RIP George MacDonald Fraser

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silverscreenselect
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RIP George MacDonald Fraser

#1 Post by silverscreenselect » Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:43 am

British novelist, best known for his humorous series of Flashman novels that were popular in the 1970's.

Harry Flashman was the schoolyard bully villain in Tom Brown's School Days, a popular 19th century English coming-of-age novel. Fraser's books made Flashman a real person, "author" of his memoirs, a womanizing coward and cad who wound up an Army officer and somehow got involved in many of the important historical events of the mid-1800's. The joke was that no matter how sleazily Flashman acted, he somehow managed to come out on top and have people view him as a hero. The books were cleverly written, light historical fiction, constructing bizarre swashbuckling plots out of actual events. One of the books was made into a movie, Royal Flash, with Malcolm McDowell as Flashman. When the first Flashman novel appeared, a number of reviews treated it as a genuine memoir rather than a spoof.

Fraser also wrote the screenplay for the James Bond film Octopussy and Richard Lester's Three/Four Musketeers, the best film versions ever made of the Dumas novel, as well as for Royal Flash. Age 82.

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tanstaafl2
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#2 Post by tanstaafl2 » Thu Jan 03, 2008 5:59 pm

There had long been hope that he would "release" the papers of Brigadier-General Sir Harry Paget Flashman VC KCB KCIE relating to his escapades in the US Civil war, adventures that were often referenced in the other papers, before he died.

Unless he had it tucked away in a vault somewhere I guess that hope has died with him.

While most of the papers were indeed tightly woven with actual events not all were written that way. Royal Flash was in fact a retelling of the novel "The Prisoner of Zenda" which claimed to tell the true tale on which the novel was based. Talk about convoluted story telling!

Flashman and the Tiger was a combination of prior short stories and new material which included an episode were Flashman encountered none other than Sherlock Holmes.

But whatever the tale or the source I always found them entertaining. I for one shall miss that irascible poltroon. And Fraser as well…
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
~Mark Twain

Some people are like a Slinky. They are not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs...
~tanstaafl2

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Spock
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#3 Post by Spock » Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:18 pm

My all-time favorite writer.

While I like the Flashman stuff-

I much prefer his other stuff-I reread the Private Macauslin stories regularly-I just len t them to somebody who likes Sharpe and Aubrey/Maturin.

I just finished re-reading Mr. American.

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tanstaafl2
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#4 Post by tanstaafl2 » Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:45 pm

Spock wrote:My all-time favorite writer.

While I like the Flashman stuff-

I much prefer his other stuff-I reread the Private Macauslin stories regularly-I just len t them to somebody who likes Sharpe and Aubrey/Maturin.

I just finished re-reading Mr. American.
Flashy himself makes an appearance in that one as you know!

Everybody is different I suppose. I like the McAuslan stories as well but I have reread the Flashman stories, all twelve, a couple of times.

And perhaps my favorite WWII biography of all time was his "Quartered Safe Out Here".

Haven't read a couple of his more recent stories including "The Light's on at Signpost" which is supposedly a bit of a rant and "The Reavers" which is supposedly a fanciful tale that is a bit of a departure for him. I will just have to make some time to try them out.
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
~Mark Twain

Some people are like a Slinky. They are not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs...
~tanstaafl2

Nullum Gratuitum Prandium
Ne Illegitimi Carborundum
Cumann na gClann Uí Thighearnaigh

Spock
Posts: 4295
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:01 pm

#5 Post by Spock » Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:15 pm

tanstaafl2 wrote:
Spock wrote:My all-time favorite writer.

While I like the Flashman stuff-

I much prefer his other stuff-I reread the Private Macauslin stories regularly-I just len t them to somebody who likes Sharpe and Aubrey/Maturin.

I just finished re-reading Mr. American.
Flashy himself makes an appearance in that one as you know!

Everybody is different I suppose. I like the McAuslan stories as well but I have reread the Flashman stories, all twelve, a couple of times.

And perhaps my favorite WWII biography of all time was his "Quartered Safe Out Here".

Haven't read a couple of his more recent stories including "The Light's on at Signpost" which is supposedly a bit of a rant and "The Reavers" which is supposedly a fanciful tale that is a bit of a departure for him. I will just have to make some time to try them out.
I highly recommend "Light's on at Signpost." (As I do all his stuff) It is about 1/3 rant and 2/3 stories of his involvement with the movies and so forth. Skip the rants if you so choose-as with so much of his non-Flashman stuff-I found that I enjoy/ed it more upon re-reading than on first reading.

I have read "Quartered" several times as well and it is one of my favorite books.

GMF had been much in my mind lately as I have been re-reading him for the last few months-including some Flashman-I love the way his mind works and the way he turns a phrase.

I learned of him through a Gearge Will column that referenced "Quartered" as an excellent-moved onto Flashman-then to the other stuff.

I found the Macauslin stories at exactly the right time in my life. I was in a really really dark time and the stories provided some lightness then-I make a note in the front of books as to month and year read-and I marvel at how those books fell right when I needed them.

Spock
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#6 Post by Spock » Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:39 pm


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