Here is a BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Daphne du Maurier's classic tale of horror. The idea for this famous story came to du Maurier one day when she was walking across to a farm from her house. She saw a farmer busily ploughing a field while above him the seagulls were diving and wheeling. She developed an idea about the birds becoming hostile and attacking him.
In her story, the birds become hostile after a harsh winter with little food. First the seagulls, then birds of prey, and finally even small birds all turn against mankind. The nightmarish vision appealed to Alfred Hitchcock, who turned it into the celebrated film.
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"cynical, tightly plotted gems, two of which were turned into classic films--the birds and the titular don't look now. well i don't know if the latter is considered a classic. most hew toward paranormal realms. fun, page-turning stories. very 50s british in tone. " — John (4 out of 5 stars)
"cynical, tightly plotted gems, two of which were turned into classic films--the birds and the titular don't look now. well i don't know if the latter is considered a classic. most hew toward paranormal realms. fun, page-turning stories. very 50s british in tone. "
" I find this one the strangest of all her stories. I much prefer "Rebecca". "
" Of course the title story is one of the best things ever written. But the other items are quite intriguing as well, including "Split Second." "
" I love Daphne DuMaurier's books. This book of stories is great if you like mysteries,it's a mix of everything in here. some of the stories are creepy and strange, don't read it at night when you are alone. "
" This is a really creepy story and the movie with Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland is great, too. "
" I usually have a hard time with short stories, but enjoyed this for the most part. I picked it up for THE BIRDS and was happy to discover stories that I enjoyed even more, including the story from which the title is derived. "
" I'm not big on short stories, but this is a keeper! Pulling it out is like meeting up with an old friend. "
" My favorite story was, 'Don't Look Now,' but 'The Breakthrough' and 'Not After Midnight' were also entertaining with the latter being the best of the two. "
Daphne du Maurier (1907–1989) was born in London, the daughter of the actor Sir Gerald du Maurier and granddaughter of the author and artist George du Maurier. She has been called one of the great shapers of popular culture and the modern imagination. She began writing in 1928, and many of her bestselling novels were set in Cornwall, where she lived for most of her life. Besides novels, du Maurier wrote plays, biographies, and several collections of short fiction. Among her more famous works are The Scapegoat, Jamaica Inn, Rebecca, and the short story “The Birds,” all of which were subsequently made into films, the latter three directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
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