Programming note: Please join us this Sunday at SteynOnline for some special musical programming.
~Just ahead of Episode Eight of our current Tale for Our Time, a word from your host:
As I predicted three-and-a-half years ago, just ahead of America's laughably misnamed "election", things are cratering very fast on the free-speech front - in Scotland, Ireland, Canada and, most of all, in America. In such a world, I thank all of you who keep this l'il ol' website and its various activities part of your daily rounds. I so miss the Internet of yore and the heyday of independent bloggers in the early years of this century - before the woketalitarians seized control and tightened the screws, in new media and old. I have spent much of the last year defending myself against charges that my little telly show was in breach of UK regulatory requirements - because it cited new reports by UK government agencies at odds with The Narrative of the previous two years on Covid, the vaccines et al. Well, so be it. We stagger on for as long as we can.
I'm particularly touched in such an environment by your kind comments about our content here. David Graham, an Ulster member of The Mark Steyn Club, writes re our current serialisation of Agatha Christie:
Mark,
I'm genuinely delighted that you're able once more to take up Tales for Our Time. You sound fabulous, although I'm sure that you frequently don't feel it! The choice of book as ever is peerless and I'm enjoying every episode.
You should know Mark that this, along with so much of your output, provides much joy to your club members. I only got into Tales for Our Time last year, when I spent five nights in hospital and for much of that time, I had nothing to do. On discovering these gems, I devoured many of your books over those days and have returned time and time again to many of them, including my favourites from Buchan, Wodehouse and yourself.
As a matter of interest, I was looking at the BBC annual report and accounts for 2022/23 and their total income was in excess of £5.7 billion. I can honestly say that your output (on presumably a slightly smaller budget!) exceeds their output in so many areas – even on sport, simply because you don't force Gary Lineker on us...
With warmest wishes, David Graham
Thank you, David. For our next serialisation, we may do Gary Lineker's Remainers' Cookbook.
In tonight's episode of The Secret Adversary, Tommy finds himself in a Soho den eavesdropping on the plotters' strategy meeting, which, for Agatha Christie, is unusually political:
The Sinn Feiner was speaking. His rich Irish voice was unmistakable:
"That's all very well. But more money is essential. No money—no results!"
Another voice which Tommy rather thought was that of Boris replied:
"Will you guarantee that there are results?"
"In a month from now—sooner or later as you wish—I will guarantee you such a reign of terror in Ireland as shall shake the British Empire to its foundations."
There was a pause, and then came the soft, sibilant accents of Number One:
"Good! You shall have the money. Boris, you will see to that."
Boris asked a question:
"Via the Irish Americans, and Mr. Potter as usual?"
"I guess that'll be all right!" said a new voice, with a transatlantic intonation, "though I'd like to point out, here and now, that things are getting a mite difficult. There's not the sympathy there was, and a growing disposition to let the Irish settle their own affairs without interference from America."
Tommy felt that Boris had shrugged his shoulders as he answered:
"Does that matter, since the money only nominally comes from the States?"
"The chief difficulty is the landing of the ammunition," said the Sinn Feiner. "The money is conveyed in easily enough—thanks to our colleague here."
Members of The Mark Steyn Club can hear me read Episode Eight by clicking here and logging-in.
Earlier instalments of The Secret Adversary can be found here - and, if your tastes incline to the more obviously brutal, my serialisation of Nineteen Eighty-Four starts here.
Thank you again for all your comments, thumbs up or down, on this latest tale. Very much appreciated. If you'd like to know more about The Mark Steyn Club, please click here - and don't forget, for fellow fans of classic fiction and/or poetry, our Steyn Club Gift Membership.
I'll see you back here tomorrow for Part Nine of The Secret Adversary.
