The Outsider

My Life in Intrigue

By: Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by: Robert Powell

From Frederick Forsyth, the grand master of international suspense, comes his most intriguing story ever - his own.

For more than 40 years, Frederick Forsyth has been writing extraordinary real-world novels of intrigue, from the groundbreaking The Day of the Jackal to the prescient The Kill List. Whether writing about the murky world of arms dealers, the shadowy Nazi underground movement, or the intricacies of worldwide drug cartels, every plot has been chillingly plausible because every detail has been minutely researched.

But what most people don’t know is that some of his greatest stories of intrigue have been in his own life.

He was the RAF’s youngest pilot at the age of 19, barely escaped the wrath of an arms dealer in Hamburg, got strafed by a MiG during the Nigerian civil war, landed during a bloody coup in Guinea-Bissau (and was accused of helping fund a 1973 coup in Equatorial Guinea). The Stasi arrested him, the Israelis feted him, the IRA threatened him, and a certain attractive Czech secret police agent - well, her actions were a bit more intimate. And that’s just for starters.

It is a memoir like no other - and a book of pure delight.

©2015 Frederick Forsyth (P)2015 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Like le Carré, Frederick Forsyth had an early breakthrough success (The Day of the Jackal), went on to entertain millions of readers (through 17 books) and carried out assignments for MI6, using novel research as a cover for 'enhanced tourism.'...The Outsider gives us a generous sampling of them. This is a raconteur's book...all told with such enthusiasm." (New York Times Book Review)

"Forsyth relates the many fascinating episodes of his life with joie de vivre and a disarming sense of wonder that will ring true with readers of his novels. Also recommended for those unfamiliar with Forsyth’s fiction but intrigued by the rich observations and well-earned ruminations of a master of his craft." (Patrick A. Smith, Bainbridge State Coll., GA, Library Journal)

"If there is one memoir to read this autumn, it’s Frederick Forsyth’s extraordinary life story, The Outsider, which reads like a James Bond novel." (The Irish Independent)

I really loved it.

I love fredrick Forsyth's Novels - Avenger and The Afghan. They were amazing. I was not a big fan of reading but it all changed after reading the Avenger. From then on I became a fan of Frederick Forsyth.
I thought this was another one of his fictions, until I reached one of the chapters that mentioned his surname. Then I searched about him on wikipedia and that confirmed it. I was surprised that he went through such a big adventure. He is the master story teller.

A great life story behind the legendary novels

It was amazing to hear of all the adventures of the author of my childhood favorite books. I still cannot believe that he lived through all of this. I wish everyone to have as exciting of a life. And what’s inportant for audiobooks - very well read!

Adventure, Courage and Writing

The willingness to go, the courage to stay, and the ability to make a story that people will read. Not a perfect life, but these ingredients together make his a life worth living.

The pleasure of belated visit...

Having read most (if not all) of Forsyth books it was a great pleasure "peeking" into his head...
It resulted in the urge to dust off the old books off the shelf and take another spin fortified with a unique new dimention...
Happy landing....

Been there, done that!

Wow! Awesome! What a character, what a story teller. Such a humble guy, that has lived a life of adventure. He truly can say, Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

A tribute to a life well lived

As an avid fan of the authors work, this story of how it all happened was a worthwhile journey behind the scenes of some of his best work.

Extraordinary life and storytelling

What made the experience of listening to The Outsider the most enjoyable?

For me, this was the best Forsyth book yet. The storytelling is great, narrator did an excellent job modulating voice tone and pace with the stories. What a remarkable life. No wonder he is able to come up with the "novels" he has written.

What did you like best about this story?

Seeing how the early experiences of determination and willingness to do what it takes to achieve things paid off so well in so many ways. The book was also very well edited, with everything in it contributing to the overall life story. It is told in a series of many adventures/anecdotes. Some brief, some lengthy, but they are all pieces of what makes up this man and his life.

What does Robert Powell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I actually did start with the printed version from my local library to see if I wanted to purchase the audiobook. It was good enough that I knew I needed to hear it all to really appreciate it. This book really seems well written for the ear, and Powell did a great job of keeping it alive and moving along. One could easily imagine Powell as Forsyth experiencing all these things.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really any extreme reaction per se, but I did really enjoy finding out a great deal more about the whole Biafra situation. I was in my teens when this was happening, and only remember it from the horrific images of starving children. It was good to find out much more about why this happened, and how it was allowed to happen by politicians.

Any additional comments?

The timing of reading this was interesting as I was just finishing the last few volumes of the Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser. Forsyth's experience with school, RAF, BBC, and the Foreign Office/Commonwealth Office, then SIS seemed like an updated version of the earlier history as told by Harry Flashman, but with a much more honorable and stalwart protagonist.

Entertaining and surprising

Forsyth knows how to tell a story and the retelling of his life it's another example of his skills as a storyteller. His time as a journalist is fascinating, and how he came to be a writer. I wish he had talked more about his later books (he focuses on the first four), but it doesn't matter. I couldn't put it down and enjoyed his tone and humor. Excellent narrator.

thank you for this reco

such a remarkable life. so candid and honest. made me love his books more.

Glimpses into a fascinating life

Enjoyed Day of the Jackal and could not decide which book to listen to next. I chose this book and was not disappointed. Book is a series of short stories from Forsyth's life. Only complaint is I would like to hear more. Narrator is perfect for book. Highly recommend!