I quite agree, having read them all as a boy. I still have 'Biggles learns to fly' and will read them again now that they are to be re-published. Thank you for bringing the latter to our attention.
Excellent accounting. Growing up in the US I generally had to settle for Hornblower’s adventures and it was when I ventured beyond CS Forester’s novels to other naval adventures I realized that the genre was generally built on Cochrane and a few other’s actual adventures. References to various books for (British) boys in novels led me to Tom Brown’s Schooldays and more recently Puck of Pook’s Hill (after Barracks Room Ballads, etc). Biggles was harder to come by.
Beautiful writing Rob. I can completely identify in a similar vein- reading the books of Enid Blyton in faraway Calcutta and dreaming of gorse bushes, secret pasages, hikes in the moors, friendly villages - of the Sceptred Isles!
Congratulations on the MBE! Just noticed the impressive affix.
Biggles Rules!!! For your readers in Canada, many of the Biggles books as well as other series by Johns are available at faded page. Great post as always.
The Camels Are Coming is being read in bed by my 12 year old at this very moment!
Fabulous!
I quite agree, having read them all as a boy. I still have 'Biggles learns to fly' and will read them again now that they are to be re-published. Thank you for bringing the latter to our attention.
Gordon Corrigan
Thanks Gordon. My first one was Biggles of 266 Squadron. Its so well thumbed its falling apart, but much loved
Excellent accounting. Growing up in the US I generally had to settle for Hornblower’s adventures and it was when I ventured beyond CS Forester’s novels to other naval adventures I realized that the genre was generally built on Cochrane and a few other’s actual adventures. References to various books for (British) boys in novels led me to Tom Brown’s Schooldays and more recently Puck of Pook’s Hill (after Barracks Room Ballads, etc). Biggles was harder to come by.
I progressed from Biggles to Hornblower and Ramage pretty swiftly
Beautiful writing Rob. I can completely identify in a similar vein- reading the books of Enid Blyton in faraway Calcutta and dreaming of gorse bushes, secret pasages, hikes in the moors, friendly villages - of the Sceptred Isles!
Congratulations on the MBE! Just noticed the impressive affix.
Thank you Tani! Ditto me for Enid Blyton too. Thanks, too, for the congrats.
Biggles Rules!!! For your readers in Canada, many of the Biggles books as well as other series by Johns are available at faded page. Great post as always.
Thanks Doug!