Books: "Hell upon Water - Prisoners of War in Britain 1793 - 1815"

[joyful_molly]

"Hell upon Water - Prisoners of War in Britain 1793 - 1815"

by Paul Chamberlain is supposed to be "the first book to examine the tragedy and sufferings of  prisoners of war of this period". Good! Fascinating! Interesting! Great for research!

Well. I don't know if this really is the first book on this subject. But it's definitely the first time I

Comments

[naurring]

Because having the French treat the British bad, too, so totally justifies doing the same.

And negroes... That book really is from 2008?!

[joyful_molly]

We have heard that before, haven't we - that argument doesn't improve with repetition!

It's from 2008, yes. I hope the author used the word to sound "authentic", but still, it has no place in a modern book, even if it's about a historic subject.

[naurring]

It definitely takes away the objective tone of such a book, which makes it kind of doubtful as a historic reference book of modern times, imo.

[joyful_molly]

Agreed. I can't believe this wasn't objected by the editor (well, maybe it was, but the author insisted...) - that, or the bias was welcomed by the publishers. We'll never know, but at least I have now one book less on my shelves. :)

[vashtan]

Why not sell it on Amazon marketplaces and write a 1 star review? :)

[vashtan]

But if you're desperate to get rid of it, I'll take it. :)

[joyful_molly]

I'll definitely write a review (once I've cooled my head, that is!) - and of course you can have the book. Just mail me your address on joyful_molly at yahoo.co.uk, and I'll send it to you. :)

[vashtan]

Emailed with counter-offer...

[chloe_amethyst]

Sounds like he worked 20 years to further prove to himself what he already believed about the French.

I can't imagine any prison conditions in those times would be anything but brutal.

[joyful_molly]

I often come across this "yes, yes, we know it was bad, but hey, the others were bad, too, so this makes it sort of ok" attitude, and it irks me. It's almost impossible to keep personal bias out of a factual work, but he didn't even try, from what I can tell. Prison conditions were hellish everywhere - living conditions in general were. Gah. I hate it when I realise I wasted money on something which annoys me. >:(

[anteros_lmc]

What an objectionable sounding book. Sympathies you had the misfortune to read it. Coincidentally while I was on holiday I read an essay by Ann Coats titled "From Floating Tombs to Foundations: The Contribution of Convicts to Naval Dockyards and Ordinance Sites." It's not the best written essay I've read but it's very balanced, although it's primarily about the plight of convicts held on prison hulks rather than prisoners of war. However the essay quotes extensively from a 1970 publication The English Prison Hulks by W B Johnson that might be worth investigating if you haven't come across it already.