Cheryl's comments (member since Mar 20, 2008)

Cheryl's comments from the The Gunroom group.

My goodness! That's quite a compendium of information. I'm not sure whether to commend the fellow on his fine and thorough research or chastise him for wasting so much time on something so unnecessary. I'm inclined to go with the former, because, honestly, it's just so cool!

I do hope they manage to put this together! I'd read previously that Paul Bettany is not interested in reprising his role as Stephen, so I wonder who we'd get in his place? I'll keep my fingers crossed that the film happens, but won't hold my breath!

Just encountered another of these Jack moments in an unrelated book! In a book from 1910 called "A Youthful Man-O-Warsman" (which I picked up from a sale through the San Diego Maritime Museum), there's an account of a clever ruse used by Capt. Nicholson of the U.S. Navy ship Siren, when attempting to evade a British frigate:

"He had purposefully kept a light in full view of the frigate, as if bent on a suicidal desire to be captured. When his pursuer was nearly within gunshot, however, he rigged out a hogshead, which was sealed up and so weighted that it would float in an upright position; and on top of it he affixed a light, similar to the one he had been carrying. Dropping the hogshead carefully overboard with its decoy signal in full view, he 'doused' the Siren's light. Then, changing his course, he made off in another direction leaving the frigate in her furious pursuit of the hogshead and its deceptive light. By daybreak the frigate was nowhere to be seen."

Now, I don't recall... did Jack ever do that in the books or only in the movie?

I read all 21 in order, back to back. I only read them during my lunch breaks at work, so it took about a year and a half to get through them all. I'd like to read them again, but I have too many other maritime history books to get through right now! What a wonderful experience it was to spend that much time in company with Jack & Stephen. I'd love to listen to the audiobooks sometime.

Well, he could read "Blue at the Mizzen," as long as he doesn't read "21", which doesn't really end, but... well, you know.

I've also read "Six Frigates" and enjoyed it greatly. Interesting to read those actions recounted in O'Brian's books. Also very fascinating look at the creation of our US Navy. Can't wait to visit the Constitution someday soon.

I'm certain we all know that Patrick O'Brian based many of Jack Aubrey's adventures on true historic actions, but have you ever encountered any of these actions in other books you've read? It's the strangest feeling to come across an historical account and realize that you've been there before, but with different players.

For example, in David Cordingly's wonderful book "Seafaring Women", I came across 2 items that struck me. First was a mention of the daring recapture of the HMS Hermione which was taken by mutineers from her crew, then given over to the Spanish. While the ship lay at anchor in a Venezuelan port, the crew of the HMS Surprise came into the harbor in boats, under cover of night, fought off the crew, cut her cables and towed her out of the harbor.

Later in the book, Cordingly recounts the trevails of Lord Cochrane, who was the successful commander of a brig in th Royal Navy and a member of Parliament, but was falsely accused of stock exchange fraud (sound familiar?). He was forced out of the Navy and Parliament, then offered command of Chile's Navy during their struggle for independence. While fighting for Chile, his wife traveled the interior of the country (for reasons of her son's health) on horseback, until it became too dangerous due to the advance of a royalist army (not too unlike our Maturin's adventures). After a successful run in Chile and Peru, Cochrane returned to Britain, was reinstated to the Royal Navy and promoted to rear Admiral, then full Admiral.

Perhaps I'm the only one particularly intrigued by such accounts, but it facinates me to find the true stories that provided fodder for Jack and Stephen's adventures. Anyone else ever come across moments like this?

::Touches knuckle to forehead:: Pleased to be aboard, sir.

In the not so distant past, I was occasionally known to be a tall ship sailor. After frequently being told, "You should read the O'Brian books, I bet you'd actually understand what they're talking about in all those sailing scenes," I finally picked up a copy of the first book. I wanted to hate it, so I wouldn't have to read all 21. But, I LOVED it and read all the books, in order, on my lunch breaks over the next year and a half. I cried a bit, when I finished "21", because it meant I'd have to leave my beloved friends Jack and Stephen to sail on without me.

Stephen is, far and away, my favorite character. I relate to him most, because he's aboard the ships and part of the crew, but never fully becomes engrained in the lifestyle, there's always something that sets him apart from the actual sailors, which is much like what I've experienced when sailing tall ships.

I don't have a favorite of the books, but love them all as a cohesive whole.

Maritime history is one of my biggest pursuits these days and I hope to go for a Master's degree in the subject sometime in the not too distant future, monetary matters permitting.

So very pleased to find a group of like-minded individuals, who understand the Aubrey/Maturin passion. It's so rare to come across anyone who's even heard of the series.