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Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
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In praise of a good old book, I have just read Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley. Completely fascinating, wonderful plot, some difficult language at times but surprisingly easy to follow. It was written in 1805-ish but set 60 years earlier during the final attempt to restore the line of the deposed James VII. Every paragraph reads as a mix of how Scott’s characters viewed the events, how Scott viewed the events 60 years later, and how we view the events now. Very enjoyable.
I read that this year. It was excellent. He really painted pictures with words. This was my favourite bit.

Such was the situation of matters, when the pedlar missing, as he said, a little doggie which belonged to him, began to halt and whistle for it. This repeated more than once gave offence to the rigour of his companion, the rather because it appeared to indicate inattention to the treasures of theological and controversial knowledge which he was pouring out for his edification. He therefore signalled gruffly, that he could not waste his time in waiting for a useless cur.

“But if your honour wad consider the case of Tobit”---

“Tobit!” exclaimed Gilfillan, with great heat; “Tobit and his dog both are altogether heathenish and apocryphal, and none but a prelatist or a papist would draw them into question.
I doubt I ha;’e been mista’en in you, friend”

“Very like,” answered the pedlar, with great composure, “but ne’ertheless I shall take leave to whistle again upon poor Bawty.”
 

Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
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I quite like seafaring books. I have read:

Moby Dick, Herman Melville
The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway
The Sea Wolf, Jack London
Lord Jim, Joseph Conrad
The Nigger of Narcissus, Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
Aubrey-Maturin series 1..20, Patrick O' Brian
Hornblower series 1..5, C.S. Forester

I still have five-and-half Hornblower books to go. I might read Treasure Island and HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean. Any other good ones?
 
I quite like seafaring books. I have read:

Moby Dick, Herman Melville
The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway
The Sea Wolf, Jack London
Lord Jim, Joseph Conrad
The Nigger of Narcissus, Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
Aubrey-Maturin series 1..20, Patrick O' Brian
Hornblower series 1..5, C.S. Forester

I still have five-and-half Hornblower books to go. I might read Treasure Island and HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean. Any other good ones?
Does Das Boot count ? A cracking read.
 

lane

Veteran
Im an Andy McNab or Lee Child kinda reader. That said, at least half of my reading is either biographies or military history.

I domread rather a lot, typically 2 books a week. The advantages of being a man of leisure.

I have the latest "Lee Child" written by his brother on my Kindle. But can't decide if I want to read it incase it's as poor as the critics say. Mind you the final few written by Lee weren't the best.

Currently reading Snow and Steel an in depth study of the battle of the bulge.
 

DRM

Guru
Location
West Yorks
I have the latest "Lee Child" written by his brother on my Kindle. But can't decide if I want to read it incase it's as poor as the critics say. Mind you the final few written by Lee weren't the best.

Currently reading Snow and Steel an in depth study of the battle of the bulge.


View: https://youtu.be/HQwjXm9xpqE


View: https://youtu.be/2wzksVIIhXM

These are from an excellent WW2 history channel, from Profesor of history,Dr Mark Felton, always worth a watch if you like that kind of thing, tends to cover the lesser known aspects of WW2
 
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Tail End Charlie

Well, write it down boy ......
I quite like seafaring books. I have read:

Moby Dick, Herman Melville
The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway
The Sea Wolf, Jack London
Lord Jim, Joseph Conrad
The Nigger of Narcissus, Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
Aubrey-Maturin series 1..20, Patrick O' Brian
Hornblower series 1..5, C.S. Forester

I still have five-and-half Hornblower books to go. I might read Treasure Island and HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean. Any other good ones?
King Leopold' s Ghost is the true story of the Heart of Darkness if you see what I mean. Fascinating and appalling at the same time.
If you like seafaring stuff three books by Sam Willis are good reads - The Glorious First of June, The Admiral Benbow and The Fighting Temeraire. I learned lots of things from them.
 

Tail End Charlie

Well, write it down boy ......
I quite like seafaring books. I have read:

Moby Dick, Herman Melville
The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway
The Sea Wolf, Jack London
Lord Jim, Joseph Conrad
The Nigger of Narcissus, Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
Aubrey-Maturin series 1..20, Patrick O' Brian
Hornblower series 1..5, C.S. Forester

I still have five-and-half Hornblower books to go. I might read Treasure Island and HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean. Any other good ones?
Captain Aubrey is based on Thomas Cochrane who I mentioned above.
 

Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
Reading
Captain Aubrey is based on Thomas Cochrane who I mentioned above.
Cochrane was mentioned in the Hornblower book I'm reading. You might be interested in checking out Jane Austen's brother Francis's career. He ended up Admiral of the Fleet. During the Napoleonic wars he captured 40 ships. He must have been loaded.
 
I have the latest "Lee Child" written by his brother on my Kindle. But can't decide if I want to read it incase it's as poor as the critics say. Mind you the final few written by Lee weren't the

I assume you mean ‘Sentinel’.

Lee Child wrote it with his brother, Andrew, and I believe they have deal to write another 3 books before Lee puts his pen down for good and leaves it to his little brother.
 
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