We've had some rough reporting to read here on the blog and we are all concerned about the outcomes of recent events for some of our members. This kind of thing shows what a tight-knit and supportive group of people we are and I am particularly happy to have such caring and supportive friends from around the world in this time of my personal grief. Yet, this said, the blog seems to have come to a full stop. Nobody wants to be the first to go back to our main subject in view of what has happened and our thoughts and prayers are with Jack and Louise Marino today. Let's Refuse to be Afraid and go forward…
I was visiting a friend the other day and found on an end table a copy of a book called “Heroic War Stories” and was astonished to find that the cover was illustrated with a picture of three men's faces in military uniform, the center picture being a depiction of Errol Flynn in Objective Burma!
Heroic War Stories
Gallery Books 1988
Writers including Alistair McLean, David Niven, Joseph Heller, tell their real-life and fictional front-line tales. David Niven's contribution is from his book of remembrances The Moon's A Balloon and there are other wonderful tales of military service both fact and fiction in this hardcover volume. I was unable this morning to find a picture of the book's cover but when I next visit my friend I will ask if I can take the book home and scan it for the blog.
Flynn has a way of showing up at the most surprising times!
— David DeWitt
Anonymous
May 2, 2011 at 6:46 pm
Thanks so much David!!!
The editorial is a great piece of writing by Errol, do you happen to remember when and where it was published?
Secondly, I found the book cover:
and I was wondering what Flynn has to do with the book? Since he did not fight in the war, I was wondering why he is depicted there…
Anonymous
May 2, 2011 at 8:56 pm
Hi David;
This is a most wonderful article by Errol!
Errol's article describes a subject, which has plagued us human beings since our existence! This very subject is an everlasting one and describes so well of what hinders us precisely to succeed or to fail.
I think we all should retype it as is and send it to our local newspapers.
If it could help only one person it would spell success and a feather in Errol's hat. What do you think? Are there any legal attachments?
I also found the book (cover) on eBay and I bought it.
Anonymous
May 3, 2011 at 1:44 am
The book contains both fiction and non-fiction accounts of heroic war stories and Errol is depicted in Objective Burma a fictionalized account of a real event. I have not read the contents of the book except for the story provided by David Niven in another book…
Anonymous
May 3, 2011 at 10:41 am
Hi David, what a coincidence. I am just reading Niv's “The Moon is a Balloon”, extremely good writer. Very recommendable indeed!!
Anonymous
May 3, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Jan! I love anything to do with David Niven. He was a wonderful actor and writer, too. I wrote to him twice and he answered me from both of his homes, so I have envelopes from Gaastad (March 21, 1981), and from Chateau-D'OEX (Feb.19, 1982). In the first letter he tells me he has penned a new novel Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly, and this letter was dictated by him and signed by his secretary C Rathrug after his departure for the Academy Awards show – the famous one in which a streaker ran behind him and he got a huge laugh when he said something like, This is probably the only time in his life that he will ever get noticed by showing the world his, uh, shortcomings! And the second letter is in regards to the Higham charges about Flynn in which Niven calls Higham a bastard… and signs the letter himself. I have a copy of Niven's early novel Once Over Lightly, I think also published as Round the Rugged Rocks. Anyway, it is a delightful novel and you can see where many of his later stories in Moon's A Balloon were used in this novel in another form. I was such a huge fan of his and felt very badly indeed when he passed away…
Anonymous
May 3, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Niven's natural wit was so much better than any script he ever read. My fantasy dinner party guests: Niven, Flynn, and George Sanders.
Anonymous
May 3, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Niven's natural wit was so much better than any script he ever read. My fantasy dinner party guests: Niven, Flynn, and George Sanders.
Anonymous
May 3, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Wow, David, these are certainly very personal treasures! Was the novel Go Slowly… published, too?
Anonymous
May 3, 2011 at 7:15 pm
When is it scheduled? Don't forget to invite me, too!!
Anonymous
May 4, 2011 at 2:28 am
Boy oh boy Maria – Flynn second? Wow!
My guests would be Flynn, Flynn-Flynn, Flynn-Flynn-Flynn, and then Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, David Niven, and Gregory Peck! Are you coming?
Let's keep on dreaming!
Anonymous
May 4, 2011 at 2:38 am
David, this is wonderful and what a great memorabilia!
I like this best: Niven calls Higham a bastard… and signs the letter himself.” Most pleasurably and a treasure indeed!
Fantastic – Tina
Anonymous
May 4, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Yes, it was and I keep the letter about it from Niv inside the hardcover of the novel…