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Chronicles of Arundel #2
The Lively Lady
The Lively Lady <> Paperback <> KennethLewisRoberts <> DownEastBooks
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1931
38 people are currently reading
340 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth Roberts
95 books98 followersKenneth Lewis Roberts, a noted American, wrote his historical novels, including
Northwest Passage
(1937), about the colonial period.
Roberts worked first as a then popular nationally known journalist with the Saturday Evening Post from 1919 to 1928. Roberts specialized in regionalist historical fiction. He often wrote about terrain of his native state and also depicted other upper states and scenes of New England. He for example depicts, the main characters in Arundel and Rabble in Arms from Kennebunk, then called Arundel; the main character of Northwest Passage from Kittery, Maine, with friends in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the main character in Oliver Wiswell from Milton, Massachusetts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth...
Roberts worked first as a then popular nationally known journalist with the Saturday Evening Post from 1919 to 1928. Roberts specialized in regionalist historical fiction. He often wrote about terrain of his native state and also depicted other upper states and scenes of New England. He for example depicts, the main characters in Arundel and Rabble in Arms from Kennebunk, then called Arundel; the main character of Northwest Passage from Kittery, Maine, with friends in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the main character in Oliver Wiswell from Milton, Massachusetts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth...
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 15, 2022
Richard Nason, a US Sea Captain gets caught up in the events of the War of 1812, turns privateer, becomes entangled with a lovely married woman, and eventually ends up in Dartmoor prison. All told, it is a rousing story of adventure from a fascinating time in American history, informative and hard to put down.
May 11, 2016
First published in 1931, I first read and enjoyed Lively Lady in 1946 or so at the age of 9 or 10 along with other historical novels by Pulitzer Prize winning author Kenneth Roberts. 70 years on I decided to reread it to see how it held up over the years.
With only 7 frigates and 15 sloops of war, the fledgling U.S. Navy was no match for the Royal Navy's 800 warships. Pres. Madison issued letters of mark authorizing entrepreneurs to outfit private vessels... typically small, fast but heavily armed brigantines and sloops... to prey upon British commerce. Their reward was to keep the cargoes and the ships they captured. The fictional Lively Lady and her young Captain Nason were such privateers.
As a boy I enjoyed this book as a seafaring tale of the War of 1812. As an adult I can also appreciate its historical accuracy in its depiction of privateering and of the treatment of captured American seamen at the infamous Dartmoor prison. Given the internet resources now available I was able to ascertain that the sadistic Capt. Shortland depicted in the novel was indeed the superintendent and ordered the horrific massacre of prisoners as described in the book.
With only 7 frigates and 15 sloops of war, the fledgling U.S. Navy was no match for the Royal Navy's 800 warships. Pres. Madison issued letters of mark authorizing entrepreneurs to outfit private vessels... typically small, fast but heavily armed brigantines and sloops... to prey upon British commerce. Their reward was to keep the cargoes and the ships they captured. The fictional Lively Lady and her young Captain Nason were such privateers.
As a boy I enjoyed this book as a seafaring tale of the War of 1812. As an adult I can also appreciate its historical accuracy in its depiction of privateering and of the treatment of captured American seamen at the infamous Dartmoor prison. Given the internet resources now available I was able to ascertain that the sadistic Capt. Shortland depicted in the novel was indeed the superintendent and ordered the horrific massacre of prisoners as described in the book.
September 14, 2018
A great swashbuckling adventure of privateers during the War of 1812. Hard to put down. Best read while you are looking out over the Maine coast.
February 1, 2021
Shorter, faster-paced and with a more interesting story line than the nearly interminable “Rabble in Arms,” but, like all of Roberts’s books, blithely, unconsciously racist and sexist. This one descends into anti-semitism as well. The story and writing are five-star quality, these faults erase two of those stars.
Lady Emily and Richard Nason fall for each other on page 5 or so, and spend the next several hundred pages figuring out how to be together. Mixed in with the love story is the story of Nason being impressed into the British navy (he quickly escapes), acquiring a ship and privateering. “Privateering” means preying on British ships, taking booty, capturing prisoners, and, usually, burning the ship.
There is plenty of nautical terminology. Names of masts, sails, maneuvers, probably accurate. How could I detect otherwise?
What I liked:
The protagonist’s dog (“my little dog Pinky”) plays a prominent role; Lady Emily’s good character is shown by her caring for the dog while Nason is in Dartmoor Prison.
When under stress (as when in prison) Nason comforts himself by recalling his hometown of Arundel (Kennebunkport): the tides, the salty fresh ocean air, the flora and fauna of the marshes. You have the feeling that this is Roberts himself speaking.
Roberts’s skill as a writer. He can tell a good story, write dialogue, write interior dialogue, describe ships, sails, seas, faces, landscape, weather. (Dartmoor sounds like hell with worse weather.)
What I hated: the racism! Like Margaret Mitchell, his similarly talented contemporary, Roberts sees blacks and Jews through a scrim of stereotyping that he cannot overcome. King Dick, the black character is big, dumb, and fantastically loyal to Nason, his natural superior. His speeches are clownish, his actions are described in always condescending terms. His words are rendered in a hard to read dialect (as if Nason doesn’t speak in that weird New England drawl). This reader was able to see that King Dick, despite Roberts’s misrepresentations, is resourceful, brave, clever, and self sacrificing.
Jews get a briefer treatment. They are greedy money lenders. That’s all. Well, that is racism: unable to see beyond the stereotypes.
Lady Emily and Richard Nason fall for each other on page 5 or so, and spend the next several hundred pages figuring out how to be together. Mixed in with the love story is the story of Nason being impressed into the British navy (he quickly escapes), acquiring a ship and privateering. “Privateering” means preying on British ships, taking booty, capturing prisoners, and, usually, burning the ship.
There is plenty of nautical terminology. Names of masts, sails, maneuvers, probably accurate. How could I detect otherwise?
What I liked:
The protagonist’s dog (“my little dog Pinky”) plays a prominent role; Lady Emily’s good character is shown by her caring for the dog while Nason is in Dartmoor Prison.
When under stress (as when in prison) Nason comforts himself by recalling his hometown of Arundel (Kennebunkport): the tides, the salty fresh ocean air, the flora and fauna of the marshes. You have the feeling that this is Roberts himself speaking.
Roberts’s skill as a writer. He can tell a good story, write dialogue, write interior dialogue, describe ships, sails, seas, faces, landscape, weather. (Dartmoor sounds like hell with worse weather.)
What I hated: the racism! Like Margaret Mitchell, his similarly talented contemporary, Roberts sees blacks and Jews through a scrim of stereotyping that he cannot overcome. King Dick, the black character is big, dumb, and fantastically loyal to Nason, his natural superior. His speeches are clownish, his actions are described in always condescending terms. His words are rendered in a hard to read dialect (as if Nason doesn’t speak in that weird New England drawl). This reader was able to see that King Dick, despite Roberts’s misrepresentations, is resourceful, brave, clever, and self sacrificing.
Jews get a briefer treatment. They are greedy money lenders. That’s all. Well, that is racism: unable to see beyond the stereotypes.
November 24, 2010
An under rated book from a largely forgotten author. The reader is strongly advised to read Lydia Bailey
first. The book while predictable is an utter delight to read. The hero of the book is more likable than other Roberts works. In Roberts other works the star is usually the heroes best friend Cap Huff, Sgt McNott, Tom Buell or King Dick.
King Dick does appear in this book and is heroic. Apparently, the author liked the character enough to fully develop another novel around, Lydia Bailey.
The book has plenty of action and adventure with Roberts blend of historical detail and historical cameos.
first. The book while predictable is an utter delight to read. The hero of the book is more likable than other Roberts works. In Roberts other works the star is usually the heroes best friend Cap Huff, Sgt McNott, Tom Buell or King Dick.
King Dick does appear in this book and is heroic. Apparently, the author liked the character enough to fully develop another novel around, Lydia Bailey.
The book has plenty of action and adventure with Roberts blend of historical detail and historical cameos.
February 29, 2020
I love this Maine writers' attention to detail and his knowledge about so much in history and of the workings of various items, for instance: ships and dialects. I learned things about the war of 1812 that I had not known. If you read carefully, you'll find some fine examples of New England humor.
September 18, 2024
Continuing a read of my grandfather's book collection. The Lively Lady is a fun historical novel set during the War of 1812. Kenneth Roberts was known for doing extensive research, and it shows in the level of detail here. It's also good entertainment, and has a well done romance as part of the plot.
And then I got to the portrayal of King Dick, an African American prisoner in Dartmoor Prison. He was a real and fascinating person: see https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.c...
I wish Roberts had made King Dick the main character. There's a great book there. Instead Roberts chose to portray him as admirable but comical, using pretty much every racist stereotype you can imagine. And Roberts was particularly tone deaf when he wrote the conversation King Dick has about going back to the U.S. and the country of freedom and liberty, delivered with no acknowledgement that there wasn't a whole lot of liberty in the U.S. for a black man in 1812.
And then I got to the portrayal of King Dick, an African American prisoner in Dartmoor Prison. He was a real and fascinating person: see https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.c...
I wish Roberts had made King Dick the main character. There's a great book there. Instead Roberts chose to portray him as admirable but comical, using pretty much every racist stereotype you can imagine. And Roberts was particularly tone deaf when he wrote the conversation King Dick has about going back to the U.S. and the country of freedom and liberty, delivered with no acknowledgement that there wasn't a whole lot of liberty in the U.S. for a black man in 1812.
April 6, 2025
A solid three stars. Solid historical fiction. Escapades of the captain/privateer during the War of 1812 woven around a love story. Good book to read if you want to relax and be transported into a different life; that is, if you enjoy reading about seafaring.
February 27, 2017
You will have a more realistic view of the real life multi-dimensional people that history has unfortunately turned into one-dimensional characters after reading Roberts' books.
September 6, 2019
It's been about 35 years since I've read Kenneth Roberts. Glad I picked this up while on vacation in Bar Harbor. Wonderful storyteller!
July 21, 2020
Entertaining
December 18, 2020
War of 1812, the forgotten war, brought to life by Roberts
March 1, 2024
150 pages of nothing but sea battles followed by an utterly baffling love story.
February 2, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this historic novel which I first read in high school many decades ago.
Kenneth Roberts is an American treasure.
Kenneth Roberts is an American treasure.
February 15, 2022
There are some generally known unpleasant things about Kenneth Roberts the man, but Kenneth Roberts the author was a cracking historian. This, in some ways, is a lighter tale than Arundel or Rabble in Arms, etc., but the history is amazing. Taking us to the War of 1812 and the horrors of Dartmoor prison while weaving a little romance is no easy feat. Yes, this is a dated story and there's some 21st century unpleasantness in the characterizations but this was still a well written tale of the growth of a nation warts and all.
November 15, 2011
Read way back in the day. The book must have been lying around the house in Kittery. When I was in Devon we stuck to the coast but I saw the moors/highlands from the train window on the way back to London from Plymouth. That's where Dartmoor Prison was, an important location in the book. Much of the rest refers to the Southern Maine coast. Date read is a guess.
October 19, 2014
I'm glad my friend Scott Dow pointed out he Dickensian features of Robert's descriptions. It allowed me to fully enjoy this novel. The seas scenes are great. Rich characters and dialogue. The first novel I've ever read where someone actually says "La!".
August 9, 2025
This is the fastest moving, quickest reading of all Kenneth Roberts' novels.
June 28, 2023
This is Robert's first novel on the War of 1812. Richard Nason of Arundel commands a privateer and is captured by the British and put into Dartmoor prison.
May 15, 2014
I always enjoy Roberts' books, but this one was definitely not as good as some of his others.
April 20, 2017
Not quite as good as Rabble in Arms, but a good sequel.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews