Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
I have just finished reading Swallows and Amazons for my Open University course. The essay I need to write looks at fantasy vs reality, with Swallows and Amazons an example of realism. The natural dialogue and the detailed descriptions make this somewhat dated setting still seem fresh, despite the fact that the freedom experienced by the children of the book places the story very much in the past.
I can certainly understand why this book has lasting appeal well into the 21st century for children and adults alike. Children will enjoy the adventures and vivid imaginations of the Walker and Blackett children. Adults will, depending on their age, enjoy the nostalgic reminiscences of a more innocent time (whether that time was a reality or not) or wistfully yearn for the same kinds of freedom for themselves which modern adult life usually denies.
