AN ECLECTIC COLLECTION OF IDEAS OPINIONS AND INTERESTS
Thursday, April 9, 2020
_______________________ LOCK DOWN READING _______________________
This is the Arthur Ransome shelf which resides between the 'Mariner' series books (above) and the Maurice Griffiths shelf (below). The books on the right are the 12 books that make up what I guess you could call the 'Swallows and Amazons' series (I don't know whether or not the series has an official title). The books to the left and extending into the next door section are three other AR titles, a couple of AR biographies and other AR related books.
You can see from the bookmark that I am ready to start reading "The Big Six" the 7th in the series. I've had this series for a few years now and are slowly working my way through. Why slowly? I hear you ask - well apart from the fact that I read books other than those of a sailing genre, one doesn't just scoff caviar all in one go does one!
It is the childrens adventures recounted in the Swallows and Amazons books that inspire full grown adults to live out their own small adventures and build their own small Swallows and Amazons boats as I have done.
"Scout" my own version of dinghy cruising Swallows and Amazons style.
I'm getting itchy sailing feet just creating this posting.
My S & A shelf looks similar, only the books are much more tattered from over reading! The order of publication is as below, just in case you want to rearrange yours....:-) I love them all, but the two Norfolk Broads and the two East Coast based books are my extra favourites
Swallows and Amazons (published 1930) Swallowdale (1931) Peter Duck (1932) Winter Holiday (1933) Coot Club (1934) Pigeon Post (1936) We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea (1937) Secret Water (1939) The Big Six (1940) Missee Lee (1941) The Picts and the Martyrs: or Not Welcome At All (1943) Great Northern? (1947) Coots in the North (unfinished at the time of Ransome's 1967 death, edited by Hugh Brogan and sections published in an unfinished form in 1988 with some other short works)
Yes, I also have my favourites of the books I have read so far - although they all have there own charm and interest. I have Coots in the North but only in a paper back edition. Other books such as the two about ARs cruising in Rucundra are very interesting as are the various biographies - He certainly had an interesting life. I think that it's great that there are various groups and clubs that keep the faith alive and well and also that some of Arthur Ransomes old boats are still afloat and sailing either still in private hands (Utube the ketch Peter Duck) or looked after by various trusts.
I didn't grow up with the complete Swallows and A's series - I think we only had about three or four of the books. Instead my father bought (over time and over many Christmas's) the Gilbert Hackforth Jones series 'The Green Sailors' which I still have (13 books) with many of the stories set on the South Coast of England around the Isle of Wright area. They have their own flavour and I enjoyed them when I was growing up - but they can't compete with the 'Children in charge' nature of the plots and stories of the Swallows and Amazon books. I think during the time of publishing and for many decades children strongly identified with this element. Whether or not todays children love them as much as their parents did is a moot point. In many ways they are pretty tame fare compared to light sabres and Hogswart. What I do know is that old buggers like me still find them absorbing and interesting - perhaps reminders of a simpler, more innocent and less violent time.
I would say that that series single-handedly gave me the love of boats and sailing that I have now... whether I would have gone that way anyway is unknown, but I devoured the series as a kid.. still have them on my shelves now.. favourites? Secret Water I think.. and the two Broads books..
Steve, the power of the printed word! Coot Club let me know the the Norfolk Broads actually existed. Over the years growing up and reading my dads magazines (the UK Yachting Monthly and Yachting World) I got a pretty good idea about this area which is on my bucket list.
5 comments:
My S & A shelf looks similar, only the books are much more tattered from over reading!
The order of publication is as below, just in case you want to rearrange yours....:-)
I love them all, but the two Norfolk Broads and the two East Coast based books are my extra favourites
Swallows and Amazons (published 1930)
Swallowdale (1931)
Peter Duck (1932)
Winter Holiday (1933)
Coot Club (1934)
Pigeon Post (1936)
We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea (1937)
Secret Water (1939)
The Big Six (1940)
Missee Lee (1941)
The Picts and the Martyrs: or Not Welcome At All (1943)
Great Northern? (1947)
Coots in the North (unfinished at the time of Ransome's 1967 death, edited by Hugh Brogan and sections published in an unfinished form in 1988 with some other short works)
Yes, I also have my favourites of the books I have read so far - although they all have there own charm and interest. I have Coots in the North but only in a paper back edition. Other books such as the two about ARs cruising in Rucundra are very interesting as are the various biographies - He certainly had an interesting life.
I think that it's great that there are various groups and clubs that keep the faith alive and well and also that some of Arthur Ransomes old boats are still afloat and sailing either still in private hands (Utube the ketch Peter Duck) or looked after by various trusts.
I didn't grow up with the complete Swallows and A's series - I think we only had about three or four of the books. Instead my father bought (over time and over many Christmas's) the Gilbert Hackforth Jones series 'The Green Sailors' which I still have (13 books) with many of the stories set on the South Coast of England around the Isle of Wright area. They have their own flavour and I enjoyed them when I was growing up - but they can't compete with the 'Children in charge' nature of the plots and stories of the Swallows and Amazon books. I think during the time of publishing and for many decades children strongly identified with this element.
Whether or not todays children love them as much as their parents did is a moot point. In many ways they are pretty tame fare compared to light sabres and Hogswart. What I do know is that old buggers like me still find them absorbing and interesting - perhaps reminders of a simpler, more innocent and less violent time.
,,,,,, and thanks very much for your comment Paul, it's always good to have comment from others who you know understand these things : >)
I would say that that series single-handedly gave me the love of boats and sailing that I have now... whether I would have gone that way anyway is unknown, but I devoured the series as a kid.. still have them on my shelves now.. favourites? Secret Water I think.. and the two Broads books..
Steve, the power of the printed word! Coot Club let me know the the Norfolk Broads actually existed. Over the years growing up and reading my dads magazines (the UK Yachting Monthly and Yachting World) I got a pretty good idea about this area which is on my bucket list.
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