Customer Reviews

Pigeon Post

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In this sixth 'S & A' adventure, summer has come once more, and the Swallows are back in the Lake District, together with the two D's, on another holiday with their boating friends, the Amazon pirates. This time, the children desert the lake and take instead to the High Topps, prospecting for gold.

While adult readers will be unable to do other than admire the children's enthusiasm (sufficiently infectious to draw most young readers into it wholesale), they will probably have a feeling of impending disaster from quite early on, in this book. The Amazons' impetuous natures, combined with the others' general inexperience and limited knowledge of mining and its chemistry, lead them all (except, perhaps, the more sensible Susan!) into more scrapes, as well as rather more dangerous situations, than usual.

This leads to a different (but no less absorbing) desire to keep reading this tale than that likely to affect the more naïve younger reader. Both young and old are, nevertheless, likely to spend much of the time on tenterhooks during this book, as the young prospectors explore old mine workings, try their hand at charcoal burning and build and operate a blast furnace in their camp, out on the tinder-dry fells! For once, one can only feel something of a sense of relief that times have changed since 1936, when this was written! One can't help feeling - and being grateful for the fact - that modern children would not be terribly interested in repeating some of the activities undertaken here.

In summary, then, "Pigeon Post" is every bit as exciting (and at times far more nerve-wracking) and educational as the other books in this series: another winner from Arthur Ransome.

Undoubtedly the best of Arthur Ransome's 10 book Swallows and Amazons series. Suspense, intruige and natural disasters keep children and adults alike on their toes throughout. The plausibility of the story adds an exciting dimension to the plot. Ransome's superb ability to develop distinct personalities for his characters is one of the most enjoyable aspects of his writing, and Pigeon Post is perhaps his best example of this.

I read this fun book to my seven year old and had to restrain from reading ahead and finishing it on my own. The level of adventure and imagination the children in the book get into is inspiring for our children and us grown-ups alike. A good choice for any elementary aged child's library

Ransome, well known in England but less so in America, wrote a series of books of children vacationing in England. I have yet to meet a reader of about 10 and up who doesn't fall in love with John, Roger, Titty, Susan, Nancy (true name ruth, but pirates are ruthless and she is an Amazon pirate, so had to find a ruthless name), Peggy, and their friends. These are wholesome books for children without suffering the lack of interest of many wholesome books, and are also highly enjoyable for adults. My children have read them many times, and I myself, starting at about age 12, have read the whole series more times than I can count. The whole series is highly recommended; start with Swallows and Amazons if you can, but start anywhere, and enjoy.

11

Arthur Ransome continues the story of the swallows and amazons in this wonderful book. Once again we find ourselves lost in the world of adventure that Ransome created. Pigeon Post follows the explorers in their search for a lost gold mine. Braving danger in the mines, and a mysterious stranger dogging their heels, our adventurers continue to enthrall the readers of this informative and entertaining series for children [and adults] of all ages