Latest news with #'sSong
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
The Outsider: how Frederick Forsyth used facts to inform his fiction
The conventional spy genre's analog charm has withstood the test of time largely due to its universal entertainment value. The generous helping of hair-raising action coupled with overt acts of machismo, prevalent in novels like those of Alistair MacLean feed into a primal, adrenaline-pumped, cycle of pleasure derived from doses of violence. Ian Fleming romanticised the genre, with James Bond conforming to a patriarchal society's constructions of ideal masculinity. But his characters also serve as vehicles of wish fulfilment and modes of deferred rebellion through their highly individualistic and anti-establishment tendencies. Conversely, in John le Carre's writing, the psychological impact of an existence defined by betrayal and confusion takes centre-stage. In his work, spectacle is replaced with characterisation, fantasy with reality, and sympathy with empathy. Free-flowing narratives In a genre thus alternatively populated by action and emotion, acclaimed British spy-thriller writer Frederick Forsyth's novels, much like him, identify as 'the outsiders'. Forsyth (1938-2025) does not resort to scenes of gaudy violence or high-octane fights, instead choosing understated motion and smooth efficiency as his tools of tension. His narratives are neither rigidly structured nor conventionally plotted, thereby imbuing them with a free-flowing, procedural linearity. His central characters generally cannot be boxed into the good-bad dichotomy, and often behave as emblems or caricatures rather than emotional human beings who can be empathised with. In spite — and often because — of this blatant and conscious flouting of established 'rules' and tropes, Forsyth's classic novels are not only critically acclaimed hallmarks of the genre, but also remain equally entertaining for the modern Hollywood action-addled reader base. Much of this enduring appeal and feeling of contemporaneity almost 60 years since their writing can be attributed to Forsyth's unique style of amalgamating a spy-thriller with a non-fiction novel. Also referred to as 'faction' — a portmanteau of the words fact and fiction — the non-fiction novel is characterised by its mode of presenting real historical events in a dramatic format. Forsyth's appropriation of faction largely adheres to a more developed style of the genre popularised by the likes of Truman Capote. Archetypal faction novels include Capote's InCold Blood (1965) and Norman Mailer's The Executioner's Song (1979). Forsyth, who in the 1960s worked as a journalist for Reuters and the BBC before going freelance, was not only in the epicentre of the then-rapidly emerging form of New Journalism, but also debuted as a writer with the non-fiction book The Biafra Story (1969) — one of the first eyewitness accounts of the war from a Biafran perspective. It thus comes as no surprise that when he turned towards fiction in order to make ends meet, Forsyth's proclivity towards the journalistic mode of writing imbued his thrillers with certain key non-fictional aspects. Realist fiction The Day of the Jackal (1971) opens with the dramatisation of a real-life assassination attempt on French President Charles de Gaulle by members of the OAS (Secret Army Organisation), who opposed his decision to grant freedom to Algeria. The Odessa File (1972) includes pages-upon-pages of information on the socio-political scenery of the world post the Third Reich's fall. The entire first act of The Negotiator (1989) is designed to paint an accurate and expansive picture of the geopolitical chessboard during the Gulf oil crisis, and even features real figures like Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev. These interludes, while language-wise dry and heavy-handed, prioritise journalistic insight and economy of words, and are purposefully designed to inform more than entertain. Forsyth's decision to thus incorporate his intricate and accurate knowledge of the inner workings of world powers and their covert operations into his novels serves not only to add to their verisimilitude and urgency, but also allows him to treat historical events as the first domino fall — Jackal's events are written as the fictional consequences of the factual failed assassination attempt. In his historical epic Shei Shomoy (1983) (Those Days), Sunil Gangopadhyay tackles an issue similar to that faced by Forsyth — writing a fictional story set in a world defined by fact. Both authors end up taking similar approaches. Gangopadhyay states in the afterword that the characters of his novel exist as emblems, meant to embody specific socio-cultural ideologies and institutions — the 'protagonist' Nobinkumar is a personification of Time itself. Similarly, Forsyth deliberately crafts one-dimensional characters, whose identities are defined by what they personify. In Jackal, The Jackal represents the Outsider, de Gaulle the Establishment, the OAS the Opposition, and Lebel the Idealist. None of them undergo a transformation, and none of them tread a character arc. Imperfect like life Historical characters and events are central to both novels, with the authors deciding to conduct their stories alongside the established course of history, often intertwining but generally not contradicting it. Similarly, both Gangopadhyay and Forsyth forego adopting any codified, traditional narrative. In both novels, the authors are unafraid to depict days passing by without any significant developments. The primary focus is always on the logical progression of events and the realistic passage of time, irrespective of the impact this has on the story beats. The original question, then, still remains — in the face of such extensive rule-breaking, why do these novels work? The answer might be simple. It is a truth undeniable that real life rarely adheres to the rules of literature. Normal people do not become heroes following a 12-step programme. The sum of our lives does not always fit squarely into character arcs. Tragedy does not discriminate between the righteous and the flawed — it comes for everyone. And because facts never die, Forsyth's fiction will not either. In essence, the 'imperfections' in his novels are perfected by the imperfections of our lived reality, and if there is any lesson to be learned from the width of the master's bibliography, it is that of spontaneity, motion, and enjoying the journey without worrying about its destination. Archisman Ghosh studies English at St. Xavier's College, Kolkata
Irish Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot punter celebrating after placing €59,000 on winning bet
A Royal Ascot punter is celebrating after placing almost €59,000 on a winning bet. The anonymous backer put £50,000 (€58,554) on Charles Darwin in Thursday's opening race, the Norfolk Stakes. Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore have dominated the juvenile races this week and Charles Darwin (8/13 f) added to the victories of True Love and Gstaad from earlier in the week. One Star Sports punter placed the £50,000 bet at odds of 4/5 meaning they made a £40,000 (€46,833) profit. Flynn Goward, Managing Director at Star Sports, said before the race: 'We've had a positive first two days of the Royal meeting results wise, losing on course on Tuesday but winning overall yesterday, however we've laid a big bet on course in the opener which could start us on the back foot on Day Three. 'One bullish punter seems to have the utmost faith in the Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore pairing in the opener, placing a £50,000 win bet on Charles Darwin at 4/5 to land the Norfolk Stakes. 'We can also report good business on the Gold Cup, with a £20k bet on French raider Candelari at 5/2.' And the punter had few concerns throughout the race, with Charles Darwin soon bowling along in front under Moore, finding plenty once challenged and going away at the line to readily account for Wise Approach and Sandal's Song. 'He's lovely, Ryan always loved him and everyone always loved him at home,' said O'Brien. 'He's a big, powerful, strong horse. He really looks like a four-year-old racing against two-year-olds. 'I didn't know if Ryan was going to make the running or drop him in, but he decides that. He always thought he had loads left with the way he came on the bridle. 'He's very quick, a big and mature physical and everyone who rides him says he has a very good mind as well – he's very exciting. 'We were hoping he would get a lead as he never sees the front at home, he's very strong and very quick.' On the Ballydoyle pecking order regarding juveniles, O'Brien added: 'Albert Einstein is always just something like we've never seen before, the way he works. 'This horse is very fast – he's a sprinter, I don't know how far he's going to get, because he's very quick, and the horse the other day (Gstaad) looks like he's going to get seven, which means he could get a mile."
Irish Examiner
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Charles Darwin lives up to his billing in Norfolk Stakes
Charles Darwin enhanced his already lofty reputation with a dominant front-running victory in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. A full-brother to a top-class two-year-old in Blackbeard, the imposing Aidan O'Brien-trained son of No Nay Never finished fourth on his Curragh debut but had since impressed with victories at Navan and Naas. Those who sent him off at odds of 8-13 will have had few concerns, with Charles Darwin soon bowling along in front under Ryan Moore, finding plenty once challenged and going away at the line to readily account for Wise Approach and Sandal's Song. "He's lovely, Ryan always loved him and everyone always loved him at home," said O'Brien. "He's a big, powerful, strong horse. He really looks like a four-year-old racing against two-year-olds. "I didn't know if Ryan was going to make the running or drop him in, but he decides that. He always thought he had loads left with the way he came on the bridle. "He's very quick, a big and mature physical and everyone who rides him says he has a very good mind as well - he's very exciting. "We were hoping he would get a lead as he never sees the front at home, he's very strong and very quick." On the Ballydoyle pecking order regarding juveniles, O'Brien added: "Albert Einstein is always just something like we've never seen before, the way he works. "This horse is very fast - he's a sprinter, I don't know how far he's going to get, because he's very quick, and the horse the other day (Gstaad) looks like he's going to get seven, which means he could get a mile."
RTÉ News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Royal Ascot: Charles Darwin impresses in landing Norfolk Stakes
Charles Darwin enhanced his already lofty reputation with a dominant front-running victory in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. A full-brother to a top-class two-year-old in Blackbeard, the imposing Aidan O'Brien-trained son of No Nay Never finished fourth on his Curragh debut but had since impressed with victories at Navan and Naas. Those who sent him off at odds of 8-13 will have had few concerns, with Charles Darwin soon bowling along in front under Ryan Moore, finding plenty once challenged and going away at the line to readily account for Wise Approach and Sandal's Song.
Wall Street Journal
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
Joseph Epstein Dismisses Four ‘Eminent Jews'
I realize that anyone who gets a bad notice believes that he has been cheated, but surely Joseph Epstein's review of my book 'Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer' depends for its many sarcasms on the most flagrant of misreadings (Books, April 12). Mr. Epstein denigrates all four subjects, ignoring, for instance, Norman Mailer's 'Armies of the Night' and 'The Executioner's Song,' both of which received Pulitzer Prizes and are now regarded as American masterworks of nonfiction writing. He doesn't mention Mel Brooks's '2000 Year Old Man' or 'Young Frankenstein' but uses an off-color joke in 'Blazing Saddles' to dismiss Brooks's relentless low-comedy assault on death. Mr. Epstein accuses feminist leader Betty Friedan of 'intractable leftism' when in fact she was a lifetime bourgeoisie whose insistence on sex with men, marriage and motherhood turned off younger feminist women in the late 1960s and after. He ignores 'West Side Story' and 'Chichester Psalms' but recalls at length his discomfort years ago with Leonard Bernstein's physically expressive conducting style, without mentioning that I analyzed in depth what Bernstein was doing and that orchestras and audiences loved his manner on the podium. At his death, Bernstein was universally regarded as one of the great conductors of the 20th century.
