Reading

So what have I been reading lately? Glad you asked. I just finished the Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester. It consisted of 11 books, one of which was unfinished. For those who’ve never heard of Hornblower, he’s a sailor in the British Navy during the early 1800s and the Napoleonic Wars. He starts as a very young midshipman and through the course of the books he advances to Admiral. I don’t think that last part is a spoiler, since after all, the title of the last book in the series is Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies. Anyway, he rises in rank and renown due to his bravery in battle as well as sharp mind. The world of sailing, before steam power came along to propel ships, reliant on the wind and all the various terms for the sails and rigging is starkly different from modern times. And it’s fascinating. Forester draws a complex character who suffers from doubt, self-loathing, seasickness, and infidelity. Hornblower was more nuanced than I expected, but I shouldn’t have been surprised; after all, the series is popular and held my interest for almost a dozen volumes. Published from 1937 to 1962, I can see why the character would have influenced a young Gene Roddenberry when he created Captain James T. Kirk. I must have talked highly enough about the books since now The Wife is making her way through the series.