The Wrong Shape by G. K. Chesterton from 'The Innocence of Father Brown'. A top story.

A particularly good tale from 'The Innocence of Father Brown'.
It's read, as usual, by me, Greg Wagland.
© Magpie Audio 2023.

[@helicopter_traffic]

hooray! are there audiobook reader awards like the oscars? you deserve one

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks Agastya.

[@laynerainey4150]

I'm so happy you're reading Father Brown! Listening to you is such a joy for me. God bless you.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

And you too, layne rainey!

[@majestic7107]

Thank you for the new story! You are absolutely the best!! I listen every night going to sleep.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks Majestic!

[@Bambisgf77]

Dear Greg! Yay! So pleased to see you posting! 4 minutes in & I am reminded why I was so impressed with your voice and style years ago. So good to hear from you. Hope is all is well ❤

[@nancyM1313]

thank you Greg 🍃❤🍃 very nice

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks for listening, Nancy.

[@FaithfulServant316]

Thank you so kindly for your great narrative voice bringing the stories to life! My favorite work of all is the brilliant sleuth Sherlock Holmes that you so eloquently narrate. 🤗💋💞 ~Jennifer~ 💃

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you Jennifer. All the best!

[@rjfpac]

Amazing story you have so authenticity delivered to us !

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks bec. Glad you liked it.

[@gabaleo2568]

A new one, great! Thanks so much ❤

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Pleasure, Gabal.

[@katyvdb5993]

Thank you, this is an excellent story, with a clever twist and interesting psychology.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Yes. He's pretty good on human psychology, imo. Thanks Katy.

[@paullawson8610]

Cheers Creg thank you enjoyed that story

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad to hear it Paul!

[@tinytheshihtzu4208]

I'm glad that you've moved on to other stories now that Sherlock Holmes is finished. Father Brown is a good choice.

[@josephwilliams7995]

We have listened to all your stuff multiple times it's so relaxing and it's wonderful that you are reading Father Brown stories

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad you're enjoying them, Joseph.

[@stevejohnson9234]

You are a superstar of reading

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Cheers Steve!

[@manjirabanerjee7169]

Brilliant

[@joeharoutunian1805]

The story, the presentation=a work of art.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you, Joe. Cheers.

[@robinmaclay2661]

Like getting a present in my KZbin feed! Thanks, Greg.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Saying KZbin feed has somehow put Cattle Feed in my head. Glad you're enjoy it though Robin. Cheers.

[@leriava]

Another great read. Thank you ❤

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you, VA!

[@paulk9188]

This man is the best. Would be absolutely amazing if he read The Great Divorce by CS Lewis. He would bring such life to that great story

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you Paul. Hoping CS Lewis publishers listening, as it's in copyright unfortunately.

[@paulk9188]

@@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio oh that is a shame. Love your work. Best narrator I’ve ever heard

[@joehockley2610]

So glad to have you back at the helm friend, Greg

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Like the guy on the Demeter coming into Whitby. Lightly lashed but not having the best of days! Thanks Joe.

[@danielvanrooyen2785]

Indeed so very well read..presented!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you Daniel.

[@mcviruz8299]

Loving this series

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad to hear it, mc viruz.

[@JaredGalbraith]

Thanks!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you, Jared. Appreciated! All the best!

[@YvonneWilson312]

The "wrong shape" concept is very thought-provoking, isn't it? So often we see what we expect to see rather than what is. AI is producing all manner of images, many of which are not quite right. Yet. Fascinating stuff! Another exceptional narration Greg - thank you so much. Really enjoying these! I'd been about to start the Sherlocks again but the old devil's going to have to wait for a bit!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Yes. AI is interesting in those terms, as you say. I'm sure any nuance or cadence I can offer will be satisfactorily reproduced by an electric AI box very soon. I suppose our minds/brains are electric boxes too. It's all getting a bit Matrix for my tastes.

[@martavdz4972]

@@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio Totally understand. I´m a translator and I´m flooded with work, translating everything from international arrest orders to books and films - and yet constantly being told my expertise is worthless and I´ll be replaced by AI. But AI will never love the texts we work with and the people we work for. I think people will try AI and then, in some cases, return to human writers, translators and narrators. Becasue they´ll simply feel better with us. The books I´ve translated are bestsellers because I´ve put everything into them.

[@celinacarriere3016]

I hate listening to some peoples voices in audio books, but I loved listening to this! the way he reads it makes it less boring and interesting instead. I loved this!

[@jessicajaerosenbaum115]

Oh thank God for you!❤

[@larsen8059]

Very much enjoying this series , Greg! Cheers!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad to hear it, Larsen!

[@johnmichaelfitzgerald3052]

G'day Wags, it's great to see your channel doing you well, lol.. The booth, is where you Greg Wagz Wagland like to spend your time reading to your subs & anyone that'll listen as you seem to become the characters your reading about, onya m8ty, cheers from Melbourne..

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Greetings John! Hope all well in the land of Oz. All the best!

[@robynkitteltyredman1113]

Thank you again..great reading.❤️

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you!

[@robynkitteltyredman1113]

I’m loving these.. Thank you.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad you like them! Cheers Robynk

[@itsjkforreal]

A haunting story, didn't expect that. Well read. Murder is terrible, calculating and covering it up somehow also terrible. That the man was shocked by remorse shows how far off we wander.

[@bthomson]

Good read. The atmospherics in this tale are grand! Nice timing on that storm!

[@thecrone7964]

Thank you!

[@mijiyoon5575]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks Miji Y

[@roelienpostma2367]

Extremely well written and read!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you, Roelien. Glad you enjoyed!

[@sus_r0]

compared to sherlock holmes stories, i find these to be somewhat less logical but still entertaining. nice. also, if possible, would you kindly upload part 2 of arsene lupin vs. sherlock holmes at some point? thanks.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

At some point, Sus. Cheers!

[@sus_r0]

@@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio thank you :)

[@user-mp1bh1oh7i]

I concur with you but would like to refer you to Simon Stanhope who reads similar stories on his channel "Bitesized audio Classics" ! He is my favourite,though this is great too .

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Yes. Great entertainment on Simon's channel too! Freedom to choose!

[@user-mp1bh1oh7i]

​@@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio Thank you for your réplique . I do listen to you often so there is no disrespect meant . Keep them coming ! Ps: Cannot find "The giant rat of Sumatra" anywhere ... Does it exist or are these just mentions from Dr Watson in a couple of cases ?

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Hi Jens. None taken, as we say! Regarding the Giant Rat I think that was an ACD invention, as you say, not followed up with an actual case, but maybe there's a post-ACD story out there. Not sure.

[@tottiemae2258]

I have listened to Simon Standhope as well. I far prefer GW's voice quality. It's more resonant to my ears. Bite-sized favors ghost stories, but detective mysteries are my cup of tea. So I'm a loyal Magpie Maggie. ☺️

[@ginabeena6757]

Wow this has to be the darkest Father Brown story after the Secret Garden! I don't know if it's your reading or the story itself, but it sounds like the good father needs some therapy and Zoloft!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Yes, he could do with a mini break at Disney World!

[@katiedotson704]

I should think that the wine kept in the Father’s own cupboard is quite superior to the rotted grape juice handed out during communion. And unlike Disneyland, the good Father doesn’t have to spend the day in the hot sun among hordes of people with ill-tempered children waiting for his turn to ride in a machine designed to make one vomit. Father Brown would be better off keeping his coins in his pocket and go home where the food and wine are to his liking and his own bed awaits him in the next room.

[@patriciaramsey5294]

FIRST!!!!! 🤯💯👍

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Well done!

[@Perktube1]

A bit of a cliffhanger, albeit a four foot cliff. Does Father Brown keep his oath,or does he show the note to the police? And what of the indian? indeed,some loose threads. Is this indicative of Chesterton's mysteries?

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

This is a lot more cliffhanger-esque than the others, I think.

[@99thpercentile99]

The Shadow and the Flash. Jack London Very similar style

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Interesting. Thank you!

[@nickturner4150]

You are the best narrator out there by a country mile Mr Greg but after reading the many, many comments of praise and adulation, like Caesar riding triumphant through Rome, you might need a peasant to whisper in your shell like "you are just a man, and this will pass" By the way, Gullivers Travels was written for you to do. Either that or Robinson Crusoe

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Good suggestions, especially the whispering peasant. I'm much more likely to be cast as him! Always better in a tabard than a toga!

[@carrie5980]

Is it better to listen to these in the order you posted them, or are they stand-alone stories?

[@andrewbeale6072]

Except for 'The Hammer of God,' Greg has been recording the stories in the order that they appear in 'The Innocence of Father Brown.' ('Hammer of God' is the ninth story in the collection.) 'The Blue Cross' was the first story written, and the twist ending works best if you are just encountering Father Brown for the first time. However, 'The Hammer of God' is also a good introduction to the padre's character and methods (it was also chosen as the basis for the pilot for the BBC television adaptation). Otherwise, there is very little continuity, beyond the story arc that sets up Flambeau as a sidekick for Father Brown ('The Blue Cross,' "The Queer Feet,' 'The Flying Stars,' and arguably 'The Invisible Man,' in that order). But Flambeau doesn't appear in every story (if I remember correctly, he doesn't appear at all in some of the later collections) and even when he does appear, the story usually tells you all you need to know about his background. Father Brown himself has no character arc, so the other stories can be read in any order.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

They kind of follow the development of the relationship between Flambeau and Father Brown, but not necessarily in a chronological order as far as I can tell. So, apart from that, they are pretty much standalone stories, as you say; so pick and mix!

[@ThePaladinHV]

Only for your channel will I let the ads run through 30 seconds before I skip so you can get a little pay for your great work!!!!!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

I appreciate that! Cheers the Paladin!

[@ringpop6177]

Soooooo who’s picking me up at the airport?

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

One of the minor earls: what do you want written on that bit of cardboard he'll be holding up?

[@MrsHandyRU]

Lol😅 "The Wrong Shape"=159 JOHN F. KENNEDY JR. in Simple Gematria ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Perktube1]

Oh, the coronation coverage begins. 5 am EST.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Does it?

[@Perktube1]

Well it is done. I loved the music, the ceremony, and the procession. 😉

[@Aiko2-26-9]

From our perspective this is pretty racist but it makes me happy to know this sort of blatant stereotyping no longer happens much in good literature. And good old Father Brown comes through in the end.

[@martavdz4972]

I think this was from lack of knowledge in G.K. Chesterton´s case. He hadn´t been to India, he only had second-hand, probably distorted information on Hinduists. Most information on India came from soldiers, bureaucrats and merchants, not unbiased conscientious scholars. So he got the weird impression he describes here.

[@eleanorrands6889]

Warning! Some racist attitudes and language in this story. I understand that these reflect the time it was written but there were several points where i winced because of it. Well read as always Greg, but maybe not the best father brown story for modern more culturally aware ears.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks Eleanor for your comment. I thought I'd record them all, Eleanor, but understand your point.

[@stewartlancaster6155]

warning, snowflake alert...

[@DKClaire]

Please stick to the original text! Otherwise you risk changing the meaning of the message.

[@itsjkforreal]

I have to disagree twice... that Chesterton is 'less culturally aware.'... I guess our time's fashion is more emphatic about some wrongs than his, less emphatic about other wrongs. Also I hear Much More horror about worldview than about race here. Notice how the story resolves...?

[@itsjkforreal]

​@@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audioI thank you that I hear you would rather not record something than censor or edit. Appreciated.

[@regularshowman3208]

It's quite unfortunate how much this story is dragged down by the constant racism and xenophobia. I suppose if nothing else it's a fairly emblematic time capsule of that sort of exoticism and orientalism that was popular at the time. I do think stories like this are worth preserving, at least so we can look back at them and understand they were wrong. It's unfortunate so much of it is dragged down by a pretty ugly view of Asia (that description of the Indian man was honestly reminiscent of some of Lovecraft's more racist moments it was so ugly), because it does have some good parts beyond that. I like the dreary tone, and the twist about the suicide note is actually pretty clever. It's a shame, really.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Dreary tone ‘r’ us.

[@garymiller377]

Katakana get a life

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

who?

[@ringpop6177]

You might need a little more drama in this reading Just sayin

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

I see what you did there!

[@harakeke11]

What an awefully racist story. Are they really worth retelling?

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Yes. I disagree with your description. 'Are they worth listening to?' is a question for you.

[@Redheadedholmes]

Yes

[@patriciaramsey5294]

Absolutly worth retelling. Remember thoughts about race were much different back then

[@FaithfulServant316]

@Sherlock Holmes Stories Magpie Audio Agreed 💯. I applaud 👏 your narrative gift of bringing these treasures to life. Your audio Literature keeps expounding with knowledge & realism, landscaped upon an audio version of a brilliantly painted, colorful canvas of artistic talent. 🎨 🖌 How one accepts that fact or not, relies totally on the inner person and their insecurities. Which has nothing to do with the artistic Literature being spoken. 📖 🎙🙏

[@Bambisgf77]

Dear Greg! Yay! So pleased to see you posting! 4 minutes in & I am reminded why I was so impressed with your voice and style years ago. So good to hear from you. Hope is all is well ❤

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Hi Felene. Good to hear from you and glad you're enjoying the Father Brown. All well here - hope you're doing well too! Cheers.