Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 10:15 am 
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Another new book to look forward to, publication date 6 September: Commander by Stephen Taylor - a biography of Edward Pellew: http://www.faber.co.uk/work/commander/9780571277117/

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Tony


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 Post subject: Re: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:06 am 
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Tony,

This looks to be a good read, about one of the best officer's in the navy during Nelson's time.

I thought his attributes and hands on approach, which were similar to Nelson's, were brought out very well in the Hornblower mini series – where of course he was ably played by Robert Lindsay.

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 Post subject: Re: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:00 pm 
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Devenish wrote:
I thought his attributes and hands on approach, which were similar to Nelson's, were brought out very well in the Hornblower mini series – where of course he was ably played by Robert Lindsay.

I thought I recognised the name from somewhere!

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 Post subject: Re: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:11 pm 
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There is an article by Stephen Taylor about this book in last Sundays (26th Aug) Mail on Sunday Review section.

Is anyone familiar with his work? I haven't come across his books before. From his publishers website it appears he has written mainly on African subjects.

Phil


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 Post subject: Re: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 8:05 am 
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I've only just got round to reading this thread and was intrigued to note that the blurb in the link Tony gave notes that Pellew is thought to be the model for Jack Aubrey in Patrick O'Brian's sequence of novels.

Pellew had an equally daring brother, Israel Pellew, who also had a reputation as a dreadful bully, I recall, though a quick glance at his wiki entry reveals no mention of this unfortunate trait.

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Anna


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 Post subject: Re: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 9:32 am 
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Perhaps though, that was a boyhood trait and he grew out of it? The brothers are also sometimes confused, that is if Israel is known of at all.

When at Trafalgar, it was left to the Captain Atcherly of the Conqueror's marines (ie. Israel Pellew's ship) to accept the surrender of Villeneueve on board the Bucentaure, the French Admiral is said to have remarked that he was honoured to give up his sword to the renowned Sir Edward Pellew. On his being told that it was to Captain Israel Pellew that he had surrendered, the Admiral exclaimed, 'His brother? What, there are two of them? Helas!'

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 Post subject: Re: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 10:33 am 
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Telegraph review here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/book ... eview.html
Quote:
...This is not a biography in the modern, tell-all sense, but an entertaining, swashbuckling adventure, filled to the brim with derring-do...

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 Post subject: Re: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 9:51 am 
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Quote:
that the blurb in the link Tony gave notes that Pellew is thought to be the model for Jack Aubrey in Patrick O'Brian's sequence of novels.


Publishers rubbish. Every book sold as a biography uses such junk to sell books to people who know nothing and then spread it. To be honest I am usually fighting against hordes of people using the far more realistic 'Cochrane was the model'.

In Aubrey's case O'Brian built him from a wide range of officers as some examples Cochrane has the Speedy/Court Case/ Spanish Adventure , Rowley (I think) of the Boadicea has his entire Mauritius campaign including ship names copied, Riou has his bump into an ice berg followed by half the crew buggering off before he managed to get the ship to Australia and so on and so forth and these are just the obvious 'big' copies. When you read James you find yourself saying things like - oh I see where O'Brian got that from..

Joss


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 Post subject: Re: New biography of Edward Pellew
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:58 pm 
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Here is a very favourable review of the book. It is not a frank, 'tell-all' account of Exmouth's life, but an uncritical celebration of a larger-than-life character. It's on my reading list!

http://tinyurl.com/92avwun

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