Posted by alan truelove on August 03, 2003 at 18:06:08 from 68.100.255.16 user atruelove.
In Reply to: Re: 'Marxist nonsense' posted by Peter Ceresole on August 03, 2003 at 13:04:32:
Hull & Whitlock Oxus books took a more realistic view of class, and the surroundings of a vacation spot like Devon (Cornwall, whatever), and of London,..
in short, they wrote three almost-real-life story books (with indeed a few howlers), probably because this was within their grasp (and jolly good too), and they wouldnt have had the skill to (plausibly) fudge and idealize things like AR (nor would they care). So they use (or contemplate the use of) tea-shops, movies, ballroom dancing , servants, taxis; have interests, apart from horse-riding and exploring, like regular children and -very briefly - pre-sexual feelings...
The characters (except for the unexplained local, Maurice) are (with more specificity than AR?) privileged middle-class vacationers or professional class locals - Fathers are unobtrusively present and provide useful chaffeuring in expensive cars when this makes sense.
Boy, it is time to dig out the Oxus books again and re-read them.
Of course AR has lots of real-life interludes too-my favorite is the Explorers making polite conversation with Missionaries on their yacht in SW.