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Great Northern?
Great Northern? | Arthur Ransome
2 posts | 1 read | 1 to read
Finally! Here is the twelfth, and final, book in Arthur Ransome's acclaimed Swallows and Amazons series. People familiar with his earlier work will recognize the pattern: children set out on an adventure (this one off the coast of Scotland) with a minimum of parental advice and interference. Here, the story centers on a desperate race to thwart the efforts of pernicious egg collectors threatening the survival of a pair of rare birds not previously known to nest in British waters (actually, the bird is the handsome North American "Great Northern Diver," more commonly called a loon). Note from the publisher. When we first considered reissuing this beloved series, we asked our friends, especially librarians, what they thought of the idea. No one encouraged us; the characters were foreign, the setting was English, the type was small and the books were too long. Worst of all, one of the Swallows was called "Titty." No one would read them. But we loved the books; they were rooted in reality and had the grit and voice of real experience. The kids were always on vacation. The parents disappeared. Practical information abounded - about sailing and navigating, tickling trout and tying knots. Problems set to children were solved. And "Titty" was for us (as she surely was for Ransome) a favorite; a child with trouble distinguishing reality from fantasy and who drew others into her world. Today, with all twelve titles in print, we're pleased to report that there are legions of Ransome fans, as well as bookstores who welcome each new addition with enthusiasm. The success of fine writing has little to do with type size or page count or characters' names. It has everything to do with good stories,palpable energy, engaging models, and credible adventures; and all these Arthur Ransome provides in spades.
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TheAromaofBooks
Great Northern? | Arthur Ransome
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Yesterday was a bittersweet day - I finished the Swallows & Amazons series! I read the first book back in 2019 and have taken my time reading the other 11 books, savoring every page. I LOVE this series! I think I'm going to start over and reread them all. Great Northern? did not disappoint - another delightful adventure with the entire gang. I wish there were another dozen of these books to read because I can't even express how much I've enjoyed ⬇

julieclair So glad you posted this. I have never heard of this series, but it sounds right up my alley. I‘ve added Swallows and Amazons to my TBR list. 👍 2y
SayersLover Yay! “Swallows and Amazons forever!” 🏴‍☠️ Ooh this is one of his I haven‘t read! I‘ll have to look for it. @TheAromaofBooks 2y
See All 7 Comments
TheSpineView Great job! 2y
TheAromaofBooks @julieclair - I vaguely remember my dad reading Swallows & Amazons out loud to us as kids, but I went in basically blind when I read it a couple years ago. Since then, I've read a few books from the series a year and literally every single one has just been delightful, although it's made me a little discontent... I used to think I had a perfect childhood, until I realized my parents never let me sail & camp on a lake unsupervised for weeks! 😂 2y
TheAromaofBooks @SayersLover - This is the final book in the series and is fun because it in corporates so many of the characters from the earlier books. I thoroughly enjoyed it!!! 2y
julieclair Sail and camp on a lake unsupervised for weeks? Well darn, there goes the perfect childhood I thought I had, too! 🤭 And I have obviously failed my children as well, by not providing them this opportunity. 😉 2y
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rockpools
Great Northern? | Arthur Ransome
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*Technically* a Great Northern Diver might be a waterbird rather than a #duckonthecover - but it‘s close. This is the last in the series of the Swallows and Amazons books 🦆 ⛵️

I was seriously planning on rereading then getting rid of these - but I think they‘ve had a reprieve!

#bloomingbibliophiles @OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

squirrelbrain I‘m thinking of including a Swallows and Amazons book on my #7days7books list.... 4y
rockpools @squirrelbrain Nice! I‘ll be playing ‘guess which one‘ for the next few days. These were probably the books that turned me into a serious reader 💚💙💚 4y
OriginalCyn620 📚🦆📚 4y
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