Sorry: Not Louisa May Alcott but Jane Austin. That's who PO'B respected.

Chuck Bollinger wrote:



Gogarty wrote:

Has anyone seen this movie? I did yesterday. Disappointing. No depth
at all.

Yes, like another complex effort: "Dune". Frank Herbert, the author,
complained that the movie should have been titled "Scenes from Dune".

Parhaps the most distinguishing feature of the POB books is the slow
pace. Apparently POB was a fan of Louisa May Alcott with her detail, and
it is said that one of the volumes, in which the story is entirely (?)
on land, is a tribute to her. For that reason, it would seem impossible
to accomplish the feel of the books in a movie. And, really, try to
think of the movie you would produce from the real M&C, volume 1. By
the time you got the music recital where A meets M and challenges him,
to the promotion, re-meeting and dinner, fitting the Sophie - there's an
hour gone just doing that properly, and they haven't even got underway.

The diametrical opposite of POB's books are Patrick Cornwell, "Sharp"
series, in which this incredible (literally) ubermench of a junior
officer winds up hobnobbing with Nelson and all sorts of stuff. I
couldn't stand it - too MTV.

I do hope that there will be future movies and that they will serve the
population of loyal readers by developing characters and such.
Nevertheless, as a production, it certainly conveyed the confusion of a
naval battle, boarding, and such. And the image of that guy sitting on
the 'seat of ease' as the camera panned down the port side in the snow -
that's going to stay with me for a long time.

The cookbook I mentioned is "Lobscouse & Spotted Dog: Which It's a
Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels;" The authors went to
great lengths to duplicate in early 19 Century terms the food served on a
warship of that time. Not surprisingly, some of the ingredients were not to
be found.

Gogarty wrote:

The cookbook I mentioned is "Lobscouse & Spotted Dog: Which It's a
Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels;" The authors went to
great lengths to duplicate in early 19 Century terms the food served on a
warship of that time. Not surprisingly, some of the ingredients were not to
be found.

After we saw M&C we held a "Gunroom Dinner". I fixed a sea pie making it with
Hot Water Paste and all. Chickened out and made it in a springmold, unmolding
after a while to let brown. It wasn't worth the day it took, but it didn't
taste bad. Someone else made a 'Roly Poly' which came out pretty badly.

Other offerings were equally strange. The Port and walnuts were great.

Believe me, one can get into enough trouble with the ingredients that can be
found (A pound of butter, a pound of lard, a dozen eggs, hogshead of tripe...
good Lord!).

Gogarty wrote:

The cookbook I mentioned is "Lobscouse & Spotted Dog: Which It's a
Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels;" The authors went to
great lengths to duplicate in early 19 Century terms the food served on a
warship of that time. Not surprisingly, some of the ingredients were not to
be found.

After we saw M&C we held a "Gunroom Dinner". I fixed a sea pie making it with
Hot Water Paste and all. Chickened out and made it in a springmold, unmolding
after a while to let brown. It wasn't worth the day it took, but it didn't
taste bad. Someone else made a 'Roly Poly' which came out pretty badly.

Other offerings were equally strange. The Port and walnuts were great.

Believe me, one can get into enough trouble with the ingredients that can be
found (A pound of butter, a pound of lard, a dozen eggs, hogshead of tripe...
good Lord!).

The cookbook I mentioned is "Lobscouse & Spotted Dog: Which It's a
Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels;" The authors went to
great lengths to duplicate in early 19 Century terms the food served on a
warship of that time. Not surprisingly, some of the ingredients were not to
be found.