The Street Philosopher

by Matthew Plampin

There was another war, some 150 years ago, which was unpopular at home -- the death rate shocking, the military strategy confused -- and the first on which the media had a major influence. The Street Philosopher -- the nineteenth-century term for a society writer, a gossip columnist -- captures this scene brilliantly. Ambitious young journalist Thomas Kitson arrives at the battlefields of the Crimea as the London Courier's man on the ground. It is a dangerous place, full of the worst horrors of war but Kitson is determined to make his mark. Under the tutelage of his hard-bitten Irish boss Cracknell, and assisted by artist Robert Styles, he sets about exposing the incompetence of the army generals. Two years later, as Sebastopol burns, Thomas returns to England under mysterious circumstances. Desperate to forget the atrocities of the Crimea, he takes a job as a 'street philosopher', a society writer reporting on the gossip of the day. But on the eve of the great Art Treasures Exhibition, as Manchester prepares to welcome Queen Victoria, Thomas's past returns to haunt him in the most horrifying way...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, War, Ebooks, Mystery, 19th Century

Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Matthew Plampin was born in 1975 and grew up in Essex. He read English and History of Art at the University of Birmingham and then completed a PhD at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. He now lectures on nineteenth-century art and architecture.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

A historical novel set at the time of the Crimean War. The title was the way society journalists were referred to at the time. The action alternates between The Crimea during the war and Manchester three years later in 1857. War reporting holds the novel together and the three main characters work for the London Courier. The senior reporter is Richard Cracknell. His colleague Thomas Kitson is the main protagonist. Robert Styles is their illustrator.
Pamplin does detail pretty well and manages to capture the fog of war. There is a level of brutal realism which is quite effective. Mary Seacole pops up and Plampin does show how ineffective medicine was (there’s no Florence Nightingale though). Another theme is the total incompetence of much of the senior military. There is a side story which moves to and fro from the Crimea to Manchester which involves corruption, looting and intrigue.
On the whole it works and moves along at a fair pace. It works as a thriller and does illustrate the horrors of the Crimean War. There are some over used tropes and the romantic thread felt out of place.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe this book isn't for everyone, but it was perfect for me. I loved the witty sense of humor, the amusing, slightly annoying, defiantly antagonist Mr. Richard Cracknell, the hostile perfectionist Lieutenant Boyce, and their very serious yet somehow comedic rivalry that unfolds on the battle ground of the Crimean War.

I thought the author did a wonderful job of bringing each character he created to life, I loved them and hated them accordingly. Thomas Kitson, writer for the London Courier, has been dispatched to the Crimea as their war correspondent working under the sometime supervision of Richard Cracknell. Robert Styles is a rather idealistic illustrator sent by the paper to accompany the two men and add his illustrations to their coverage of the war. While together the three witness the horror and brutality of war and one pivotal act of treachery. Each one is affected very differently by all they've witnessed before their paths diverge.

Three years later we encounter Thomas Kitson working in, quiet out of the way, Manchester, England as a 'Street Philosopher' another term for a gossip columnist. By chance he meets the widow Jemima James, her father is the wealthy and powerful labor-lord, Charles Norton christened the "Buckle King" by Punch magazine. The Buckle King, owner of the Norton Foundry, was fortunate enough to have secured a sudden flow of military contracts back in 1855, beginning with spikes for the Crimean railway and then buckles for horse artillery. After the war he began making buckles for the police, the fire engines, coal carts, cabs, and coaches, hence the name "Buckle King".

Our Street Philosopher would like to forget the events he witnessed during the war and struggles to live a simple uninvolved life. Unfortunately for him the past is rapidly catching up to him, pulling him into events he wants no part of.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this story, the author sets us down in September 1854, Kitson, Boyce and Cracknell are together in the Crimea. Then narration moves forward in time to Manchester in May of 1857 where Thomas Kitson is trying to forget the war. We travel back and forth in time as the events of the past play out in the present and result in a rather exciting conclusion. I found it all very satisfying and would recommend it to fans of historical fiction and historical mysteries.

I think it's sad that more people haven't read this book. I'm guessing the reason it isn't more popular is because it's rather difficult to find a copy, which is a shame. I never understand when the popular fiction is lackluster and what I consider the good stuff is scarce and hard to find.

[Antonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

i am overwhelmed, really. and really quite happy that i finished it finally. it is a good novel, very good even. however, i could only give it three stars because it took so much out of me emotionally. the author drew me in deeply and i felt deeply for the characters. given the amount of injustice, bad luck, forlorn hope and love, and descriptive battle (including bodily injuries and their aftermath) it was quite an ordeal.
i enjoyed reading words i hadn't for a while, it was pleasant to read a novel that thoroughly researched and rich in description, like a classical victorian one (intended by the author i would guess). as a point of criticism: some of the characters felt a bit overdrawn, but then it or rather they served its / their purpose.
i can't say i enjoyed it but it certainly read well and impressed me. this said, now i have to move on to something light and fluffy to restore my spirits.

[Maya Panika · Rating 5 out of 5]

To paraphrase Edmund Blackadder, this is a journalist's tale; a rollicking roller-coaster of a good read.

Set during and after the Crimean War, this is an historical novel of an unusual kind that heavily favours characterisation over tedious detail and blood. There is plenty of the latter, especially when the Crimean War is under way, but always with an eye to the teller of the tale – the eyes of five very different men and two women.

The novel switches back and forth between the events of the Crimea and an art exhibition in Manchester two years later, slowly unwinding a story of jealousy, greed treachery, murder and revenge. The writing is wonderfully gripping, the characterisation consistently excellent, the historical settings well-drawn and thoroughly believable.

A page turner beginning to end. Highly recommended.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Het leek me boeiend om te lezen over de Krimoorlog en over hoe het voor oorlogscorrespondenten in die tijd geweest moest zijn verslag te doen van het strijdtoneel. Daarnaast vind ik het Victoriaanse Engeland altijd fascinerend. De auteur is historicus dus wat dat aangaat zat het ook wel snor.
Maar toch vond ik het boek, eerlijk gezegd, helemaal niks. De feitjes zullen wel kloppen maar het verhaal voelde nergens ècht. Teveel bloederige slagvelden zonder oprechte emoties, teveel ongeloofwaardige romantiek, teveel toevalligheden en onwaarschijnlijke en onduidelijke verwikkelingen. Ik had ook het idee dat de vertaling hier en daar wat slordig is en sowieso was de spreektaal van ‘het gewone volk’ zeer irritant. ‘wat hep die hier nou te soeke?’
Het is ook niet pakkend geschreven, de personages bleven op afstand en ik vond het verhaal behoorlijk voorspelbaar. Helaas, ik heb er niet veel leesplezier aan beleefd.

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a novel to choose to read during such a reading slump.

[Abigail H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just couldn't get into the story or the characters so I gave up. Sorry

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story set during the time of the Crimean war and directly afterwards was an interesting read. I learnt a good deal about that war. The landscapes and battles were well documented down to the gory details of the injuries and suffering of the soldiers involved. Most of the campaign was mismanaged by those in positions of authority and it was a good idea to use newspaper reporters to tell the story from the point of view of non-combatants.
However, my problem with The Street Philosopher was the fact that I did not really believe in the logic or actions of many of the characters. Why did Kitson feel so responsible for the young illustrator, Styles? Why on earth was Maddy so enamoured with the devious Irishman, Cracknell? He was a man with very little to recommend him to any woman, let alone a beautiful, young Frenchwoman, wife of a British Colonel. Incidentally I have found Frenchwomen to be very discerning and unlikely to be duped by such a scoundrel. Also, I failed to comprehend why Annabel spent half her time seeking out an emotional Maddy, when she was supposed to be assisting the many soldiers facing far greater trials than a chaotic lovelife. I guess that the author (male)does not really understand the mind or emotions of women (a minefield of complexities).
Although there were passages of beautiful writing in this book, such as the descriptions of dawn breaking over battlefields strewn with bodies; or the symmetry of Belle Vue Gardens in Manchester compared to the stinking, grime-encrusted poverty of the city slums; these gems were sadly overshadowed by lack of character development, especially of the females in the story. This book took me a long time to read, always a sign that I am not fully engaged in the narrative. Hence the 3 star rating.

[Tocotin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to stay home and asked my SO, who was going to Shibuya, to buy me something, whatever, at the BookOff. This is the book I got. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't know much about the Crimean War beforehand, so I'm happy I read this. The plot is quite unusual: it involves three war correspondents, an evil officer, his beautiful French wife, and a painting by Rafael, and the story is set in the Crimea and in Manchester after the war. Queen Victoria makes an appearance, and surprisingly there is no Florence Nightingale, but her less known rival (not a good word for it, but I'm tired), the amazing Mary Seacole.
All in all, I was impressed at first, then couldn't let some stuff pass. The war is depicted in loving (? again, not sure this is the right word) detail, but Manchester less so. The parts in Manchester were much less interesting to me. I guessed what was the horrible thing that happened back there, and also as Major Maynard was my favorite character, I sort of lost the incentive to read on. I didn't care for Kitson or his lady all that much, even though I wished them the best. Some story lines were just left dangling; I knew Kitson would be okay, how about telling me what happened to Cregg? Surely the whole scandal wouldn't be THAT bad for Jemima's father; I couldn't believe his sinister lackey would refuse to do his job like this. The villain was just too evil to be true, but his downfall was quite well-planned. But did the Russians really have all those beards? I think not.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I began reading this book, after the first few pages, I considered giving up or abandoning it because I didn't think it would be the sort of book that I would enjoy. Ultimately I did enjoy it, although I found the style a bit plodding and was put off initially by the very descriptive account of the Crimean war. I'm glad that I persevered with it, the story although a bit convoluted I did enjoy it in the end.

The style in which it is written moves backwards and forwards over time to build the story up. I didn't like quite a few of the main characters and was glad to see them get what they deserved eventually.

[Jane Schoelkopf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the kind of book I usually find myself reading - all a bit gung-ho about the Crimean war, very blokey, i thought at first. But it held hidden secrets..! One of those books you just have to keep on reading to find out what happened next. The plot is fairly convoluted and the narrative jumps back and forth between different periods of time, but it held me gripped and a bit surprised at how easy it is to enjoy a different genre! And I learnt all about the Crimean War to boot!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon finishing this book, I felt like I had just struggled out of a grimy, blood-soaked inferno of horrifying stench, gruesome wounds, and insane noise, confusion and chaos. This read should come with a warning: not for the fainthearted, because from page one onward, you are deluged with an unrelenting bombardment of graphic war detail, only to be jerked across a continent and brought forward a few years to the equally distressing graphic details of the "dark, satanic mills" of 1857 Manchester. If you read the whole thing straight, for three days, as I did, you are left trembling from emotional overload.
Yes, I read it for three straight days, because although full of the gross atrocities of humankind, it was still compelling. However, after about 300 pages, it lost some momentum and I could relate to the soldiers slogging their way through mud, blood and shrapnel. I understand that the author was probably using some of this painful redundancy as a way of underscoring his point that war is an endurance test as much as anything else, but he could have done so in far fewer pages.
I can't even summon the energy to summarize the plot, except to say that the only two things I knew about the Crimean War before encountering this book, the Charge of the Light Brigade & Florence Nightingale, received no mention at all! (this seems ironic to me as the author admitted in the interview at the end of the book that those two things were all he had known previously about it too!) There is a female character who nurses the soldiers, but she is clearly NOT based on Nightingale.
Although there is much death, many of the main characters seem to magically defy mortality regardless of how many or how deadly their wounds. In fact, this is such a feature of these men that they must be related to cats, only with far more than just 9 lives!

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is set during the Crimean War and the three years after, alternating between these two times. I did know of this war, but had little idea of of the conditions endured by those fighting it, or of the dreadful circumstances of the administration of it. The author has very much enlightened me, and caused me to find out more of it. This book does include a lot of gory scenes of the dead and dying, but any book about a war must incorporate these. However, the main story is of two English journalists and an illustrator sent to report upon the progress of the war for the general public back in England. The reporters did their job by describing the conditions of the troops and the mismanaged campaigns by those in authority, naturally, we are told the story of the personal experiences of these men, and this is where the time jump to the three years after the war comes into play. The senior reporter then pursues his determination to expose the people who have benefited from this war at the expensive of the slaughtered soldiers.
I found the descriptions of the characters involved were very well drawn, making me feel their frustrations with the whole affair. And the descriptions of their surroundings, both at the war and at home were were extremely well portrayed.

[Glenys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew Plampin dedicated this book "For my father who kept going on about it"
Indeed, the war in the Crimea is one that few of us, other than war history buffs, know much about.
This novel uses three newspapermen - two writers and an illustrator, to demonstrate what really happens in all wars but more particularly in the 1850s where combat was hand to hand.
Those who decree how a war will be fought are often the least suitable to make those decisions.
(I must declare a bias here as the daughter of a soldier who was a prisoner of war for four years).
Very few wars are run from the scene of the battles even to this day, and now, war is often an impersonal thing with bombs dropped and weapons fired from great distances.
The way wars are fought has changed but people will always have their own agendas.
You will not like many of the characters. There is much brutality, murder and bloodshed - much of it not directly related to the war but more a result of personal pride, greed and ambition.
Plampin's father gave him material for a gripping story.

[Melanie Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent historical based thriller exploring Victorian class divisions through the medium of the Crimean War and the Victorian invention of Art exhibitions and culture to raise status and both educate and subdue the lower classes. Poor military leadership is exposed by a group of journalists present near the front line leading to retaliation by the incompetent aristocratic officer class. The full violence and gruesome details are not spared but are still intrinsic to the novel. Against this background is set a story of adultery, theft and murder and this continues over two time zones and locations as the crimes committed during the war are unravelled several years later back in the UK. The pace is good, the historical detail completely convincing and whilst the characterisation is a little one dimensional, it works well as an enjoyable and sympathetic novel. I would read more by this writer.

[Eddie Smyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say that I knew a lot about the Crimean War, and I certainly wasn’t aware of the work of Matthew Plampin, but after reading The Street Philosopher much of that has been righted. Not just a quintessential anti-war novel, it’s also a grim portrayal of the grave deprivations and horrible depredations wrought on the English working-class folk of the nineteenth century, as well as a mocking depiction of the pomposity, boorishness, arrogance, greed, heartlessness, downright stupidity and sheer snobbishness of the glory-hunting ‘officer class,’ and not just in war, but also in peace.
Written in a style that would, I believe, have done justice to even the greatest novelists of that Victorian time (I must have checked the publication date at least twice!), it was always fast-paced and entertaining, and if I’ve become mean with my five-star ratings, I think that The Street Philosopher definitely deserves one.

[Barbara L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I am being mean, it was readable to the end with excellent handling of background and a, for-the-most-part plausible story. It's though written with a very male gaze, not that that has stopped other authors attracting readers. (More Ken Follett than John Le Carry.)
I got irritated by the sheer egoism which is at the bottom of the clash between Cracknell and Boyce. The author at one point described Madeley Boyce as melodramatic, and well "he himself has said it". Cregg and Styles also go over the top.
At It's best in the Crimean War battles and with the self-delusion of the Manchester industrialists putting on a grand exhibition while their fortunes have grubby roots. This is a tale of murder, looting, corruption and callousness towards underlings. By the final showdown of the pen (and paintbrush) and the sword (and status) neither seems to really care about people.

[Lesley Shears · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title caught my attention - a philosophy booth on the street? Philosophy while you wait?
It seems the term 'street philosopher' was a journalist who reported on local news, a gossip columnist.

This book is so much more - a realistic depiction of the horrors of war, the Crimean War in particular. A team of two journalists and an illustrator are sent to the Crimean peninsula to report on the progress of the war. They find desperate soldiers, under equipped and poorly led, dying from disease and battle injuries while some of their superiors take the opportunity of making off with treasures from houses abandoned when the population had fled the fighting.

The finale of the story is set in Manchester at a time when the 'dark, satanic mills' were at their worst and mill workers worked all hours.

I recommend this book and will look for more by Matthew Plampin.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crimean War is at the centre of this authentic-feeling, powerful and well-written novel. Two mutually antagonistic journalists from a radical London Daily, one dissolute and having an affair with the wife of a villainous officer, the other earnest, report on incompetent generals, the horrors of the battlefield and the suffering of the wounded. It shifts between the War and 1857 Manchester where the story culminates in revenge as the fate of several characters (a couple a little too stereotypical) appropriately intertwine. 4.5 stars.

[Kimberly Dekker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ik heb dit boek twee sterren gegeven, niet omdat het slecht was, maar omdat het me af en toe irritaties gaf. Het duurde erg lang voordat ik erdoor was en echt zoiets had van: interessant om te lezen en ik wil verder lezen. Verder is het een heel gedetailleerd boek, maar ook een boek dat je met vraagtekens laat zitten. Het is interessant om te lezen hoe een oorlog wordt uitgevochten en dat vanuit het perspectief van een oorlogscorrespondent, maar ondanks dat pakte het boek mij niet zoals ik gehoopt had.

[Patrick Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised to see it's average rating of 3.45 as I had really enjoyed it. I liked the two timelines 3 to 4 years apart. I knew nothing about the Crimea war and a bit of Wikipedia searching while reading the book showed how some of the scenes and characters were based on fact.

I suppose there were many actual officers as depicted here with the same callous attitude to the enlisted me.

Suppose my main grip would be key events were so unlikely i.e. the events in the kitchen. Also in no way could the artwork at the end go unnoticed until the right time.

[Soozee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually I'm not a fan of books that move around the timeline of the story, but although this one changes from past to present in each segment, it actually works pretty well. The setting, the Crimea War, is unusual, and the story develops well, although some of the characters remain a little flat. Overall I enjoyed it, although I wouldn't say it gripped me totally.

[Edivania · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe it’s because I was reading a translation, but I just couldn’t bring myself to continue reading. The structure of the sentences (I have the Dutch translation), the use of adjectives and the way the setting is painted at the start of the book are pretty bad.

I won’t be coming back to this one, I’m afraid

[Trevor McGuire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything someone could ask for from a piece of historical fiction. The level of detail, and the depth and breadth of the cast of characters was perfect for me. Almost all the character arcs ended appropriately and definitively. The author's notes at the end verified the amount of historical work that went into the tale. A superb work overall.

[Liz C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decent read. I liked the way it moved from the Crimea to Manchester with the story. I had forgotten there was a big art exhibition in Manchester in Victorian times. Rather shameful considering I did the History of Manchester as part of my degree course in Manchester.

[Franziska Self Fisken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivid and critical description about the Crimean War, and how horrific. It also is about the incompetence of the generals and many officers,
and their carelessness about the safety or wellbeing of the lower army ranks.
The main characters are varied and well drawn.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been saving this book, because I loved Mrs Whistler so much I was worried that reading this one would be a disappointment, but wanted to savour it if it was as good.

The characters in this feel vivid, and you get a sense of their nature's as soon as they appear on the page.

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read ... As well as being strong on the history the author is also strong in character development ... Throughly enjoyed

[Jonno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book

[Paschalis]

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