6 ms·

Reverse of the medal: The posthumous reputation of Patrick O’Brian

31 points by benbreen 7y ago

jpm_sd 7y ago
I'm a huge fan. His books aren't just swashbuckling, there's a ton of great stuff about the history of science in there, some fun international politics, and surprisingly deep character development. Yes, there are some goofy plot devices here and there, but well worth a read overall. The audiobooks narrated by Patrick Tull are fantastic.
- hirundo 7y ago
  Ditto on Patrick Tull, he's one of my favorite audiobook narrators. I've listened to the series three times. I have this little problem where I just want some comfort listening so put on the first book "for ten minutes" and then can't stop until the end of book 21. It's really one novel in 21 volumes. And then when I still can't get enough, restart Hornblower or Honor Harrington. I wonder if there is a cure for this syndrome. Or a name.
jimhefferon 7y ago
Twenty years ago I came down with a heart condition. I had two young children and a lovely wife, a nice life, and I found myself awake for hours every night, afraid. I read Mr O'Brian's books. They spoke to me, and I learned a great deal from them. I think of them as a twenty volume essay on what it means to be a man (or a person, but mostly a man). They are far from perfect. A person only thirty or forty year on winces on some of the things said, for instance. But I learned a great deal about people and I often think about the characters; if not daily then at least several times a week. If you give them a try, and I urge you to, then I'd suggest starting with the second book Post Captain (others will disagree but this is my $0.02), since I find that the first is more of an act of literature than I like. (Some people find the nautical detail puts them off. If so, just ignore it. The books are about the people.)
- thebooktocome 7y ago
  As a child I read Master and Commander, and Aubrey's relative tolerance of homosexuality was the first time I'd heard of being gay perhaps not being a mortal sin. As for the nautical bits, I find it's no different than Star Trek. Nobody actually watches Star Trek already knowing how warp drives work, and the technical details rarely ever matter.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
dayofthedaleks 7y ago
Link doesn’t seem to lead to the story itself. Try: https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/patrick-obrian-nikolai-tolstoy-review-frances-wilson/ https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/patrick-obrian-nikolai-to... I don’t mind that O’Brian was so... creative about his biography, nor that Maturin was such a Mary Sue. The books are treasures. Currently on my third or fourth readthrough of the series, on the fourth volume.
- dang 7y ago
  Ok, url changed from https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/patrick-obrian-nikolai-tolstoy-book-review/ https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/patrick-obrian-nikolai-to.... Thanks!
CalChris 7y ago
Tom Perkins sailed with him and found him lacking in actual maritime experience. He was a fraud, a very very good fraud, but a fraud. https://www.latitude38.com/features/O'Brian.htm https://www.latitude38.com/features/O'Brian.htm
- dayofthedaleks 7y ago
  The article is about him being a fraud in other arenas. I’m not convinced his weak personal seamanship renders him a fraud. In nautical matters I’d describe him more as a fanboy or foamer, with literary flourishes.
  - dmix 7y ago
    Especially at 80yrs old.
  - CalChris 7y ago
    Maybe I was too harsh but I do get tired of hearing about Patrick O'Brien. Frederick Marryat was the real deal as a sailor. He even devised the flag signaling system, Marryat's Code. He was the real deal as a writer as well.
pavlov 7y ago
The article was an interesting glimpse into the private history of an author I only knew through his books, but I'm befuddled by the point the writer is making: "O’Brian’s deception would matter less had he not written naval novels [...]" Are readers of books about old warships really such a sensitive bunch? I don't get it. An author did something bad in 1943 or 1955 or whatever — it doesn't take anything away from the experience today.

31 points by benbreen 7y ago

I'm a huge fan. His books aren't just swashbuckling, there's a ton of great stuff about the history of science in there, some fun international politics, and surprisingly deep character development. Yes, there are some goofy plot devices here and there, but well worth a read overall. The audiobooks narrated by Patrick Tull are fantastic.

hirundo 7y ago
Ditto on Patrick Tull, he's one of my favorite audiobook narrators. I've listened to the series three times. I have this little problem where I just want some comfort listening so put on the first book "for ten minutes" and then can't stop until the end of book 21. It's really one novel in 21 volumes. And then when I still can't get enough, restart Hornblower or Honor Harrington. I wonder if there is a cure for this syndrome. Or a name.

jimhefferon 7y ago

Twenty years ago I came down with a heart condition. I had two young children and a lovely wife, a nice life, and I found myself awake for hours every night, afraid. I read Mr O'Brian's books. They spoke to me, and I learned a great deal from them. I think of them as a twenty volume essay on what it means to be a man (or a person, but mostly a man). They are far from perfect. A person only thirty or forty year on winces on some of the things said, for instance. But I learned a great deal about people and I often think about the characters; if not daily then at least several times a week. If you give them a try, and I urge you to, then I'd suggest starting with the second book Post Captain (others will disagree but this is my $0.02), since I find that the first is more of an act of literature than I like. (Some people find the nautical detail puts them off. If so, just ignore it. The books are about the people.)

thebooktocome 7y ago
As a child I read Master and Commander, and Aubrey's relative tolerance of homosexuality was the first time I'd heard of being gay perhaps not being a mortal sin. As for the nautical bits, I find it's no different than Star Trek. Nobody actually watches Star Trek already knowing how warp drives work, and the technical details rarely ever matter.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

dayofthedaleks 7y ago

Link doesn’t seem to lead to the story itself. Try: https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/patrick-obrian-nikolai-tolstoy-review-frances-wilson/ https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/patrick-obrian-nikolai-to... I don’t mind that O’Brian was so... creative about his biography, nor that Maturin was such a Mary Sue. The books are treasures. Currently on my third or fourth readthrough of the series, on the fourth volume.

dang 7y ago
Ok, url changed from https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/patrick-obrian-nikolai-tolstoy-book-review/ https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/patrick-obrian-nikolai-to.... Thanks!

CalChris 7y ago

Tom Perkins sailed with him and found him lacking in actual maritime experience. He was a fraud, a very very good fraud, but a fraud. https://www.latitude38.com/features/O'Brian.htm https://www.latitude38.com/features/O'Brian.htm

dayofthedaleks 7y ago
The article is about him being a fraud in other arenas. I’m not convinced his weak personal seamanship renders him a fraud. In nautical matters I’d describe him more as a fanboy or foamer, with literary flourishes.
- dmix 7y ago
  Especially at 80yrs old.
- CalChris 7y ago
  Maybe I was too harsh but I do get tired of hearing about Patrick O'Brien. Frederick Marryat was the real deal as a sailor. He even devised the flag signaling system, Marryat's Code. He was the real deal as a writer as well.

pavlov 7y ago

The article was an interesting glimpse into the private history of an author I only knew through his books, but I'm befuddled by the point the writer is making: "O’Brian’s deception would matter less had he not written naval novels [...]" Are readers of books about old warships really such a sensitive bunch? I don't get it. An author did something bad in 1943 or 1955 or whatever — it doesn't take anything away from the experience today.