Cayleb Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Being seventy years old and an avid reader from my early years I have around a couple of thousand books (I hate getting rid of books) that make moving house a particulat nightmare, not so much the sheer number of books, but the problem on arrival at the new house of unpacking them and finding places to store them all. The choice of our current home was largely decided by it having an extra bedroon which is twenty feet long by ten feet wide and this immediately became the study. My interests range from science fiction to historical fiction but concentrate on military history, particularly the aviation side of the Second World War where I engage in detailed research on several aspects. My wife is also a keen reader and she shares my love for historical fiction and adds romance novels as well. I don't remember reading much in the way of Enid Blyton type books when I was a child and the first that I really recall are those marvellous books by Arthur Ransome which I devoured, which I introduced my children to and a set of which I still have. I am looking forward to starting my grandchildren on them but that won't be for a few years. We live in southern England, about twelve miles inland from Bournemouth, and are enjoying our grandchildren and our retirement. Neither of us is very energetic, in fact I would go so far as to say that in a choice between sitting reading and walking somewhere, the book will win every time. Although I like to watch the news on the television, that medium does not generally attract me and the only other thing I usually watch is the occasional film that I thought when it came out "I'd like to see that" but never did. They usually arrive on the television eventually. My wife and I are now both Kindle users and find that when we go away somewhere the weight of the suitcase is greatly reduced as a result of this, something to be considered at our age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Hello Cayleb, and welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Eliza1 Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Hi Cayleb Welcome to the forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Hey there and welcome to BCF, Cayleb! Glad you've joined up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcow Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Hello and welcome to BCF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 (edited) to the forum Cayleb Edited November 28, 2010 by Weave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Hello and welcome Cayleb! I have Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome but I'm not familiar with any other books of his. Can you recommend any? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Wallpaper Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Welcome! I too am a historical fiction fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraPepparkaka Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Hello and welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 hello and welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cayleb Posted November 30, 2010 Author Share Posted November 30, 2010 Hello and welcome Cayleb! I have Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome but I'm not familiar with any other books of his. Can you recommend any? Hi Kylie, I can recommed all of Ramsome's books in that series (there are another eleven of them) and I would suggest you go for "Swallowdale" next followed by "Winter Holiday" which introduces two more children. Even at my age I still read one occasionally, just for the sheer joy of becoming a child again and living in a child's uncomplicated world. Both my children enjoyed them all, more than thirty years ago, and my son still has a set. Do try the rest, if you enjoyed "Swallows and Amazons" I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Thank you, everybody, for your greetings. I look forward to chatting with you about the wonderful books we have read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Thanks Cayleb! I hadn't realised it was a series. I'll definitely be on the lookout for the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 to the forum Cayleb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Hi Cayleb, welcome..I read Arthur Ransomes books as a child they were my dad's I loved Swallows and Amazons and Secret Water as well as some of the others whose names escape me at the moment...you getting the snow down there we are in Salisbury at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cayleb Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 Hi Pickle, Virtually no snow here yet (and long may it stay that way) but the threat is there. Arthur Ransome was a considerable influence on me as a child and engendered in me an interest in sailing which my son has inherited. Did he do anything like that for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Hi Cayleb, I can't say he ever influenced me to go sailing but he gave me a common ground with my dad and my Grandad as we all loved these books, I loved the fact that they were written in a so much more innocent time when children could go off and be children away from adults, I remember being allowed to do this in the 70's when I was little, and I guess it was even more common before then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 (edited) Hey Cayleb, I'd just like to offer my introductions as well; welcome to BCF. It's a wonderful place here, a delightful little - well, not so little - community, and I'm sure with your evident passion for books, you'll settle in great. I hope one day to amass a collection similar in size to your own, and I confess that I'm jealous of the fact you are surrounded by so many books. Anyway, I'm Ben, feel free to hit me up for a chat whenever you like, and I'm sure I'll see you around the forums. Edited December 2, 2010 by Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cayleb Posted December 4, 2010 Author Share Posted December 4, 2010 Hi Pickle, I agree about the time when children could go off and do their own thing. You can just imagine any parents letting that happen now being declared unfit by the authorities. The snow has come, three or four inches where I live, and gone again, washed away by rain. I believe you live in Salisbury and I go there occasionally, at unpredictable intervals, but don't know the city as I only go to the hospital. Thank you all for your greetings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWords Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Welcome to the BCF. I'm another Arthur Ransome fan, though tempered somewhat in that I never actually read his books as a child. I found out about his books from a back-page illustration / advert in a Palmer Cox collection many years after I should have been reading the novels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cayleb Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 Hi BigWords, You're never too old to read Arthur Ransome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 A belated very warm welcome Cayleb You talking about Arthur Ransome has reminded me that I've always meant to read some of his books after hearing of them in Joyce Fussey's books - her boys loved them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cayleb Posted December 6, 2010 Author Share Posted December 6, 2010 Go for them, Poppy, as I said above, you're never too old (or young) te read Arthur Ransome. I suppose they're unfashionable these days because they have human values ascribed to the characters, but I've always loved the whole series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookworm44 Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 Welcome to the forum, Cayleb! Enjoy! =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison10 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 W elcome Cayleb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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