Posted by John Lambert on December 17, 1997 at 04:40:09:
In Reply to: Thoughts on "things Ransome" posted by Mary on November 08, 1997 at 11:23:06:
Despatches to Mary,
Just read your lively letter. You're bubbling over with your joy at discovering the Ransome books. I discovered them early one Christmas morning when I was about nine. Over fifty years have passed since then and I still reread them every few years. They have never lost their magic and they never will. Mary, you are going to have a wonderful lot of pleasure from these books in the coming years. I have never read any childrens' stories that come close to the S&A books - well, maybe the E.M. Nesbit books. I still remember pulling that bulky square object out of my Christmas stocking and tearing off the wrapping paper. Swallows and Amazons, I said. Then, in the early dawn light I peered at the book jacket with the reproductions of the pictures inside and opened the book...Life has never been the same since. You'll see! SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS FOR EVER! AND EVER!
John Lambert
lambert@globalserve