Better Drowned than Duffers: The Life of Arthur Ransome, Paul Flint

It seems to me that I have been like a shuttlecock bandied to and fro by lunatics. I seem to have lived not one life but snatches from a dozen different lives. (Arthur Ransome’s Autobiography)

Generations of readers are familiar with one of Arthur Ransome’s 'lives', that of author of his 12 Swallows and Amazons books, but he was also a young Bohemian, writer of folktales, journalist, war reporter, fisherman, secret agent... and a member of the Cruising Association. His books encouraged Dame Ellen MacArthur to sail and Dr David Bellamy to champion conservation.

Arthur Ransome’s literary executor, Paul Flint, will navigate through Ransome’s life, using his many boats as waypoints, and explore some of the places that inspired his books from the Lakes in the North to Pin Mill and the Walton Backwaters and, for good measure, some Dutch courage.

Please note: lectures can be watched live online but we do not generally make recordings available after the event, for a number of reasons relating to time and copyright issues.

 

Date: Wednesday 23 October 2024

Time: 19:00

Place: CA House or, for the webinar broadcast via Zoom, your own home or boat

Booking (to attend at CA House): To book places on any lecture, and to indicate whether you’ll be ordering food, click on [Book venue]. Please pay in advance on the website, or by contactless on the door. Any problems with the booking system, call or email the office on 020 7537 2828/reception@theca.org.uk

Tickets (to attend at CA House): Members £4, non-members £7. Season tickets are also available to members £32.

Booking (to join the webinar via Zoom): The webinar broadcast is open to members, including Crewing Service members, only. You will need to login to see the details below.

If you would like to join the webinar broadcast, please register via Zoom here. There will be no charge for viewing online.

 

Shipwreck, from Arthur Ransome's Swallowdale

Shipwreck, from Arthur Ransome's Swallowdale