(urth) Try and Kill It

[Norwood, Frederick Hudson]

I've enjoyed all the books you mention.  The Horatio Hornblower series is also excellent, as is Master and Commander.  And just recently I read a book about the War of 1812 called The Lively Lady.

Rick Norwood

-----Original Message-----
From: Urth [mailto:urth-bounces at lists.urth.net] On Behalf Of Robert Pirkola
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 12:09 PM
To: urth at urth.net
Subject: (urth) Try and Kill It

Well, I was particularly enamored of *Two Years Before the Mast* by Richard Henry Dana, Jr., as it was full of good information about sailing and ships and how to operate them in general while also being an amazing story full of interesting characters that give a good account of California before it became a bustling economy.  "The Gold Bug" by Poe was fun for purposes of unearthing some of the tropes of buried treasure/pirate lore, as was *Treasure Island* (which led me to watch the film version with Wallace Beery as Long John Silver just last night which was a real delight.  He was given the most lovable send-off that ever a bloodthirsty murderous dog like him could expect.)  I am about 40 pages into *Captains Courageous* right now and am absolutely hooked (my first Kipling I believe).  *Billy Budd* is supposed to be next but I am rather anxious to get back to Wolfe.  I also ordered *A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious
Pirates* ostensibly written by Captain Charles Johnson.  It was actually put together by Daniel Defoe and has passages on several of the pirates mentioned in *Pirate Freedom*'s dedication page so I thought it could be worthwhile source material, so I'm looking forward to that.  

I was actually flirting with *On Stranger Tides* while ordering *A General History* having heard recommendations for Powers from listers.  I haven't read him myself.  As for other contemporary novels of piracy, I have had Crichton's *Pirate Latitudes* laying about my house since his passing
but haven't read it.  I suppose now is a good a time as any. 		 	   		  
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