Reading the 20th Century discussion

John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris was the son of a barrister. After trying a number of careers, including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, he started writing short stories in 1925. After serving in the civil Service and the Army during the war, he went back to writing. Adopting the name John Wyndham, he started writing a form of science fiction that he called 'logical fantasy'. As well as The Day of the Triffids, he wrote The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos (filmed as Village of the Damned) and The Seeds of Time.

Any Wyndham fans here?

I've started listening the audio of The Day of the Triffids and am hooked.

The start reminds me of Blindness but the politics are very different: published in 1951, this expressed Cold War paranoia about soviet biological warfare in the form of walking, people-eating plants.

I haven't seen the film so don't know how the plot is going to play out - it was very matter of fact about the triffids pulling up their roots and starting to walk - eek!

Yes! I have an interest in collapse narratives, and have enjoyed both The Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids. Looks like my library also has The Midwich Cuckoos, Trouble with Lichen, and Chocky.

If there's a buddy read to be had, I'm in!

I’ve read most of his books and think he’s great


I believe he was quite the pioneer and certainly very influential by setting his imaginative and catastrophic scenarios in the mundane and realistic settings of post-war England

His style is unfussy, lucid, and deceptive in its simplicity. His books still feel remarkably modern too

I haven't read Blindness. Actually forgot that I had picked up a copy in my travels when I saw it mentioned here.

Nigeyb wrote: "I’ve read most of his books and think he’s great


I believe he was quite the pioneer and certainly very influential by setting his imaginative and catastrophic scenarios in the mundane and realist..."

I think he's a great storyteller, he was very much influenced by Wells and by ideas around evolution. I think his gender politics can be a bit dodgy at times. But he was pretty much a liberal, if somewhat drawn to notions of educated elites, also known for writing some explicitly anti-racist narratives.

There are several versions of this particular novel. Apparently the final version of the American Triffids differed quite a lot from the British one. Not sure if that's been ironed out in recent years. Apparently he thought some Americans might find the more literary/philosophical references too challenging! I have an original Penguin edition of The Day of the Triffids which has a wonderfully creepy line drawing on the cover.

Think my favourites are prob The Kraken Wakes which has a proto-cli-fi vibe and The Midwich Cuckoos because I like narratives featuring sinister children.

I've read The Midwich Cuckoos, first at school and then as an adult - the creepy children are great! I don't know why I never read anything else by Wyndham after that.

Definitely a bit dodgy in the way the narrator has chummed up with the beautiful woman who is so scared and constantly crying while he's in charge. And she dresses up in diamonds and a dress, looking for his admiration - though I kind of got the diamonds given they think the world might end.

As with War of the Worlds, I love that you can trace the London streets - they've just been to Senate House, along Gower Street and Malet Street.

I'm a bit confused about why not everyone knows about the triffids yet? And what's the connection between the triffids and the meteor shower? Love that the triffids are sentient and communicating amongst themselves. It's all so gripping, I'm in just one more chapter mode.

Hmm, the (male) leader has decided male polygamy and childbearing for all women are the answer the catastrophe - surprise!

I've finished - the audiobook is excellent, I'm not sure if I'd have been quite as gripped if I'd read this as the holey plot would have been more obvious.

I settled on 3.5 stars, rounded up: www.goodreads.com/review/show/8605652130

My big disappointment was that we didn't get more of the triffids. Given that Bill and his love interest irritated me, I was sort of on the side of the triffids (!), and wanted to know more about how they communicated, what their plans were, how they learned to pull up their roots and walk etc. etc. I'd really love for someone to write a prequel/parallel text from the point of view of a triffid!

That is a great idea. You should do it


I’m glad you found the book so enjoyable

Hahaha! I'm wondering if they even have individual thoughts or if there's a triffid hive mind thing going on.

Are there any books written from the perspective of a plant or tree that anyone can think of?

I finished The Crysalids last night. Well written but I don't really feel it was "ahead of time" because history keeps repeating, the human race doesn't learn and marginalisation and cruelty just keep on keeping on.....

Roman Clodia wrote: "Hahaha! I'm wondering if they even have individual thoughts or if there's a triffid hive mind thing going on.

Are there any books written from the perspective of a plant or tree that anyone can t..."

The Overstory, which I have read, and The Tainted Cup, which is on my TR list, are the ones that come to mind.

@Rose,

I have The Overstory but haven't even opened it as yet.

Did you enjoy it?

Cphe wrote: "@Rose,

I have The Overstory but haven't even opened it as yet.

Did you enjoy it?"

I did, I liked it a lot. I'm a cognitive neuroscientist turned ecologist so it hit my sweet spot.

Roman Clodia wrote: "Hahaha! I'm wondering if they even have individual thoughts or if there's a triffid hive mind thing going on.

Are there any books written from the perspective of a plant or tree that anyone can think of?"

Semiosis by Sue Burke, plus now two sequels.

Thanks for the plant/tree fiction, everyone!