The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue Paperback – October 11, 2016

A tale of a gifted individual that led a very productive and exciting life. He provided the relevant details that provided a more thorough knowledge of international events that were sometimes reported by biased individuals or news agencies. The narratives of famous people he interviewed were informative and highly entertaining. The "can do" attitude and concern for humanity reflected in the writing provides a model we all should adopt.

This is an unexpected gift for a Forsyth life fan. I have lived in 23 countries and The Outsider still made me feel as if I had done nothing with my life. When I went to Israel, I was treated great, wining and dining as they expect an American to enjoy; Forsyth went to Israel and met Ben Gurion. Whose trip do you want to hear about? And it never stops getting interesting. I also speak as many languages as Forsyth does--with an accent-- but he learned them very young before his throat hardened and can pass for a native. That's a biggie. Journalists make some of the best writers, they trim the story for effect, remove the sop leave the grit, and dirt, if any. He manages to narrate his firing from the BBC (it's just a guy getting the sack after all) as if it was a world event, and you find yourself not minding at all.I read all of this guy's books, and he is one of my favorite writers, but this time I think I caught him in an error. When he visits Israel, he twice describes the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem as a remaining part of a wall of Salomon's Temple. I don't think it is. Nabu trashed the First Temple, and nobody actually knows where it was located exactly. The Wailing Wall is part of Herod's Temple, an expanded Second Temple, which Roman Emperor Titus destroyed in 70 A.D., though a bit of wall is still standing. That is a minor detail, if I am right, and in no way detracts from the utter enjoyment of reading The Outsider. Write on, Fred.

I find myself going back to Forsyth's autobiography over and over. He is THE master story-teller, and his fiction always had the signature twist at the very end. Well, it turns out his life story is one intrigue after another, with twists at every turn.He was an RAF pilot, and flew a Vampire (The Shepherd). He wrote his first novel, The Day of the Jackal, because he was broke. He got it published by sheer luck, then foolishly neglected to ask for a percentage of sales (he did much better with the movie rights).He was almost killed by arms dealers while researching Dogs of War. The real Nazi criminal in The Odessa File was outed because of Forsyth's fiction. He was with the BBC in Berlin at the height of the Cold War, and bumbled onto an American spy airplane's crash in East Germany. He was used as a courier by MI-6, and attacked by MiGs and mortars in Biafra.The last chapter is especially close to my heart, because he flew the exact same classic warbird I did, and he also wrenched himself up with emotion afterwards. It was a Mark IX, too. Just like mine.His life was what boys always imagined life should be, before adulthood got in the way. If you liked his books, do yourself a favor this Christmas and get The Outsider. It turns out his novels were fire-forged in real life, except that his real life had more unbelievable twists and turns.

First, I'll admit that Frederick is my favorite novelist. John Grisham and Tom Clancy? Very good, but they can't match Forsyth. After finishing one of his books, the reader must wonder: "How much of that was really true and how much was fiction?"Nevertheless, I was skeptical when faced with the choice of buying his autobiography. How could the life story of an English author--no matter how talented--really come anywhere close to matching the intrigue of one of his novels. Well, I shouldn't have been concerned. If a Forsyth novel is worth five stars, "The Outsider" is worth four and a half.The book traces his improbable life from that of an RAF pilot, to journalist, to foreign correspondent for newspapers and TV. It includes his stint living behind the Iron Curtain and a surprise cameo role as a spy for British Intelligence. I won't give away the details, but suffice it to say, his books may include even more insider info than we ever guessed. There is a brewing company with an advertising campaign based on "The World's Most Interesting Man." The ad agency should have hired Forsyth, not an actor, to play the lead role.Please, Frederick, write one more novel for us!

Read my first ff novel in 1975, Dogs of War, read everything I could find by ff for the next 41 years. I have always loved the meticulous attention to detail, the careful development of the plot and then the pulling together of all the pieces for a rapid and usually surprising finale. While I assume that "The Outsider" is historical non-fiction it in many ways follows his tried and true style of writing. Quite a life to have lived. I chose not to rate it 5 stars in deference to his historical fiction thrillers which, in many cases, were impossible to put down once started. I could put "The Outsider" down then pick it up later because it "felt" like the end of so something. "Feeling" this to be the last piece by ff made me want to wait to finish it, savor it. Not his best work, but how often does life in the real world surpass life in the fictional world ? If this is his last work I would say "Thank you" to ff for 41 years of enjoyable reading.

The book is a great addition to the memoirs of John le Carre. Really enjoyed reading it. Real-life experience of Forsyth is amazing. He witnessed the Cold War times and its aftermath. The events described in the book still echo loudly in the world today, though in new dimension. Personal story of Forsyth is an adventure like no other. I would recommend to read it to people which are now in their 20s to better understand the world they live in now.

But then Frederick Forsyth is no ordinary writer. All of FF's novels are based on personal experiences and those of the famous he mostly came to know personally. His life started in an exciting way as a young boy staying with French and German families. He became fluent in several languages, passed his exams early and joined the RAF at seventeen. He always longed to fly. He became a young journalist, travelling to dangerous locations and getting out of difficult situations by impersonating Bertie Wooster. He worked for Reuters and the BBC eventually becoming unemployable, so he decided to write a novel. The rest is history, but a fascinating continuing adventure. First class read.June Finnigan - Writer

I have never read a Frederick Forsyth novel, they are just not a genre that I'm drawn to, but I am aware of his popularity and the success he has achieved. I was drawn to this book as I like finding out more about writers.Frederick began this career as a journalist and his succinct style reflects this. Although his family were not wealthy, both his parents worked, he attended a boarding school. During the holidays he spent time with families in France and Germany in order to learn their language. He also spent a summer in Paris in the apartment of two Russian aristocrat sisters. He began his career with an apprenticeship working on a regional newspaper and then moved to Fleet Street as he wanted to be a foreign correspondent. His revelations about the Biafran famine were not something I was previously aware of, I was about ten at the time and can recall the shock it created and the need to do something creating fundraising on BBC's Blue Peter and the newly formed Oxford Famine Relief (Oxfam). I was totally unaware of the famine's origin and the fact it was the lack of protein that caused the victim's body's to swell.Reading the book I realised his life was a very masculine one and the opportunities he had would not have been available to a female of that era. However, I hesitate to use the word lucky; as another writer said, yes I have been lucky and the harder I work the luckier I am. Frederick is definitely a hard worker who meticulously researched his books.

Interesting autobiography telling how FF's international outlook was initially shaped by his prescient parents sending him to live with non English speaking French families in the summer holidays 4 years running from the time he was 8. Thus he grew up speaking accent-less bilingual level French. Sending him to Germany each year in the summers from when he was aged 12 produced a similar result, & indeed he ended up taking A levels in both these subjects shortly before he was 16.Rather than go to University, he then trained as a pilot in the RAF, before working at Reuters in Paris (shadowing President de Gaulle, who was reckoned to be at constant high risk of assassination) & then East Berlin (as the only Western press correspondent in the city) - all this by the age of 27 ! Time working for the BBC followed, & he was sent to Nigeria in 1967 to cover the Biafran War. Subsequently the BBC pulled out of covering this conflict (Vietnam (in which Britain was not involved) was deemed to be more important), so FF returned under his own steam to Biafra as an independent correspondent, where he helped draw the world's attention to the terrible conditions of people starving there. At the end of that ghastly war, he found himself back in London with no job & no money & largely black-balled by the British media for having taken an "anti-Establishment" line (ie supporting the Biafrans) during the war.So......he decided to write a novel, which became "The Day of the Jackal". He then had to find a publisher, & (in another of the several strokes of luck which he freely admits have favoured him throughout his life) conveniently met one at a party who liked his initial manuscript, & then offered him a three novel contract. Thus "The Odessa File" & "The Dogs of War" followed in short order - & the rest is history.This book is certainly an interesting read - my only carp is that the background to FF's remaining books is covered fairly cursorily. Nevertheless, he has certainly enjoyed an astonishingly varied & dramatic life, & has undoubtedly deserved the success that has come his way.

I love true-life spy books. I love autobiographies. I loved reading the 'Dogs of War'.Now I have all three elements in one. I absolutely loved this book.Forsyth doesn't always come across as a likeable soul in TV interviews, but he's far more approachable in this book, likeable even. The story of his life and the escapes that came together to kick-start his writing success with the 'Dogs of War' are entertainingly presented and it's one of my favourite autobiographies.Whatever you think of Fredrick Forsyth he knows how to write and you don't want to miss his meandering and dangerous path to literary success. Superb.

Frederick Forsyth has written a book that seems just like his novels only this time he is the lead character. The man has lived a life that would be the envy of many. A linguist, a journalist of some repute, an international bestselling story teller, a pilot, a man of very many talents, yet is still modest of his achievements. This is an inspirational account of someone who really has lived and has an interesting life to recount. Very highly recommended.