Having proved the point with Kidmapped! that some novels really can be played out in real time & ‘geolocated’, I’ve been on the lookout for other titles that can be ‘bookmapped’.
Next week I’m off to Holland & Northern Germany to scope out the landscape described in Erskine Childers’ classic 1903 spy thriller ‘The Riddle of the Sands’.
View Riddle of the Sands in a larger map
I’ve already put together a rudimentary map and bashed the text into a wiki (feel free to sign up and edit/comment etc). I’m now going to spend a week trundling around seeing what the possibilities are for a full ‘bookmapper’ expedition next year.
If I were being completely faithful to the book I’d have to sail most of the way (there’s some lovely boats for hire out there btw – e.g the Vera Mary). But for now I’m thinking there is probably a fantastic series of coastal cycle rides plus ferry trips to be had.
Why this book? Well, a bit like Kidnapped, it’s the kind of classic boys own adventure that doesn’t really get on a 21st Century boy’s radar, and that seems like a shame to me. Also like Kidnapped, it’s extremely well written, involves a lot of action and movement, has a strong sense of place and packs in a whole load of history, geography, social comment, technical description etc. It means there’s always a *lot* to talk about and play around with as I/we travel – at least that’s my excuse for all the blogging, vlogging, audiobooing, tweeting etc that I plan to do.
On a personal level, this is a book my dad really loved since he, like Childers, was addicted to sailing in the North Sea. The book was always around in my childhood. And in a bit of spooky coincidence, not only did my dad go to the same school as Childers, but I went to the same school as Childer’s son. Perhaps my Dad knew this? In a funny kind of way I feel ‘destined’ to make this journey as something that Childers Sr & my dad silently cooked up for me years ago.
If anyone out there, by the way, wanted to join me at short notice (remembering this is just a scouting expedition rather than the full ‘experience’), here’s my itinerary:
19th October: Leeuwarden : near Ostmahorn where the book ends (see 26th October)
20-21st October : Flensburg: where Carruthers and Davies first meet (see 26th September)
22nd-24th October: Norden: from where Carruthers starts the final part of the adventure (see 23rd October)
25th October: Amsterdam: where Carruthers sojourns for one night on 23rd October and from where I will then head back to Blighty.
It's a great book so I'd love to, but too short notice. :) Perhaps when you do the full thing!
Posted by: GriddleOctopus | October 14, 2010 at 04:50 PM
Sorry. I'm so unused to getting comments on this blog that I failed to reply! Have just started following you on twitter so can let you know about the full trip this autumn. I am determined to do it! Thanks for your interest. best timw
Posted by: timw | January 06, 2011 at 12:11 PM