Good Little Ship: Arthur Ransome, Nancy Blackett and the Goblin

Generations of children and their parents have delighted in Arthur Ransome''s `Swallows and Amazons'' books, but one of them stands out from the rest as being of a different order altogether. We Didn''t Mean to Go to Sea is both larger of theme and tighter of plot; it is a rite-of-passage tale quite unlike the others, and in describing the experiences of its protagonist John it illuminates much of Ransome''s own psychology. Good Little Ship is a blend of literary criticism, maritime history and sheer celebration. Peter Willis combines an analysis of a classic of maritime literature ( a book of which Conrad would have been proud - Hugh Brogan) with the story of the Nancy Blackett , Ransome''s own boat which appears as the Goblin in his story. He describes her life, near-death and restoration, and her renaissance as an ambassador for Ransome and his tales. See more