Nelson & His World

I recently read a very favourable review of a new book on Napoleon in exile on St Helena. I'll be ordering it and will post a comment in due course.

http://us.macmillan.com/terribleexile

Here is a link to an earlier thread on personal recollections of Napoleon on St Helena.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=359&hilit=st+helena

Anna,

Looks to be an interesting read and I look forward to your comments. I liked Richard Woodman's desciption of Napoleon on St. Helena - that he found himself 'no better than ordinary mortals'.

Nelson, on the other hand...

Hi Both,

I highly recommend this publication,

The Dark Room at Longwood, A Voyage to St Helena.
by Jean-Paul Kauffmann and Patricia Clancy.
ISBN 9781860467745
Publishers The Harvill Press

Its available on the Waterstones site.

Excellent stuff

Stephen,

Thanks. Looks like another interesting read!

I've posted a report on 'Terrible Exile' on the Book Reports thread on the Information Forum.

Yes indeed, as you say, Kester, every new topic seems to throw up even more alluring volumes on the subject. I used to read yards of fiction, lit. crit. and poetry before my Nelson enthusiasm arose. Now, history and biographies take up ever more space on my shelves.

A few years ago on a Sunday morning I was somewhere in deepest Leicestershire and came across one of those little charity tables - with a couple of books, some potted plants and an assortment of china ornaments.

I glanced at the books and one was a fiction book called "The Ship by the Shore". There was an illustration at the front which placed it roughly in the Nelson era - so I coughed up the princely sum of 20p.

Back at home I looked a bit closer and realised it was a children's fiction book centred around the Bellerophon when she was moored off Plymouth with Napoleon on board. I ended up reading it through in one session. It was a typical book of its type - the story involved a brother and sister foiling a plot to help Napoleon escape.

But all in all I quite enjoyed it.

Suddenly I'm tempted to get it out and read it through again.

MB

Mark,

Sounds like you're a glutton for punishment!