Swallows And Amazons: Volume 1

Arthur Ransome

Nov 2011 · Swallows And Amazons Book 1 · Random House

About this ebook

The ultimate children's classic - long summer days filled with adventure.

John, Susan, Titty and Roger sail their boat, Swallow, to a deserted island for a summer camping trip. Exploring and playing sailors is an adventure in itself but the island holds more excitement in store. Two fierce Amazon pirates, Nancy and Peggy, challenge them to war and a summer of battles and alliances ensues.

'My childhood simply would not have been the same without this book. It created a whole world to explore, one that lasted long in the imagination after the final page had been read' - Marcus Sedgwick

Ratings and reviews

I read this as part of the Open University's Children's Literature Module. It wasn't everyone's cup of tea but I loved it. It made me nostalgic for a childhood that I didn't even have. It's a very sensual book: you can visualize, smell, hear and taste along with the characters. Some people are put off by the sailing terms but I found it charming and I didn't find it excessive. The book really taps into that feeling that you lose post childhood of having so much fun that you wished it would never end.

Probaly the best book i have ever read as a child and adult it us just amasing even for adults because they act like we did. INSPERATIONAL

Loved this book as a child and still love It now that im reading it to my 2 kids

About the author

Arthur Ransome was born in Leeds in 1884 and went to school at Rugby. He was in Russia in 1917, and witnessed the Revolution, which he reported for the Manchester Guardian. After escaping to Scandinavia, he settled in the Lake District with his Russian wife where, in 1929, he wrote Swallows and Amazons; so began a writing career which has produced some of the best children's treasures of all time. In 1936 he won the first ever Carnegie Medal for his book, Pigeon Post.