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Arthur Ransome (January 18, 1884June 3, 1967), was a British author and journalist, best known for writing the Swallows and Amazons series of children's books, which tell of school-holiday adventures of children, mostly in the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads areas of England. Many of the books involve sailing, with other common subjects including fishing and camping. The books remain popular to the point that they provide a basis of a tourist industry around Windermere and Coniston Water — the two lakes that Ransome used as the basis for his fictional North Country lake.

Ransome was born in Leeds, where his father lectured as a Professor of History. His father died in 1897, which had a lasting effect on Ransome who always tried to overcome his belief in his father's lack of confidence in his abilities. Ransome received his formal education first in Windermere and then at Rugby School (where he lived in Lewis Carroll's study room) but did not entirely enjoy the experience - due to his poor vision, lack of athletic skill, and limited academic achievement. He attended Yorkshire College, his father's college, for a year studying chemistry. However, he abandoned the college and went to London to become a writer. He took low-paying jobs as an office assistant in a publishing company and as editor of a failing magazine while writing and becoming a member of the literary scene of London.

Before Swallows and Amazons


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Arthur Ransome - Biography including places in the Lake District where he lived and worked.
Meta Description: [ Author Arthur Ransome (1884-1967) set his Swallows and Amazons series of children's books in the vicinity of Coniston Water (the 1967 film was made at Bankground). ]

Arthur Ransome Club - Founded 1987 in Japan as the world's first Arthur Ransome club.

Arthur Ransome's Norfolk Broads - A guide to the real locations of Arthur Ransome's Norfolk Broads, which featured in his books 'The Coot Club' and 'The Big Six'.
Meta Description: [ Swallows and Amazons Coot Club, - Norfolk Broads, Stalham Visitors Guide, Boating, Sailing, Shops, Services, Attractions, Museums, Past & Present and Arthur Ransome East Anglia ]

Makoto Takahashi's Black Swan Inn: Room of Arthur Ransome - Room named for the author of Swallows and Amazons, plus links to more information on travel in the lake district.
Meta Description: [ Black Swan Inn: List of books by Arthur Ransome published in Japan with impression history. Also a section on walking the Lake District for Ransomeites. ]

The Arthur Ransome Site - Information on Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series of books, with links to on-site and off-site information on the books, his life, the locations and identities featured in his writings.

The Boats of Swallows and Amazons - Detailed article.
Meta Description: [ A description of the boats in the books Swallows and Amazons and Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome, and how to find or build one like them. ]

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. Cosgrove Hall even borrowed elements of their telling from another retelling, by Arthur Ransome (he of "Swallows and ...

 

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