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Approaching Arthur Ransome
Much has been written about the life of Arthur Ransome. Yet, until now, there has been no critical assessment of his legacy to English literature.
Dr Hunt begins his study with the astonishing stream of writings Ransome produced in his twenties before the First World War - among them books on French literature, on the work of Poe and Wilde, on the pleasures of Bohemian life. For Hunt, three books culled from Ransome's Russian journalism reveal as much about their author as about the turmoil of revolution. These led to a ten-year association with the Manchester Guardian, where Ransome first published his classic fishing essays. Hunt examines the mature technique of the books for children. With the Swallows and Amazons series Ransome invented a new genre, whose sales were to reach many millions. A deep commitment to democracy and freedom (though never licence) is seen as the hallmark of their lasting quality.
These books, together with Ransome's autobiography, continue to have a wide following among adults as well as children. Their author was honoured in 1990, long after his death, with the founding of the Arthur Ransome Society.
Dr Hunt begins his study with the astonishing stream of writings Ransome produced in his twenties before the First World War - among them books on French literature, on the work of Poe and Wilde, on the pleasures of Bohemian life. For Hunt, three books culled from Ransome's Russian journalism reveal as much about their author as about the turmoil of revolution. These led to a ten-year association with the Manchester Guardian, where Ransome first published his classic fishing essays. Hunt examines the mature technique of the books for children. With the Swallows and Amazons series Ransome invented a new genre, whose sales were to reach many millions. A deep commitment to democracy and freedom (though never licence) is seen as the hallmark of their lasting quality.
These books, together with Ransome's autobiography, continue to have a wide following among adults as well as children. Their author was honoured in 1990, long after his death, with the founding of the Arthur Ransome Society.
Hardcover
First published April 9, 1992
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About the author
Peter Hunt
35 books8 followersPeter Hunt (born 1945) is a British scholar who is Professor Emeritus in Children's Literature at Cardiff University.
Hunt's books include works of criticism, novels, and stories for younger children. The Children's Literature courses that he ran at Cardiff were the first to treat children's literature as a subject of academic study in the UK. He has lectured on the subject at over 120 universities in 20 countries, from Finland to New Zealand; the International Society for the Fantastic in the Arts presented him with its Distinguished Scholarship Award in 1995, and 2003 he won the International Brothers Grimm Award for services to children's literature from the Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka.
He has edited or is editing the Oxford University Press World's Classics editions of Bevis, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and The Wind in the Willows. His books have been translated into Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Persian, Greek, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese
Hunt's books include works of criticism, novels, and stories for younger children. The Children's Literature courses that he ran at Cardiff were the first to treat children's literature as a subject of academic study in the UK. He has lectured on the subject at over 120 universities in 20 countries, from Finland to New Zealand; the International Society for the Fantastic in the Arts presented him with its Distinguished Scholarship Award in 1995, and 2003 he won the International Brothers Grimm Award for services to children's literature from the Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka.
He has edited or is editing the Oxford University Press World's Classics editions of Bevis, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and The Wind in the Willows. His books have been translated into Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Persian, Greek, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese
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