His private life does not change the fact that he wrote a wonderful series of books. That he wished to have his privacy is what most sane people want for themselves. It’s sad that he was little known until later in his life when he felt keenly the loss of both his privacy and the resulting damage to his reputation.
He worked in classified activities during WW2, so obviously he's gonna be a hard nut to crack. Nothing like being arrested for disclosing secret information or activities unintentionally - 50 years after the war.
In another plot twist - In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... the A-Team.
The audio books read by Patrick Tull will open a whole new world to those who have the time and inclination. From the first word to the last, the author and reader come as close to perfection as I am ever likely to encounter this side of beyond.
This silly video is strikingly similar to Dean King's rather silly book, which was hated by its subject and by all sensible people. Read Nikolai Tolstoy's biography of O'Brian instead - it's written by an adult.
Yes, I've always enjoyed the 'I don't think question and answer is a civilised form of communication' quote as we live in very impertinent times. The irony is all the secrecy and O'brians myth making, encourages people to dig even further as it's a natural response to want to separate fact from myth (take the Knight's Templar for instance, very few bother with the Knight's Hospitallar). I've heard two accounts of his work during the war which contradict each other. His second wife was a Tolstoy.
He didn't just change his name for literary purposes or for the usual reasons. He left his 1st wife & child in circumstances and in a way that was not heroic. His own father was a failure in more ways than one including being a failed inventor. When the sleuths closed in he made it seem his secrecy was due to being a intel agent in WWII. Not to put too fine a point on it but O'brians reasons for totally reinventing himself were no where near as heroic as Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
I was lead to believe they went their separate ways after going through years of hardship though I don't doubt what you're saying. Leaving morality aside I get the general impression O'brian lived in a world of fantasy anyway which made him a great writer though you can't trust a word he say's as its all part of the fantasy.
Jelkel25, I don't assert that O'Brian did anything immoral or even wrong, I believe his 1st marriage was a "shotgun" wedding & I think he had some guilt. I base this on his manic secrecy which bled over into the books-"I don't think question and answer is a civilized form of communication-Maturin". I have 2 bios on Obrian somewhere. One written by King that sheds much light on the issue, the other by, I think, his step son-I think O'brians 2nd wife was some sort of minor countess.
There’s no way that Dean King could have “read all sixteen novels” in 1990 + four months. There were only thirteen books published by then. Book 14 _The Nutmeg of Consolation_ was released in the second half of 1991. Putting aside the facts, if the way he expresses himself while talking irks me, I doubt I would enjoy Dean King’s writing. Hack.
His private life does not change the fact that he wrote a wonderful series of books. That he wished to have his privacy is what most sane people want for themselves. It’s sad that he was little known until later in his life when he felt keenly the loss of both his privacy and the resulting damage to his reputation.
He worked in classified activities during WW2, so obviously he's gonna be a hard nut to crack. Nothing like being arrested for disclosing secret information or activities unintentionally - 50 years after the war.
“I knew who Patrick O’Brien was and nobody else did.” A rather odd claim. Many people did; they just didn’t blab about it.
In another plot twist - In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... the A-Team.
The clue is in the name. The Irish spelling is O'brien. What is so strange in a writer changing their name? Some have multiple names.
The audio books read by Patrick Tull will open a whole new world to those who have the time and inclination. From the first word to the last, the author and reader come as close to perfection as I am ever likely to encounter this side of beyond.
Absolutely
Wonderful!
This silly video is strikingly similar to Dean King's rather silly book, which was hated by its subject and by all sensible people. Read Nikolai Tolstoy's biography of O'Brian instead - it's written by an adult.
If it wasn't for Sea of Words I wouldn't understand half of the Aubrey/ Maturin series.
Yes, I've always enjoyed the 'I don't think question and answer is a civilised form of communication' quote as we live in very impertinent times. The irony is all the secrecy and O'brians myth making, encourages people to dig even further as it's a natural response to want to separate fact from myth (take the Knight's Templar for instance, very few bother with the Knight's Hospitallar). I've heard two accounts of his work during the war which contradict each other. His second wife was a Tolstoy.
He didn't just change his name for literary purposes or for the usual reasons. He left his 1st wife & child in circumstances and in a way that was not heroic. His own father was a failure in more ways than one including being a failed inventor. When the sleuths closed in he made it seem his secrecy was due to being a intel agent in WWII. Not to put too fine a point on it but O'brians reasons for totally reinventing himself were no where near as heroic as Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
I don't give a fuck about that. Gossip. But what brilliant writing!
I was lead to believe they went their separate ways after going through years of hardship though I don't doubt what you're saying. Leaving morality aside I get the general impression O'brian lived in a world of fantasy anyway which made him a great writer though you can't trust a word he say's as its all part of the fantasy.
Jelkel25, I don't assert that O'Brian did anything immoral or even wrong, I believe his 1st marriage was a "shotgun" wedding & I think he had some guilt. I base this on his manic secrecy which bled over into the books-"I don't think question and answer is a civilized form of communication-Maturin". I have 2 bios on Obrian somewhere. One written by King that sheds much light on the issue, the other by, I think, his step son-I think O'brians 2nd wife was some sort of minor countess.
he wanted his privacy and you invaded it
There’s no way that Dean King could have “read all sixteen novels” in 1990 + four months. There were only thirteen books published by then. Book 14 _The Nutmeg of Consolation_ was released in the second half of 1991.
Putting aside the facts, if the way he expresses himself while talking irks me, I doubt I would enjoy Dean King’s writing. Hack.
he didn'nt say he read them in 1990, only that he read a news article about him then