Posted by Adam Quinan on March 23, 2000 at 03:17:08 from ip226-93.cc.interlog.com:
In Reply to: Re: World Book Day 10 March posted by Margaret Ratcliffe on March 22, 2000 at 19:40:08:
I have paperback copies of the Golden Ocean (pub. 1956) and the Unknown Shore (pub. 1959), recently republished by Norton, O'Brian's American publisher.
They were aimed at teenagers but are thoroughly enjoyable for adults. They are based on the historical facts of Anson's circumnavigation with the Golden Ocean concentrating on Anson's ship and the capture of the Manila galleon and The Unknown Shore on the shipwreck of the Wager and the adventures of the survivors in their attempts to reach civilization along the rugged southern Chilean coast.
There are some interesting parallels between Patrick O'Brian and AR. Both lost a parent at an early age, both had an unsuccessful first marriage which resulted in the estrangement from their child, both had long but childless second marriages. Both wrote a highly successful series of books.