Arthur Ransome (1884-1967)

We have been fans of Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons for years. We read this engaging story aloud, enjoyed it immensely, but then moved on to other books while the rest of the series sat on the shelf waiting patiently to be noticed. At last, though, Swallows and Amazons fever has struck two of our avid readers, and it is a very contagious condition; no book in the series need feel lonely for long. Alas, the contagion seems doomed to spread throughout the family.



Swallows and Amazons forever!

From the book jacket:

"Swallows and Amazons introduces the lovable Walker family, the camp on Wild Cat Island, the able-bodied catboat Swallow, and the two intrepid Amazons, Nancy and Peggy Blackett."

We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea

From the book jacket:

"As in all Ransome's books, the emphasis is on self-reliance, courage, and resourcefulness. We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea is a story to warm any mariner's heart. Full of nautical lore and adventure, it will appeal to young armchair sailors and seasoned salts alike."

For information about the author, the books, and more, you can find the Arthur Ransome website here. There are many lists, articles, and links that would be of interest to avid readers of the Swallows and Amazons series.

From the biography of Arthur Ransome by Peter and Donna Thomson:

"I think Ransome's appeal lies in his understanding of the fantasies of the child's mind. Wild creations like serpents, monsters and other-worldly beings may have their place, but there is also a great longing to play at 'explorers', to see oneself as a follower of the great mountaineers and the navigators who discovered this world. Sailing at night, roaming through the woods, camping where and when one wishes, are experiences children all over the world long to share. Through the books of Arthur Ransome, they can do just this, in a world where these things could be done in safety."

The entire list of books in the Swallows and Amazons series:

Swallows and Amazons
Peter Duck
Swallowdale
Winter Holiday
Coot Club
Pigeon Post
We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea
The Big Six
Secret Water
Missee Lee
The Picts And The Martyrs
Great Northern?