Flew back from Madeira as part of a civilian aero medical team one Christmas Eve, amazing experience, thought we were chasing Santa we moving so fast in a Lear 35. Safe journey to everyone going home tonight.

My nephew managed to persuade easyJet to schedule him for a stop over in Bordeaux where he can join his parents tomorrow. He flies out Boxing Day. Thank you Pali.

This adaptation from the BBC is spectactularly good. Hint - download it, get some headphones, and listen in glorious stereo.

BBC Radio 3 - Between the Ears, The Shepherd

G

Whilst the audio can be streamed, it doesn't seem possible to actually download it.

MrB, the CBC version ahboooot which GtE refers can be downloaded, eh, but it's not as good as the BBC Radio 3 version - for which no podcast is available.

Grandson had a snowy ride in a helicopter a couple of days ago although, TBH, I thought a broken femur was a bit of a high price to pay.
He thought it was great - must have a word with him ;)

Here’s a workaround solution for the 5 part unannotated edition of the novel on youtube

Go here:
this is part one of five, the other four parts should be sequential and pop up as you type in the first search above, if not just search for this:

The Shepherd - Frederick Forsyth Read by Robert Powell Part 1, The Shepherd - Frederick Forsyth Read by Robert Powell Part 2, The Shepherd - Frederick Forsyth Read by Robert Powell Part 3 ect

Next go here: Convert Youtube to MP3, Soundcloud Downloader - Grabfrom.com

or just type in ‘mp3grab’ for a list of options

copy and paste the URL into the website and it will down load the audio as an mp3 file.

you will get 5 mp3 files. either play them sequentially, drop into iTunes or use an audio book builder to bind the files into one continuious mp3

A bit long winded, but you only have to do it once.

I have the MP3 on my hard drive here, which I downloaded when it went up last Christmas. They've obviously pulled the podcast, but...

I may in the meantime however have accidentally uploaded it to my fileshare site here and probably won't remember to close off that link for a few weeks.

G

G.

Forgetfulness comes with old age! ;)

Just had my annual reading of Forsythe's "The Shepherd" read by Alan Maitland - now available on Youtube

Merry Christmas

Radar101

At the risk of further thread drift, I’ve just downloaded his ‘Biafra Story’ from the local library ebooks bit.
It’s interesting for me as I was, relatively briefly, in Nigeria, in the ‘60’s.

The Shepherd: A Festive Story
 

Something that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts every year on Christmas Eve:
The Shepherd?a Canadian Christmas Classic > Vintage Wings of Canada

The audio reading:
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens...herd-1.4458378

A wonderful Christmas tradition in Canada. Read by Fireside Al Maitland. I remember hearing the very first broadcast in 1979

I received the same link that MightyGem posted. It is well worth a read, before listening to the story:
The Shepherd?a Canadian Christmas Classic > Vintage Wings of Canada

It has some great pictures. Here's one:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....0a10b66e95.jpg

Here is a link to an As It Happens interview with Frederick Forsyth in 2015:
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens...tion-1.3260571

The interview starts at 17:40 and there is a discussion of "The Shepherd" at 25:20.

A wonderful story. The first "grown up" book i ever read, when i was about eight years old.

Going to pick it up again now having seen this thread.

Happy Christmas one and all!

I bought a copy when it was first published. It's everything a short story should be: short, concise, well written and deeply moving.
I still enjoy it today, after over 30 years.

Me too Bobward, I lost the original and bought a replacement a few months back, what a treat to read it again. The illustrations really give atmosphere. Reminded me of a fictional story in late 70s(?) "Pilot" mag, where a pilot flying in foul weather formates with a four engine piston which turns out to be an Avro Tudor. Our pilot is confused because the lettering on the nose is reversed, REGIT RATS .. one of the BSAA Tudors that went missing of course​​​​​​. Anybody else come across this story? Many copies of The Shepherd on abebooks or the bay that is E, for less than £5.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....529cdc4178.jpg

I wish a safe landing to every pilot around the world this Christmas.

The Shepherd
 

Just seen this trailer. No idea when it’s out but was filmed in West Raynham in 2022/23.


Really looking forward to it, albeit I still love the original artwork in the book.

Streaming from 1st December, I shall be keen to watch this; always a great read 👍

I hope the "Hollywood" radio transmissions in the trailer are not an indication of the overall quality of the film.

I also hope the "Hollywood" advert poster isn't an indication of the overall quality of the film...! :confused:


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....065949d50b.jpg

Ha ha, took two responses before it started...

CG

I’m looking hard at the poster and trying to see twin booms on the Vampire, or is my sight going? Looking forward to the movie though!

Defence cuts! (Boom, boom!)

Mog

Always liked the book and radio version. I wonder if one of his own flying experiences drew John Travolta to the story:
"On November 24, 1992, Travolta was piloting his Gulfstream N728T at night above a solid undercast when he experienced a total electrical system failure". Should get a good audience as a classic Christmas ghost and getting-home story. Looking forward to seeing it.

An observation about the "Disneyfication" of "The Shepherd" by the hosts of CBC Radio's "As It Happens", home of the wonderful reading of the story by "Fireside Al":

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio...ation-critical

Scroll to 24:15.

Surely you mean "Defence cuts, (Boom!)"?

Disney, The Shepherd
 

Released on Disney + 01 December a short film adapted from a Frederick Forsyth novella..

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF...y+the+shepherd

Travolta says in Beeb interview his decision to do the film was informed by his own experience:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67518127

Is there a 'tail' chase sequence?

I see that Travolta has one of those Wokeston celebratory beards…

Must be Bill Kenwrights last hurrah.

The shepard
 

Very smart, the outgoing scenes at night were beautiful. twiddled with he source material a lil but hey ithink its really good.
And some nice close ups of the aircraft.

Watched it last night. As a longtime fan of the book (I read it every Christmas Eve without fail) I was hopeful but worried at the same time, and..

...actually, it was not bad at all. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of everything, though as the Vampire used was a former Swiss FB.6 I happily overlooked the bang seat and conventional control column rather than spade grip. The way the in-cockpit sequences were filmed made it very claustrophobic and the young actor brought across the pilot's increasing worry, frustration, desperation and eventually acceptance of his fate very well. The external shots showed how lonely a big, empty sky can be when you have problems with your aircraft and while the CGI was not perfect, it was quite acceptable.

The screenplay stuck pretty well to the book, with a few extra sequences at Celle at the beginning to overcome the fact that for a good part of the story there is little or no dialogue, and let's be honest, to have the pilot talking to himself all the time would be daft (I would not dare to say that most pilots of my acquaintance prefer to talk to themselves than others. No sirree, not me:oh:). Other dialogue is put in to overcome the same issue, though I know some people will not approve.

Talking of not approving, there is an extra sequence at the end which is going to be marmite. Personally I liked it and felt that it leaned into the story well, but others will hate it and see it as an unnecessary deviation. I'll let you make your own minds up.

Ultimately, it is worthy of 39 minutes of your time. To me it captured the heart and soul of the original novella, was clearly made with love and affection, and is a well made little piece of Christmas television.

Ghost wisky
 

"Talking of not approving, there is an extra sequence at the end which is going to be marmite. Personally I liked it and felt that it leaned into the story well, but others will hate it and see it as an unnecessary deviation. I'll let you make your own minds up."

guessing your alluding to the 2nd spectre/spirit.
Thought the landing part could have had abit more work into to build tension, and as a pay off, but i guess the largest factor is the north sea sequences as many pilots will be able to empathize with that feeling of being over the black and over the fog to ominously descend through, to get home to the east coast.

Do Disney + films ever make it on to other platforms (Sky, Netflix, Prime?) and if so after how long. Or do I have to stump up?

What can you get for £4.99 these days? Just use it for a month then cancel.

OK you smooth talker, you convinced me!

:).....

So, you talk me into it, I join Disney + using my I pad only to discover that my (not very) smart tv doesn’t support it and I’ll need a fire stick or similar at £40+ or have to watch it on the I pad. I blame you!