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09/07/2005: Sharpe's Exploits - The Early Years
There is another interesting book I’m reading (and this is for Mike Hollihan – since we are the PBS aficionados and enjoy the Sharpe series) which is based upon a 20 book series written by Bernard Cornwell on the adventures of Richard Sharpe. As just a quickie background, Sharpe is a fictional character who is a British soldier from 1799 – 1822, but the exploits, travels and battles are based on the real British excursions, battles and factual materials.
So, author Mark Adkin, who served in the British army and is a military historian, got permission from Mr. Cornwell to write “The Sharpe Companion – The Early Years.” [HarperCollins Publishers, 2003]
For any British history buffs and/or Richard Sharpe fans, this is a really fun book. The Introduction explains Why he wanted to do this book. Here are a few short excerpts:"Richard Sharpe is a fascinating hero; his escapades are bewildering in their variety and always bloody in their execution – but they are not impossible. In writing this book, I have dissected the battle he fought in, pored over maps to plot his movements and locate that places he visited. Due to Bernard Cornwell’s great skill at ensuring Sharpe’s activities have accurate historical backgrounds, I have never had any real difficulty in putting dates, even times, as well as location to what Sharpe did."
and this:"The history of how each regiment developed, fought, expanded, contracted, changed its title until more modern times is explored. Finally a timeline has been included that sets out the dates of the highlights of Sharpe's life alongside some of the major historical events of the period. Throughout, the text is enhanced by maps, illustrations, boxes and margin notes, many anecdotal, which add interest and flavour to the main meal."
If you are a Sharpe fan, I highly recommend this one.
Karen on 09.07.05 @ 06:32 AM CST
