On having finished Swallows and Amazons...

[melannen]

If there's any better place to have been reading that than out in hurricane weather, it was sitting in a tiny tea-shop in the pouring rain while eating a scone so hot that it nearly scorched my fingers.

Reading these old YA novels only on my commute seems to be just the thing. I think I shall continue. I'm checking out The Eagle of the Ninth today to tide me over. Now it's time to see if I can find a library that will loan me Swallowdale- neither the school library nor the local one has it. Meanwhile, my flist needs to help me out!

[Poll #814413]

(I'm nearly always Titty, but sometimes John and sometimes Peggy, and when I'm feeling particularly Nativish, sometimes Susan or Roger. But I'm nearly never Nancy, for I'm sadly quite ruthful usually. My sister's maybe John but sometimes Nancy and sometimes Peggy or Titty - but you ought to make her read them and ask her. Actually, frey_at_last, I *really* think that you four and us two need to rent two sailboats on a lake and go play Swallows and Amazons some summer.)

Comments

[frey-at-last.livejournal.com]

Read Peter Duck! It's one of two "make-believe" books in the series, where they're actually just pretending to have gone on the adventure it describes. Or at least that's what most people think - some object. Its popularity also varies, because of that, so you might not like it as much as S&A and Swallowdale and the rest of the normal series. But then again you might like it more!

:D I am totally in favor of that idea!

[frey-at-last.livejournal.com]

Oh, and the point of me telling you all about it was to convince you that it's one of the books that doesn't need to be read in order. I forgot in all the excitement.

[stellar-dust.livejournal.com]

LoCo public library has Swallowdale! It's checked in at the Sterling branch! If you're very very nice and promise not to get me late fees perhaps I will check it out for you. d-:

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Actually, the internets just told me that Peter Duck technically comes first anyway! So it seems like I wouldn't miss anything doing it that way.

[melannen.livejournal.com]

I have the only available copy in AACo on reserve. :P It'll probably get here faster anyway, unless you're coming home this weekend.

[frey-at-last.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're so right! Peter Duck *does* come in between the two, although Swallowdale was written and published first. I am such a publishing-order kind of girl (re: NARNIA), but with S&A I make exceptions.

Wow, you're really making me wish I'd brought my entire set from home. But I could never fit it!

[mushfromnewsies.livejournal.com]

I have to modify my poll answer -- *I'd* say leave Peter Duck until the end, or in its proper order, because the "make-believe" books are my least favorite. Too surreal for our dear Walkers!

Also, Swallowdale is so good it's worth reading as soon as you can! Alas, I had to leave my S&A at home, but my favorites are: Swallows and Amazons, Swallowdale, Winter Holiday, The Picts and the Martyrs, and just to change things up, Coot Club. I haven't read the last few in the series (Missie Lee, The Big Six, etc), but then, *everything* Ransome does is marvelous.

As for the sailing idea? Um, yeah! We have a lake at home that is *perfect*, Wild Cat Island and everything, so you and Katy will simply have to come visit the Great Northwest.

(And I'm usually Titty/John/Peggy myself, so yay! But you don't know the D's! aka Dick and Dorothea. You might like them lots. Some people don't. Some people named Kristen.)

[frey-at-last.livejournal.com]

You are not John, you are LYING! And you *have* to be Susan, you're the Ship's Cook! And Susan was always the First Mate!

I HATE THE D'S! Not because of their characters but because they INTRUDED!

[mushfromnewsies.livejournal.com]

Umm, I'm not *John* but there boy bits in me that aren't Roger, so I had to put that *somewhere*.

But you're right. I'm often Susan. We can make Jeffrey Roger.

[stellar-dust.livejournal.com]

I'll be home - the weekend *after* next? For birthday party?

[melannen.livejournal.com]

This weekend is the Comic-con - need to get back to Kevin about that. I figured you weren't coming just for that, though, what with all the *other* stuff in September.

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes we will! If only we had the money and the time off! I've been wanting to visit up these for a while anyway.