[books 2009] Edwardian Adventure

[inulro]

6. Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

An early spy novel, published in 1903. I was really looking forward to this and was sadly disappointed. Part of it is personal to me - I can't stand nautical themed things, and far too much of it is taken up with the technicalities of sailing their little yacht around the shifting sand banks of the Frisian islands. Having said that, I do think that there really is too much sailing detail and far too little spying. The whole thing is propaganda to wake the British nation up to the threat of a German invasion, yet the author has a great deal of respect for the Germans as a nation and as individuals. Interesting, especially given the publication date.

Well written, but Not My Thing at all.

7. The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan

I wasn't going to count this because it's so short, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. I was in school when I last read it, and was reminded of its existence by the television version over the Christmas period. (Which, though very entertaining, bore not a lot of resemblance to the book).

Tons of fun, very little to it. Thoroughly recommended.

Comments

[quercus.livejournal.com]

Don't forget that The Thirty-Nine Steps is just one of a series of four or five, and they're all worth reading -- At least, if you can read _one_ John Buchan, you'll like them. I appreciate some just can't abide the attitudes of his period.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

The anti-semitism did jar a bit, but otherwise it was great fun.

[quercus.livejournal.com]

Read the others then, so you can balance it up with a dose of anti-Islam...

He's not as bad as some others of his period though - just try Bulldog Drummond.

[zenithed.livejournal.com]

Along the same lines as The Thirty Nine Steps, you might quite enjoy Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household, where a decent sporting type heads over to Germany to assassinate Hitler. Complete fluff, but features lots of running from the police and tips on how to survive in the wild.

Richard Hannay's briefly mentioned in the latest League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which covers British literature from the Edwardian to the post-war era, but sadly doesn't make an appearance on-page.