h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Riddle of the Sands - A87849085
Author: Florida Sailor - Truth is Stranger than Fiction - U235886

When I read Bluebottles mention of this story in A87835378 I remembered that I had wanted to write about the book.

Here is my summary of the story, and a bit about the Author.

Please comment

F S

Excellent but perhaps the end was just a little abrupt

Is it the story, or the Authors life, you found to end too abruptly?

In both cases I think I intended that. I added a Gutenberg link to the full novel in the opening.

I do not want to give away what they found, but I could add a bit of a conclusion about why the narrator said the novel was written, and its political result.

The Author's life did end quite abruptly as he was executed within 4 days of his conviction.



F S

Added a concluding section.

F S

Perfection well done
We know what the Irish Dail is perhaps a footnote

I'll have a more thorough read-through later – in the meantime, don't forget the difference between cows and Cowes.

<BB<

I did not mean to let bovines sneak onto my favourite Island

bob, I am not certain an explanation about the Dail is necessary, I just wanted to clarify that he was not at Westminster. I think the title MP explains it well enough.

You do have me considering a brief paragraph about why the Treaty caused a major rift in Sinn Fein, but that probably opens a that could quickly out-strip any benefit.



F S

I did say perhaps a footnote

I read this book ages ago, and you've spurred me to find it and re-read it soon. Well done!

Can you add the name of the author into the first paragraph please? Just so people don't have to scroll down to the end where you have the little bio of him. It's just a niggle, but I wanted to know the whole details in the first sentence.

Excellent! You might mention (passing interest) that Erskine Childers's son, of the same name, became president of Ireland in 1973, dying in office the following year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erskine_Hamilton_Childers

'Sighted' in the meaning you use should be spelt 'cited'.

You might like to give Dáil its Irish accent.

You capitalise a few words unnecessarily, like Port, Preface, Novel and Author. The last needs an apostrophe in the 'Conclusion'. Carruthers is misspelt a few times.

This book has something of a cult status. Erskine Childers junior once mentioned visiting some prominent British minister or diplomat, who proceeded to quote a whole chapter of The Riddle of the Sands verbatim.

By the way I would recommend rephrasing 'a large, paraffin burning, iron stove' as perhaps 'a large iron paraffin stove'. Commas are not right here.

Updated

I hope I have covered all the points.

Bob, I did not mean to sound harsh in not including your suggested footnote, however I think Irish politics in the 1920's can get quite involved, I would rather pass over that than get into lengthy explanations. It is the policy in Peer Review to comment on all suggestions you do not want to include.

Lanzababy, added the author's name to the opening paragraph

Recumbentman, thank you for your suggestions and corrections. I had intended to add the accent to Dail, but got too anxious to post. My apologies to Carruthers, his name is a bit difficult and I do not like to add to my dictionary unless I really have to.

I added a couple sentences about Erskine Hamilton Childers at the end. Thank you for telling me about him.

I think I made the mention of the paraffin stove a bit cumbersome for two reasons. Carruthers thought it was the most burdensome part of his supplies, and you and I have a totally different definition of 'paraffin', I would call it kerosene. Corrected as suggested



F S

Any more comment?

F S

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Well done this is an excellent addition to the guide

Congratulations!

<BB<

Thank you all for your comments and acknowledgments.

It was fun writing this one.

F S

Still a few typos, but I reckon the Sub-ed will pick these up : e.g.

>When he complains, Carruthers is quick to mentions

>*After* Davies rows them down the length of the fiord with each man crammed into opposite ends of the small boat, separated by a ponderous pyramid of supplies and luggage.

Later?

Hi FS!
Would it be possible for you to take a photo of the book for us?

anyone still here?