Belgrade 1926 by Eric Ambler

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
  • Eric Ambler (1909-1998) was a distinguished English writer renowned for his gripping spy and thriller novels. Born on June 28, 1909, in London, England, Ambler hailed from a family with a background in entertainment; his father was a music hall comedian, while his mother worked as a dressmaker. His early education took place at University College School in London, and later he pursued engineering studies at London University, although he opted to abandon his academic pursuits to embark on a career in writing.
    Initially, Ambler found employment as an advertising copywriter, but his passion for storytelling soon led him to the realm of novels. In 1936, he made his literary debut with "The Dark Frontier," marking the beginning of a prolific career. Notable works from the 1930s include "Epitaph for a Spy" and "Cause for Alarm," which firmly established him as a leading figure in the genre of spy and thriller fiction.
    During World War II, Ambler contributed his talents to the British War Office and the Ministry of Information, leveraging his expertise in propaganda and psychological warfare to aid the war effort. Post-war, he continued his literary journey with acclaimed novels like "Journey into Fear" and "The Schirmer Inheritance," both of which were successfully adapted into films.
    Ambler's distinctive writing style was characterized by meticulous attention to detail and the creation of multifaceted, realistic characters. His narratives often incorporated elements of political and social commentary, earning praise for their authenticity and relevance.
    In addition to his novels, Ambler ventured into screenwriting, contributing to notable productions such as the 1953 film "The Cruel Sea" and the iconic 1960s TV series "The Avengers."
    Throughout his illustrious career, Ambler received numerous accolades, including the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 1975 and the prestigious Diamond Dagger Award from the Crime Writers' Association in 1986.
    Even in his later years, Ambler remained dedicated to his craft, producing compelling novels well into his 80s. His final work, "The Care of Time," was published in 1981. Eric Ambler passed away on October 22, 1998, leaving behind a legacy as one of the foremost masters of spy and thriller fiction, with his captivating narratives continuing to captivate readers worldwide.

ความคิดเห็น • 75

  • @bluefriend1723
    @bluefriend1723 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +42

    This channel is perfect! No loud music intro, no music competing with the narrator. Just really good stories, and narration. Love that you use a good range of vocal tones. It makes the stories even more interesting. These are just wonderful bedtime stores. Thank you so much for your work in producing these for us.

  • @tomcurran8470
    @tomcurran8470 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    Wow! The author of The Avengers!
    My mom was 2 years old at the time of this story and grew up in the Il Duce regime. I like references to the history of this period in this region.

  • @annesavoury2091
    @annesavoury2091 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Thank you Tony. Captivating as always.

  • @andrewarthurmatthews6685
    @andrewarthurmatthews6685 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    Ambler is such an overlooked writer of mystery, crime and espionage books . One of his finest in my opinion is the intriguing’ Mask of Demetrius ‘ that was also made into a classic and iconic ‘ film noir ‘ in the 40’s Hollywood production.

  • @ColonelFredPuntridge
    @ColonelFredPuntridge 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +22

    When I introduce a reader to Eric Ambler (which I do often as he is my favorite thriller-writer), I advise starting with the brilliant, culturally insightful _Passage of Arms,_ following up with the comedic _The Light of Day,_ and ending with the amazing and beautiful _Doctor Frigo,_ which somehow manages to sustain itself on atmosphere and character development without any actual violence until the final five percent of the book.

    • @angelachouinard4581
      @angelachouinard4581 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@2msvalkyrie529 As far back as the 80's that was so. I helped an old man in his classic old cluttered bookshop and was lucky to find several of his books. Henry had bought someone's spy collection and he recommended Ambler and Graham Greene. Happy he did.

  • @angelachouinard4581
    @angelachouinard4581 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    I've been a bit under the weather with a sinus attack that's gone into bronchitis. I'm terrible when I'm ill as it is very rare. Thankfully I am backlogged on my listening and now I'm catching up. Listening to you is better medicine by far than a team of doctors. Your detective selections are wonderful. Eric Ambler is time travel of the finest kind.

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Get well soon

    • @veritas6335
      @veritas6335 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Why do people here always want to assail us with their personal medical histories? No one cares if you have the sniffles because we don’t know you. Spare us. It’s BORING!

    • @andrewarthurmatthews6685
      @andrewarthurmatthews6685 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Perhaps you can keep us updated on your health issues . How’s the athletes foot doing?

  • @barbmennie2502
    @barbmennie2502 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Absolutely love this! I will be reading more from Eric Ambler Thanks so much

  • @MaggieatPlay
    @MaggieatPlay 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +13

    Excellent! A spy story. Well narrated by Tony. Thank you, Tony.

  • @martiwilliams4592
    @martiwilliams4592 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    Kinda` legal. Great story. Very enjoyable! Thank you for introducing Ambler, new to me. Love your accents, commentary. Masterful as always.😊

  • @joebeck1888
    @joebeck1888 26 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Well read. Thank you. 💐

  • @feralbluee
    @feralbluee 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thanks much! Great reading. Very interesting story (nothing has changed much, has it?). And I love your afterwords, I enjoy so much learning new things :)
    I must say, you have a wonderful voice - strong, calm, baritone. I could listen for ages. . . :) 🌷🌱

  • @CherryTai-y6m
    @CherryTai-y6m 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Perfect for a quiet Saturday evening. Great story, and great ending music too!

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Aaron kenny does a great job with the music

  • @EnCryptedHorror
    @EnCryptedHorror 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +13

    Eric Ambler is great. "The Mask of Dimitrios" is a terrific novel.

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Indeed, I love that book. It's the only one of his I've read though...

    • @ColonelFredPuntridge
      @ColonelFredPuntridge 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@classicdetectiveOoh, then you have several treats in store! Just wait until you read _Epitaph for a Spy, Passage of Arms, The Light of Day, Dirty Story, The Siege of the Villa Lipp,_ and _Dr. Frigo._

    • @andrewarthurmatthews6685
      @andrewarthurmatthews6685 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Yes it’s a cracking read and I very much enjoyed the film as well

  • @paulinefriar6916
    @paulinefriar6916 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Yet again, another fab story. ❤

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you very much Pauline

  • @kathleenellenford4816
    @kathleenellenford4816 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    Wonderful story and narration .. always appreciate your commentaries..

  • @veronicamaria2730
    @veronicamaria2730 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

    Great spy story, great narration, and an introduction to a new (to me) author.

  • @daftirishmarej1827
    @daftirishmarej1827 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Thanks so much. Also the extra insight is really interesting

  • @shirleybewley6646
    @shirleybewley6646 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Very much enjoyed that! Thank you! Love to listen while picking stitches for clothing alterations :)

  • @koitaki
    @koitaki 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Wow, that lived up to expectations... 👍👍

  • @martiwilliams4592
    @martiwilliams4592 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    PS: Love the music!!!!Perfect selection!👀

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      The Black Cat by Aaron Kenny

  • @Marg64
    @Marg64 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    EVver since I was an adolesent I have found The Mask of Dimitrios fascinating - plus the movie does it justice

  • @maretabester9784
    @maretabester9784 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    A brilliant story with the most brilliant narrator I have ever heard. Thank you ❤

  • @mapple8032
    @mapple8032 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Thanks. Classy!

  • @Su-Jo
    @Su-Jo 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    That was a fantastic story and i thoroughly enjoyed your narration (as always!). I especially loved your commentary at the end. I felt all the emotions you spoke of...sympathy, empathy, wonderment at how some can decieve so easily, etc. It was a sad story really. I guess I'm not spy material, lol, but I do like a good spy or detective novel! I can live vicariously through the characters while commiting no harm myself 😄👍 Keep the stories coming, please. I look forward to each new post ❤

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I'm really pleased you are here.

    • @philipkennedy6006
      @philipkennedy6006 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Wow…. This story was great, but the very fascinating and insightful commentary afterwards was actually even better. The voice and the detail like old FM radio …. Much appreciation

  • @MartiWilliams-r2z
    @MartiWilliams-r2z 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Ditto also this time. I sometimesattempt to listen to an audio book which as far as I can see you haven't narrated, but after a couple of minutes I cut it off. It isn't YOUR voice. Blame it on late-diagnosed autism/ADHD/CPTSD- whatever, I protest. You ARE the best!!!! :0) The others are good, but not on your level. I can see in the comments that I am not alone in my evaluation. Thank you so much, for your hard work for us, Tony. Much, much appreciated

  • @granthurlburt4062
    @granthurlburt4062 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I didnt know he contributed to the Avengers. One reason it remains very watchable. What an original series of shows it was. Easy to ignore the occasional hokiness of the scenarios, which still see very imaginative and are always well acted.

  • @AlgorithmEngagementEntity
    @AlgorithmEngagementEntity 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Don’t want to appear too para social, but your readings have been an offset during existentially strange times. Absurdity has been my life ring. Anyway, thanks Tony. Good wishes for Ruby.

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you. Ruby is recovering well from her surgery x

  • @maryclasen9168
    @maryclasen9168 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Do you avoid discussing movies based on the detective stories you share? If you haven’t seen it, please watch 1944 version of Mask of Dimitrios! Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Zachary Scott.. cohesive storytelling and great tension! Very noir. You’ll love it! 😍 Thanks for all you do my dear! ❤

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      No I don’t avoid them ! Thank you for sharing this

    • @maryclasen9168
      @maryclasen9168 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@classicdetective So sorry if that came off sounding disapproving. It was not meant to be!! Love what you do and how you do it 😻

    • @ClassicGhost
      @ClassicGhost 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@maryclasen9168 Not at all. Not for a second

  • @thurayya8905
    @thurayya8905 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    A very interesting story and well read. The beginning did give me the feeling that it was part of a novel. Perhaps you might consider releasing it chapter by chapter? Anyway, thank you for a tale of weakness and manipulation.

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I am simply too busy to narrate the whole novel, even chapter by chapter. Though perhaps guest narrators could help, though they may charge more than the story will ever make back.

  • @davidhull1481
    @davidhull1481 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I too enjoy his books- do you know of any on TH-cam besides this snippet? Any full length ones?

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I don’t . I may do a full
      one if and when i get time

  • @melindamassey14
    @melindamassey14 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Love this narrator! Who is he?

  • @michaelgreaves2375
    @michaelgreaves2375 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Great! Now do some Jules de Grandin stories by Seabury Quinn.

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I don't know them. I will take a look

  • @peterbianchi6219
    @peterbianchi6219 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    As others have noticed, this story is incorporated in the Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet 1944 film "The Mask of Dimitrios" ... or am I wrong? Screenwriters Eric Ambler and Frank Gruber. Just watching it, November 2024 and it hit me.

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      No, you're right. It's an excerpt from that novel

  • @ColinGlass-v9x
    @ColinGlass-v9x 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Any more Eric amblers stories audio book s radio dramas

  • @sus8e462
    @sus8e462 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    How did you miss that this great book was made into a movie of the same name in 1944 with an amazing cast including Peter Lorre & Sidney Greenstreet!! Granted, it didn't have great acclaim at the time, but appreciation has grown for it!!

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I miss many things sadly

    • @sus8e462
      @sus8e462 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@classicdetective But we benefit from what you don't miss! Great narration of the story & really enjoyed it. Hope you have a chance to see the movie version someday!

  • @kambrose1549
    @kambrose1549 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Spies as unethical operators would not have appealed to an earlier public. They would have found them un edifying and therefore unsympathetic ?

  • @malashukla9292
    @malashukla9292 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Analyse John le carre too

  • @evelanpatton
    @evelanpatton 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    ❤🎉😊

  • @martin5504
    @martin5504 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I don't understand why there are so many positive comments.

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  9 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Luckily you’ve redressed the balance

    • @andrewarthurmatthews6685
      @andrewarthurmatthews6685 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Well they are positive as I assume all the posters are folk who have read Ambler’s works and enjoyed them immensely. I am one of those people that love the book and film and in my opinion is an equal for the ‘Maltese Falcon ‘ or any other highly regarded’ espionage/ crime / suspense novel

  • @andrejmucic5003
    @andrejmucic5003 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Gross, in the American English sense. Yuk!

  • @veritas6335
    @veritas6335 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Oh for God’s sake. At least pronounce Belgrade properly. Bel-GRAHD, short a, not long a.

    • @classicdetective
      @classicdetective  7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      we say Belgrade in British English the way I did. If I’d pronounced it like you suggest I’d sound like Zsa Zsa Gabor, darlings