Taken By Surprise

The HMS Surprise (left), which starred in 20th Century Fox’s film adaptation of O’Brian’s novel, Master and Commander (inset)

Ever read those Patrick O’Brian books with Jack Aubrey and his doctor companion, Stephen Maturin? I have, and I think they’re great. My day job is as a professor with a PhD in literature, so I am supposed to dismiss such words as Master and Commander or Desolation Island as light entertainment. But I am also a sailor, and the depictions of nature, the portraits of characters afloat and the excitement of choices made under pressure never fail to gather my applause. Sure, there’s naval warfare and swordfighting. But mostly there’s the steady pull of sails, and the entertaining collision of personalities.

Now I am no Jack Aubrey, nor was I meant to be. Aubrey is a nautical