Posted by Ed Kiser on September 24, 2003 at 04:45:01 from 205.188.208.8 user Kisered.
Arthur Ransome has his following in certain places of this world,
but it continues to amaze me how very few in the USA seem to be
aware of either him or his set of twelve children's stories. To
encounter even one person who claims to have heard of any one of
these stories is a most remarkable occurance, which for me has
happened only once in my life. We were both so amazed to have
found a kindred soul, one that has experienced these writings in
our youthful years.
This is brought out even more sadly in a brochure I received last
year. It was from my alumni association, from the University of
North Carolina in Chapel Hill, announcing a guided tour to be set
up for alumni and their significant others to enjoy a trip
abroad. What leaped out at me was the title on the brochure was
"England's Lake District". Oooh. Yes. Let me check this one
out.
Inside the brochure it described the plan for our proposed trip,
describing our destination as being "The Most Beautiful Corner of
England." So far, so good. Can't argue with that.
It called for seven nights to be spent at the Old England Hotel
in Bowness. It set out the plans for visits including a Welcome
Cruise on Lake Windemere. Explore the village of Bowness. See
the home of Beatrice Potter in Near Sawrey. See Wordsworth's
school in Hawkshead. Visit Ambleside and Wordsworth's homes at
Rydal Mount and Grasmere. See the ruins of Furness Abbey, and
the historic villages of Cartmel and Grange-over-Sands. Explore
the village of Ravenglass. Ride a narrow guage railroad through
England's most beautiful scenery.
The article makes a big deal about how much this Lake District
has played such an important role in English Literature, with the
inspiration it gave to the writings of Thomas Gray, William
Wordsworth, Dorothy Wordsworth, Robert Southey and Samuel Taylor
Coleridge.
Humph. Well, bully for them.
Not one mention of Ransome. Lake Coniston not even mentioned.
The cruise on Windemere never mentioned the importance of seeing
a certain island which should be at the top of list of places to
go to. No climb up Coniston's Old Man - by any name.
We would be a captive audience, seeing what THEY wanted us to
see. For me to be so near, and yet, so FAR, would have been a
terrible disappointment for me.
I wrote back to the Alumni association that was setting this
thing up, and asked about why were places of interest for Arthur
Ransome not included. I indicated the books he had written, and
specifically highlighted the five that were based on the Lake
District. The answer, and they did answer much to my surprise,
that the authors selected for the trip were well known, and since
nobody on the committee had EVER HEARD OF ARTHUR RANSOME, of
course it would be meaningless to bother with such a little known
children's writer. Something wrong with "children's writer?" How
about Peter Rabbit?
I chose not to go. Besides, I had better places to sink six
grand.
And these people call them selves educated, and well able to
speak about the "Lake District's Role in English Literature."
What is the matter with this side of the pond anyway...
Perhaps what needs to be done is to get his books BANNED. Then
they will get read. Like Mark Twain's stories about Tom Sawyer.
Humph... Again...
Ed Kiser, South Florida