Mr Midshipman Easy

Frederick Marryat

Dec 2009 · Fireship Press

About this ebook

From the Father of Modern Nautical Fiction Mr. Midshipman Easy is probably Frederick Marryat's best known work, and justifiably so. It's a delightful story. Jack Easy is a boy who comes from wealth. Along the way, his father, who regards himself as something of a philosopher, imbues him with the notion that all men are utterly and completely equal. That is a notion, however, that is a tad alien to the 19th Century Royal Navy. Jack's beliefs are quickly put to the test when he becomes a midshipman and experiences the rigid hierarchy of a naval vessel-a hierarchy that must be maintained if everyone is to stay alive. In the process, he becomes friends with Mesty, an escaped slave who claims he was once an African prince. Together they face a host of adventures as Midshipman Easy comes of age. One of the more interesting sidelights of the book is the connection between Frederick Marryat and the famous Admiral Lord Thomas Cochrane. Marryat served under Cochrane and played a role in his controversial victory at the Battle of the Basque Roads. It is believed that Midshipman Easy is patterned after Lord Cochrane when he was a young man. Cochrane is also reported to be the model for the fictional hero, Horatio Hornblower.

Ratings and reviews

This book ranks right down there with A Tale of Two Cities and The Great Gatsby as books to avoid at all costs!

About the author

Frederick Marryat was born on July 10, 1792 in London, England. He entered the Royal Navy at the age of 14 and served with distinction in many parts of the world before retiring in 1830 with the rank of captain. From 1832 to 1835, he edited the Metropolitan Magazine. His first novel, The Naval Officer, was published in 1829. His other adult novels include Mr. Midshipman Easy, The Kings Own, Newton Forster, Peter Simple, Jacob Faithful, and The Phantom Ship. He also wrote a number of children's books including Masterman Ready, Settlers in Canada, The Mission, The Children of the New Forest, and The Little Savages. He travelled in Canada and the United States from 1837 to 1839. Afterward, he recorded his impressions in A Diary in America. He died on August 9, 1848.