Sherwood's comments (member since Sep 17, 2009)

Sherwood's comments from the The Gunroom group.

I first read the books ten years ago. By the end of the first, I was hooked; by the time I reached the Dill portion of the third, I realized these were brilliant, and I couldn't do much of anything else short of bare necessities while I read.

Since then I've been through them three or four times--savoring favorite moments, reading closely for puzzling bits (like figuring out who shot Ledward and Wray), deeply appreciating not just the breadth of research or the insight into human behavior, but the generosity of spirit that breathes through the books.

I love the humor, the passion, the steady-eyed gaze on what is least admirable in people, as well as what is best, and how people can change.

Another, unexpected advantage: rereading Jane Austen's Persuasion afterward, and suddenly finding all the nautical references taking on different meaning to the extent that it became a different book. It did not surprise me to discover that O'Brian was an Austen fan.