A Podcast to the Curious - The M.R. James Podcast

Episode 62 – The Upper Berth by F. Marion Crawford

Listen Later

Mike and Will take a cruise across the pond in the good ship Kamchatka – but who’s hiding in The Upper Berth?  Joining us to narrate F. Marion Crawford’s classic tale is reader Rupert Simons, who tells us that he’s found a cheap cabin for his trip from The Hook to Harwich next week…

Show notes:

  • F. Marion Crawford was a very successful writer who penned comparatively few ghost stories and as chiefly known for his historical novels.
  • The Upper Berth was originally published in “The Broken Shaft: Tales in Mid-Ocean”, an anthology of tales told by passengers on a stranded ocean liner.  Friend of the show Dewi Evans (whom we interviewed at JamesCon in Episode 51) has written an excellent post about this collection on his blog.
  • Ruthanna Emrys and Anne Pillsworth have written an excellent essay on this story, mentioned in our show.  Anne suggests that “Bertie” is the ghost of a man who justs wants the bed for which he paid!
  • There is a short film adaptation of ‘The Upper Berth’ by Mansfield Dark. You can watch it online but it’s also available as an extra on the DVD ‘The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance’.
  • Our fabulous cover art came from illustrator and designer Mike Godwin, whose website is full of wonderful things and links to his Etsy shop.
    • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    A Podcast to the Curious - The M.R. James PodcastBy A Podcast to the Curious - The M.R. James Podcast
    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9

    4.9

    153 ratings

    More shows like A Podcast to the Curious - The M.R. James Podcast

    View all
    Odd Lots by Bloomberg

    Odd Lots

    1,856 Listeners

    The Bugle by The Bugle

    The Bugle

    3,723 Listeners

    No Such Thing As A Fish by No Such Thing As A Fish

    No Such Thing As A Fish

    4,852 Listeners

    Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M. R. James (1862 - 1936) by LibriVox

    Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M. R. James (1862 - 1936)

    32 Listeners

    Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast by Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

    Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

    344 Listeners

    THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST by ADAM BUXTON

    THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST

    1,262 Listeners

    Classic Ghost Stories by Tony Walker

    Classic Ghost Stories

    523 Listeners

    The Supermassive Podcast by The Royal Astronomical Society

    The Supermassive Podcast

    323 Listeners

    The Ancients by History Hit

    The Ancients

    3,198 Listeners

    The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is History

    14,267 Listeners

    Gone Medieval by History Hit

    Gone Medieval

    1,833 Listeners

    Not Just the Tudors by History Hit

    Not Just the Tudors

    2,035 Listeners

    Plain English with Derek Thompson by The Ringer

    Plain English with Derek Thompson

    2,284 Listeners

    Kermode & Mayo’s Take by Sony Music Entertainment

    Kermode & Mayo’s Take

    326 Listeners

    After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal by History Hit

    After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

    1,043 Listeners