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Looking for recommendations

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kuilis
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Joined: May 2016

Looking for recommendations

Post by kuilis » Thu May 12th, 2016, 7:46 pm

Hi folks. Wondering if anyone can help me. Looking for historical novels on a certain topic but not finding much on Google searches.

Anyone know of some nautical fiction that's set in the Far East anytime between 1880s-1930s? Currently re-reading 'West From Singapore' by Louis L'Amour (stories about a tramp ship captain in 1940s East Indies) and really like it. I'd be keen to read something similar to that, just within the time period I described. Doesn't need to be as action-packed as 'West From Singapore', just as long as the story moves along well and is accurate on the maritime aspects. Something on riverboats (Yangtze, Mekong, Pearl, etc.) would be grand too. Even if the whole book isn't shipboard, as long as a fair chunk of it revolves around seafaring or harbour life I'd be interested. Not really interested in navy stuff, would prefer to read about civvy ships.

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
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Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Re: Looking for recommendations

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Thu May 12th, 2016, 8:57 pm

For a realistic look at ship life circa 1910, read A Vagabond Journey Around the World https://www.amazon.com/Vagabond-Journey ... e-redirect by Franck. It was just digitized and can be had for Kindle (the book was merely scanned, and from an old copy at that, but for sheer veracity and atmosphere, it's worth overlooking all the ls that have come out as 1s and the like.

Frank is a man of his time (actually, he's pretty tolerant for his time) but in his unvarnished manner of telling what happens to him as a sailor and tramp working his way around the globe, many people today would take issue with the very politically incorrect language.

For more shipping novels in the far east (abouot the founding of Hong Kong, mostly) read Tai-Pan by James Clavell.

kuilis
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Posts: 7
Joined: May 2016

Re: Looking for recommendations

Post by kuilis » Thu May 12th, 2016, 9:47 pm

Cheers. That looks like an interesting one. I don't have a Kindle but it looks like there are hard copies available too. The writing style you described wouldn't bother me at all. I'd much prefer an honest and accurate depiction of the time than something that has to sacrifice detail for 'political correctness'. :)
MLE (Emily Cotton) wrote: For more shipping novels in the far east (abouot the founding of Hong Kong, mostly) read Tai-Pan by James Clavell.
Just ordered it a couple days ago. Reviews looked good.

SGM
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Posts: 700
Joined: March 2010

Re: Looking for recommendations

Post by SGM » Fri May 13th, 2016, 5:12 pm

Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad springs to mind. You should find a free PDF available at Archive.org. You might find other Conrad novels to fit the bill.
Currently reading - Emergence of a Nation State by Alan Smith

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Re: Looking for recommendations

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Fri May 13th, 2016, 6:48 pm

It's set in the Atlantic, but definitely the right time period, and all the little boat details. Rudyard Kipling's Captains Courageous.

kuilis
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Re: Looking for recommendations

Post by kuilis » Sat May 14th, 2016, 4:40 pm

SGM wrote:Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad springs to mind. You should find a free PDF available at Archive.org. You might find other Conrad novels to fit the bill.
Ah yeah heard of that one but never read. Nice to see it's available free!
MLE (Emily Cotton) wrote:It's set in the Atlantic, but definitely the right time period, and all the little boat details. Rudyard Kipling's Captains Courageous.
Thanks.

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Vanessa
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Posts: 4378
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
Preferred HF: Any
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Re: Looking for recommendations

Post by Vanessa » Sat May 14th, 2016, 8:58 pm

I was going to suggest The Sea of Poppies series by Amitav Ghosh but I think they may be set In the eRly 1800s.
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads

Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

kuilis
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Joined: May 2016

Re: Looking for recommendations

Post by kuilis » Sun May 15th, 2016, 6:32 pm

Vanessa wrote:I was going to suggest The Sea of Poppies series by Amitav Ghosh but I think they may be set In the eRly 1800s.
Yeah a bit earlier than what I was looking for, but thanks anyway.

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Rubrius
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Currently reading: God of Vengeance, by Giles Kristian & Warrior in Bronze, by George Shipway
Interest in HF: growing up watching movies like Ben-Hur, Quo Vadis, & The Vikings; there weren't enough of them to satisfy me, so turned to books as my personal time machine
Favourite HF book: The Earth is the Lord's, by Taylor Caldwell - fascinating account of the youth of Chingis Khan
Preferred HF: Like the whole breadth of history, but am partial to the ancient Mediterranean and Feudal Japan
Location: Toronto

Re: Looking for recommendations

Post by Rubrius » Fri September 1st, 2017, 9:29 pm

You might try 'China Seas' by John Harris, about pirates, smuggling, and general nefariousness up and down the China coast around 1900 or so.

I bought the book for my kindle, but haven't gotten around to it yet, so can't say how good it is, but here's the link on Amazon anyway:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... ohn+harris

Although not nautical in nature, you might also enjoy 'Master of Dragons' by H. Bedford-Jones, who was known as the 'King of the Pulps', about two American soldiers of fortune running up against various Chinese warlords during the 1920's. Very enjoyable:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... ford+jones

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