Nightmares and Dreamscapes discussion

Sacha, Vickie and Terry are doing a buddy read of The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier starting April 25th and ending around June 25th. Anyone can join.



A classic of alienation and horror, The Birds was immortalised by Hitchcock in his celebrated film. The five other chilling stories in this collection echo a sense of dislocation and mock man's dominance over the natural world. The mountain paradise of 'Monte Verità' promises immortality, but at a terrible price; a neglected wife haunts her husband in the form of an apple tree; a professional photographer steps out from behind the camera and into his subject's life; a date with a cinema usherette leads to a walk in the cemetery; and a jealous father finds a remedy when three's a crowd . . .

Enjoy! And please use spoiler tags when necessary!

Thanks, Sally!

Terry wrote: "Thanks, Sally!"

You bet! Enjoy!

Sally wrote: "Terry wrote: "Thanks, Sally!"

You bet! Enjoy!"

Actually, I heard this one was for the birds...

OK, sorry, had to get that out of my system before I started...😊

Thank you for creating this thread!

Thanks, Sally!

And lol, Terry!😂🤣😂

You're welcome, guys! Ah, Terry, what are we going to do with you? Lol!

I added this last week to my currently reading list and was going to start in the next day or two.
I'm just seeing this BR. I guess I'll join you guys for it. 😆

Seriously, this is weird…I’m either becoming psychic or it’s some weird “bird” clue that I was picking up. 😂🤣

Glad you are joining @Ginger!

Sacha wrote: "Glad you are joining @Ginger!"

Me too Sacha! I’ve wanted to read this collection for years and reading it with friends makes it even better.

Sally wrote: "You're welcome, guys! Ah, Terry, what are we going to do with you? Lol!"

I know... I tried not to... 😊

Ginger wrote: "I added this last week to my currently reading list and was going to start in the next day or two.
I'm just seeing this BR. I guess I'll join you guys for it. 😆

Seriously, this is weird…I’m either..."

Very cool, Ginger. Must be meant to be. Definitely spur of the moment decision for me, too.

Terry wrote: "Definitely spur of the moment decision for me, too...."

Same! hahaha

Woohoo, Ginger! Haven't buddy read with you and Terry in a while, so yay! And now we have an opportunity to get to know Sacha, as well. Love reading with long-time buddies and new friends!!🥰

So, the book was originally published in 1952 as The Apple Tree: A Short Novel and Several Long Stories, then with the success of Hitchcock's 1963 film, it was re-issued as The Birds and other stories in that same year. I'm actually reading the original 1952 edition. The stories are the same, but their sequencing is different: Monte Verità, The Birds (they are swapped in the 1963 version), The Apple Tree, The Little Photographer, Kiss Me Again, Stranger and The Old Man. I've already read Monte Verità and The Birds and am currently reading The Apple Tree. I wonder what you all make of the birds as a collective character. What do you think they represent?

Vickie wrote: "Woohoo, Ginger! Haven't buddy read with you and Terry in a while, so yay! And now we have an opportunity to get to know Sacha, as well. Love reading with long-time buddies and new friends!!🥰"

I agree on all of that. Woohoo is right! :D

Sacha, didn't get much reading time in last night, so I hope to finish The Birds tonight. That one is my first story.

Finished The Birds and really enjoyed it. I love du Maurier's atmospheric writing! As far as your question, Sacha, (view spoiler)[ I definitely see the parallel with the time that this was written, after the war. The fear and panic came through, for sure. Aerial bombings-birds dive bombing. There was even talk about how cold it was and if the Russians had anything to do with it. So Cold War prelude? So I can understand people seeing it as a metaphor. (hide spoiler)]

And how do you all feel about the ending? I, personally, don't care for the open-ended versions, but I understand why she did it here. It was effective in this instance.

Yes, Vickie, I agree with both your interpretation on the story and your opinion on the ending. I'll share more later from the pc (I don't know how to hide spoilers from my cellphone).

I made it through The Birds also. I really liked it. I agree Vickie, the dark setting and the time it is set in definitely paint the atmosphere well. In case anybody hasn’t watched the Hitchcock movie and doesn’t want to be spoiled for it (view spoiler)[ I know he didn’t follow the book very faithfully in the adaptation, but you can certainly see many of the scenes that gave inspiration for it in here. And the movie had the same vague ending leaving you to wonder what happened next. (hide spoiler)] Why hasn’t there been a remake of this one I wonder? I can’t imagine it would be better if they did.
On the book (view spoiler)[ there was more of an apocalyptic feel to it than I was expecting. (hide spoiler)] And I think I liked that ending the way it was. Kinda fitting for a short story.
I’m left wondering about what an unstoppable force of nature the birds ended up being. Feels plausible to me.

Yes, Terry, I'd love to see a remake of the movie!

Well, yes, a remake of the movie would be great. I think the whole idea of an undefined presence hovering on your life without an explanation is the best idea conveyed by the story, and the ending adds to this vagueness beautifully.

I've recently read another book written in the 1950s and though the threat was very real in that case, you could see this sense of paranoia hanging over characters the way life must have felt like back then.

Hello everyone! I don't think I know how to write and hide spoilers. I've tried, but only managed to delete one of my previous comments :-( and the following one is simply a blank space. I really need to be more tech savvy...

Anyway, I've found Monte Verità a really impressive story. I particularly liked the idea of escaping from the world as something sacred to the people who might end up choosing this and frightening for the ones who are left behind. The twist in the story was also unexpected, which I really enjoyed.

I finished up The Birds the other day. I just haven't had a chance to get on here for a few days.
I really liked it and I agree with the thoughts on the ending. I did want more but I also like how your hoping (view spoiler)[the family can weather the birds! And you know they likely will because...this dude was the first prepper known in existence and started the whole phenomenon. ;) hahaha (hide spoiler)]

I haven't watched the movie in years and now I want to watch it again to see the differences in the book vs movie. I really liked this book though and also the setting of Cornwall.

Sacha wrote: "Hello everyone! I don't think I know how to write and hide spoilers. I've tried, but only managed to delete one of my previous comments :-( and the following one is simply a blank space. I really n..."

When you do a spoiler Sacha, you'll code it like this but leave out the spaces by the angle brackets.
< spoiler >What your spoiler is< /spoiler >

Yes, Ginger, he was definitely the first prepper!😃

Finished Monte Verita and agree with you, Sacha. I enjoyed it!

Thank you Ginger!

Sacha wrote: "Thank you Ginger!"

No problem! I hope (view spoiler)[this will help (hide spoiler)]. 😜😂

(view spoiler)[It does< / spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

Sacha wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

Hahaha! Awesome 😃

Finished The Apple Tree. I'm thoroughly enjoying these stories! du Maurier does so well writing that sense of foreboding.

Excellent Vickie. I’m midway through Monte Verita, and enjoying that one too. It definitely has that foreboding feeling.

Still haven't finished The Apple Tree, but it looks promising.

I've just finished The Apple Tree, another brilliant read from this book. I have to say I'd like to see things from a woman's pov, though. All protagonists have bern male so far... Anyway, both Anna and Midge are powerful characters despite that.

I've finished Monte Verita now. That didn't go the way I was expecting.

I know, right?

Sorry that I’m lagging behind. I’m trying to finish up this ARC in the next few days so that I’m at least close to the published date (May 2nd!) 😬😂
As soon as I get this book read, I’ll get back to this. I’m glad to see that the rest of the short stories have been good.

No worries Ginger!

Don't sweat it, Ginger!

I started another book last night- a group read in the Creatures group- so I figured I'd end up slowing down on this one. But then I read a little over lunch today, and once again, found myself turning the pages till I finished another story.🤦🏼‍♀️ I finished The Little Photographer, and at first I thought it was going to be the "lesser" story compared to the others but ended up loving it. I just can't get enough of Daphne's writing!

I apologize, gang, but I got sucked in and finished this collection. I thoroughly enjoyed every story! The last story, The Old Man, made me laugh at the ending because I so didn't see that coming, lol! Looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on these stories.😊

Awesome, Vickie! Glad to know the rest are so good. I'm in the middle of The Apple Tree and enjoying the writing as you noted.

Vickie wrote: "I apologize, gang, but I got sucked in and finished this collection. I thoroughly enjoyed every story! The last story, The Old Man, made me laugh at the ending because I so didn't see that coming, ..."

That's great to hear Vickie! I'm almost done with Monte Verità and really liking this one.

I live very close to mountains so I understand the appeal of hiking/climbing up to the top. It's an amazing feeling when you get to a peak. This story is hitting the mark for me with outdoor imagery and gothic creepy (view spoiler)[monasteries. (hide spoiler)] :D

Just finished The Apple Tree. I've got to admit - (view spoiler)[ Never thought to look at an apple tree and be afraid... (hide spoiler)]

Very interesting tale.

I know, right?!

Terry wrote: "Just finished The Apple Tree. I've got to admit - [spoilers removed]

Very interesting tale."

I felt the same and liked this one. This was an interesting story. The description of the (view spoiler)[apple tree was fantastic. It made me think of a person with how descriptive she made the tree. (hide spoiler)]

I would not like to be (view spoiler)[married to either one of them. They seemed perfect for each other though. LOL
The wife always seemed miserable from what the husband remembers and the husband always seemed lazy from what the wife thinks. The husband has a bit of misogyny about him so I'm wondering if this is why the wife became so miserable? Or he got more lazy and misogynist because she made him miserable and he could never enjoy life?
It's like this question on what comes first. The chicken or the egg?! :D (hide spoiler)]

Is this a cautionary tale to be careful on who you marry?! ha!

Great thoughts, Ginger! (view spoiler)[Yes, they were both rough, for sure. I'm wondering if she changed the most when she caught him cheating? At least that's what I like to think happened. He never said she definitely saw anything, but I think she did. (hide spoiler)]