John Christopher Message Board
Anonymous posts on 2/23/2007 9:53:51 AM
Bonnie
If it really was 1960, I can't think what the other book might have been. A few years later it could have been THE WORLD IN WINTER (speculation on new ice age, then as generally accepted as global warming is today) or A WRINKLE IN THE SKIN (planet rearranged by earthquakes). Latter is still in print with Wildside, as Publish on Demand. (Check Amazon). Thanks for posting.
Sam Youd
Anonymous posts on 2/23/2007 7:59:01 AM
In 1960, I went to the library to find No Blade Of Grass and the Libarian went to a special locked case and took out the book and one other that you had written. She recommended that I read both to get the full impact of your thinking how the world would be...if there would be no blade of grass or ? But to this day my memory has failed to remember the other book. Both vitally important, especially as today's issues on the environment are reflected in both of these books. What might the other book be? Thank you for all your works and your help. Bonnie
michael leader posts on 2/20/2007 9:51:36 PM
hello, can't seem to post - testing
Bob Meade posts on 1/3/2007 3:25:09 PM
Hi Sam, I enjoyed all your appearances on BBC 4 recently. Did you ever meet John Wyndham?
It would be interesting to drain the English channel to film A wrinkle in the skin - but where would you put all the water - I think that was your best book, a Radio dramatisation perhaps?
Bob
Sam Youd posts on 1/1/2007 2:28:52 PM
Why so many pen-names? Well, they date from the time, fifty plus years ago, when I was trying to raise a family and (for a while) writing four books a year in spare time from an office job. I wrote different genres and felt they needed different labels (disconcerting to read a detective thriller and find the next one is based on cricket). JC was the main line and I was encouraged there to branch out into e.g. The Caves of Night and The Long Voyage (outside the "SF" category). White Poppies I think was my own idea and a disaster. I later used Hilary Ford and Peter Graaf for sub-categories. (The Gull's Kiss had been rejected as a Youd novel, so went out as PG). All long ago and far away.
A happy new year to one and all.
Sam
Alan posts on 12/27/2006 6:23:00 PM
Hope everyone had a good Christmas - mine was great and I got some fab pressies of my wife including the DVD of series one of The Tripods and some rare Sam books scoured of the internet including Dust and the Curious Boy, The Gulls Kiss, Mallenson at Melbourne, The Opportunist and Patchwork of Death. All of which begs the question to Sam, why so many pseudonyms? Wouldn't writing under the John Christopher banner, even across different genres, have allowed fans of your writing to buy more of the books? It seems a little random too - I mean Scent of White Poppies isn't in the same genre as The Possessors really .
Josephine posts on 12/21/2006 4:29:10 PM
I first read them when I was a young teen, then read them a second time in my twenties. I'm now in my forties and have just read them again and must say that these books have stood the test of time. They are still excellent for all ages. They made such a powerful impression on me as a young person and I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading them. Thank you!
Robert posts on 12/5/2006 5:11:38 PM
Rodney, this is late, but the John Christopher Cavern has a pretty complete Youd bibliography. Though it too leaves out the Stanley Winchester books and Bad Dream, it features cover scans of most of the editions, sleeve notes, and even an incomplete listing of his short stories! Well-worth a look. If I remember right, Mr.Youd's bibliography totals up to 59 novels, so wikipedia seems to be missing at least one(more if they've made errors, and wiki is notoriously unreliable). My guess is Bad Dream is the one they left out.
Andy Millikin posts on 12/4/2006 3:44:36 PM
Alan, it was called The Martians and Us - I've just checked the listings and it doesn't seem to be on again. If you want I can send you a DVD copy of it. Let me know. PS - Sam, any chance you could let us know when you've been interviewed and by whom so we can anticipate the transmission. I appreciate that this goes against your modest grain but you know the fans would be most grateful. By the way, I'm still aiming to arrange that free lunch!
Alan posts on 12/3/2006 2:51:31 PM
Andy,
What was the programme called?
Alan
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