December, where a sudden cold front has shifted the weather suddenly from autumn to winter. The story that the father is telling her is the book that we are reading.