Modern Classics Day of the Triffids (S.F. Masterworks) (20th Century Rediscoveries) (Modern Library 20th Century Rediscovery)

by John Wyndham

Barry Langford (Introduction)

When Bill Masen wakes up blindfolded in hospital there is a bitter irony in his situation. Carefully removing his bandages, he realizes that he is the only person who can see: everyone else, doctors and patients alike, have been blinded by a meteor shower. Now, with civilization in chaos, the triffids - huge, venomous, large-rooted plants able to 'walk', feeding on human flesh - can have their day.

The Day of the Triffids, published in 1951, expresses many of the political concerns of its time: the Cold War, the fear of biological experimentation and the man-made apocalypse. However, with its terrifyingly believable insights into the genetic modification of plants, the book is more relevant today than ever before.

John Wyndham was born in 1903. After a wide experience of the English preparatory school he was at Bedales from 1918 to 1921. Careers which he tried included farming, law, commercial art, and advertising, and he first started writing short stories, intended for sale, in 1925. During the war he was in the Civil Service and afterwards in the Army. In 1946 he began writing his major science fiction novels including "The Kraken Wakes", "The Chrysalids" and "The Midwich Cuckoos".

• ISBN10: 0141185414
• ISBN13: 9780141185415
• Publish Date: 6 March 2001 (first published December 1951)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Penguin UK
• Imprint: Penguin Classic
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 256
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9780141185415

Reviews

[Bookbee]

I've read this book many, many times over the years but it's my first time listening to an audiobook version. Narration was excellent!

[ross91]

I liked Saramago "Blindness" more.

[remo]

Leí una recomendación y me lancé a por ella, y lo cierto es que me ha decepcionado. Sin ser mala de remate, es bastante sosa y no aporta nada. La Humanidad descubre un petróleoo vegetal mucho mejor que el del subsuelo, que se puede obtener a partir de unas plantas llamadas trífidos. Estas plantas son venenosas, se mueven y hablan entre ellas. Cágate lorito. Además, por un proceso que no se explica, más del 99% de toda la humanidad queda ciega al mirar una lluvia de meteoros, lo cual hace que los trífidos se adueñen del planeta.

La novela avanza sin un propósito definido, tan pronto el autor quiere centrarse en la supervivencia de los protas en un escenario postapocalíptico como los mete en métodos de gestión de trífidos. El protagonista no para de hacer reflexiones filosóficas en los momentos más insospechados, las mujeres de la novela son maniquíes listos para tener hijos y poco más (la novela es del 51), y en general tanto las explicaciones que se dan como las decisiones que toman los protagonistas me parecen poco justificadas e insuficientes. Al final no se sabe cuántos supervivientes ha habido, cómo se comunican entre ellos... queda un final abierto y lánguido. Como final me gustó muchísimo más el de World War Z, que habla de otro cataclismo global pero da muchos más detalles acerca de cómo se organiza la raza humana ante la amenaza.

En UK los trífidos causan sensación, la BBC ha hecho pelis, seriales de radio y remakes, pero a mí no llegaron a interesarme.

[arronkau]

Interesting and enjoyable take on the apocalypse (involving carnivorous walking plants!).

[Michael @ Knowledge Lost]

Civilisation has been brought to its knees; the world has gone blind (except a few) and this is the major cause of the world’s destruction. The book focuses on the survival of the remaining people and the changes in society. But there is also the added element of the Triffids; these plants (which were around before the comet/meteor shower) have been the great resource for humanity, but when they started to move around panic people freaked out.

The Day of the Triffids was written during the start of Cold war and I believe the book is a metaphor for everything that where on John Wyndham’s mind during this time. The threat of biologist warfare, the problems caused by human greed and bickering, right down to the inequality of men and women.

This is a quick and enjoyable read, while some people might disagree with the book being a metaphor, the book is enjoyable without any deeper meaning.