I woke up to the news that Frederick Forsyth has passed away, and instantly, it transported me back to those old college days—the buzz of bunking classes and heading off to the big screens. Life was all about sneaking thrills and chasing stories. I can still picture us taking shortcuts from Park Street to Lindsay Street, nearly gasping for breath, piling into New Empire for a matinee showing of The Odessa File with a few college buddies.
In a Proustian way, I can smell those stale popcorn kernels stuck between my teeth and feel myself fishing for the last crumbled, oily bits of potato chips. That movie hooked us hard. From there, it was a race to devour everything you wrote that we could get our hands on—The Day of the Jackal-, _The Shepherd, The Devil’s Alternative, and more. We’d rush to the USIS and British Council to borrow your books, passing them around like treasures.( Frederick Forsyth )
It’s almost like telepathy, how just yesterday I was cleaning out my bookrack, sifting through dusty memories, when I found that leather-bound, gold-etched copy of The Devil’s Alternative
It’s almost like telepathy, how just yesterday I was cleaning out my bookrack, sifting through dusty memories, when I found that leather-bound, gold-etched copy of The Devil’s Alternative. A college friend, Anindita, gave it to me for my birthday, knowing I’m a Scorpio to the core—always digging for mysteries, craving thrillers, and probably stirring up trouble just for the rush. What could be a better gift for me?( Frederick Forsyth )
Waking up today to hear you’re gone hits differently. You left at a ripe age, no question, but goodbyes like this leave a croak in my throat, a bit of sand in my eyes. It’s not just you—it’s saying farewell to those days, to that piece of growing up and the good old times. Every goodbye shrinks that part of us a little more, makes it quieter. But those moments—huddled with friends, lost in your pages, chasing your spies and schemers—they’re still vivid, still ours.
Also Read:A Life Well-Lived: Alice Munro (1931-2024)
Thanks for giving us those worlds to share, Fred. They’ll keep us talking, remembering, always.
And here’s a quote from the books I rediscovered in the racks, one I was flipping through yesterday. It feels like you’ve left for another home with No Return Address.
———A quote from The Devil’s Alternative
“But I seem to recall the teachings of Marx and Lenin are very firm on one point: that while the pursuit of the world rule of Marxism-Leninism must be pursued at every stage by every means, its progress should not be endangered by the incurring of foolish risks.”
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Mousumi was raised in Kolkata but now call New York her home. She pursued her PhD from Indiana University Bloomington and currently works as a Marketing & Consumer Data and Design Analytics professional. She is Co-founder and Director at MDRK Partners. She loves to read, cook, take photos on her phone and travel.
