Posted by Ed Kiser on December 10, 2005 at 15:29:41 from 205.188.116.6 user Kisered.
In Reply to: Re: Reading AR dangerous? Volunteer projects. posted by Mike Dennis on December 10, 2005 at 10:26:57:
Mike, your observations as to readability and the educational value of Ransome's works are right on with my own feelings.
"Ransome also explained things, everything I know about sailing is from AR, everything I know about signalling is from AR and many other things."
For me, the TWO Primary topics he taught me were, as you said about yourself, indeed the sailing and the signalling. The whole series is quite a learning experience on so many topics, yet done in a manner that the young reader is unaware that this is a learning process.
As you stated, I too ventured to buy a sailboat and to then rig and sail it with no previous experience or any readings other than Ransome - and got along just fine with that instruction being enough.
The signalling came to me about the time I started with the BOY SCOUTS where with Ransome's encouragement, I had previously learned Morse, and was able to pass this on to my friends in the Scouts. It gave me a bit of leadership opportunity, as well as great fun. Now, with grandchildren, it again is such a delight to see them learn this skill so amazingly quickly, with me recalling those "ancient skills" (Ransome's words in PP, CH2) to put them to use again with these young people.
But the most amazing of all is that I keep learning, as I read again and again from these accounts of my childhood dear friends that never seem to grow up, and thus by allowing me to romp with them yet again, I too can recapture at least part of that feeling of youthfullness again.
Some of that learning of recent years comes from the dear friends here on the TARBOARD who have patiently explained my many questions these stories have suggested to me. Recent learning? Now I know what that chicken was standing on, in the statement: "Girt auld hen 'at wants to be cock o' t' midden."
Ransome has also led me to find other interests, as I have now collected over 8000 photos from LAKELANDCAM.CO.UK as Tony Richards has daily made available his fantastic camera skills allowing me to view the beauty of that part of the world that, without Ransome, I would have totally missed.
The rewards from Ransome's works continue to accumulate.
Ed Kiser, South Florida