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Indlæser... Swallows, Amazons and Coots: A Reading of Arthur Ransome (2016)af Julian Lovelock
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  Biographies of Ransome abound, as do critical examinations of his work; this, however, is the first critical volume devoted exclusively to the series, and unlike previous critical approaches to Ransome's work, Lovelock's avoids "biographical reductionism" (xi). In fact, throughout his study, Lovelock is careful not to allow his obvious enjoyment of the series and his admiration for Ransome as a writer to overshadow the complexities and controversial nature of the latter's themes and characters within a modern critical context. This multifaceted approach to Ransome's work results in a volume that is both critical and sensitive, offering food for thought to enthusiasts and critics alike. Most importantly, Lovelock clearly demonstrates the continuing relevance of the series, justifying its inclusion in the children's fiction canon.
In 1929, Arthur Ransome (1884-1967), a journalist and war correspondent who was on the books of MI6, turned his hand to writing adventure stories for children. The result was Swallows and Amazons and eleven more wonderful books followed, spanning inpublication the turbulent years from 1930 to 1947. They changed the course of children's literature and have never been out of print since. In them, Ransome creates a world of escape so close to reality that it is utterly believable, a world in which things always turn out right in the end. Yet Swallows, Amazons and Coots shows that, to be properly appreciated today, the novels must be read as products of their era, inextricably bound up with Ransome's life and times as he bore witness to the end of Empire and the dark days of the Second World War. In the first critical book devoted wholly to the series, Julian Lovelock explores each novel in turn, offering an erudite assessment of Ransome's creative process and narrative technique, and highlighting his contradictory politics, his defence of rural England, and his reflections on colonialism and the place of women in society. Thus Lovelock demonstrates convincingly that, despite first appearances, the novels challenge as much as reinforce the pervading attitudes of their time.Written with a lightness of touch and enlivened by Ransome's own illustrations, Swallows, Amazons and Coots is both fresh and nostalgic. It will appeal to anyone who has enjoyed the world of Swallows and Amazons, and there is plenty here to challenge both the student and the Ransome enthusiast. Ingen biblioteksbeskrivelser fundet. |
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 Google Books — Indlæser...GenrerMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.912Literature English English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1901-1945LC-klassificeringVurderingGennemsnit: Ingen vurdering.Er det dig?Bliv LibraryThing-forfatter. |
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What shines through the fog above all, though, is Lovelock’s affection for the novels and characters (he even, somewhat mawkishly perhaps, takes to imagining what the characters grew up to become beyond the childhood world of the books), and this is refreshing given how much academic work is produced simply because a given topic is in vogue. This affectionate tone is enhanced by the inclusion of a foreword by Sophie Neville, current president of the Arthur Ransome Society (TARS), who portrayed Titty Walker in the 1974 film version of Swallows and Amazons. In short, Lovelock offers us a fond glimpse of Ransome’s work rather than a fully charted course through its possibilities, a glimpse that may well be a prompt for new readers, but will probably not fully satisfy Ransome scholars or enthusiasts.