Flash for Freedom!

Written by George MacDonald Fraser

Narrated by Colin Mace

Flashman must choose – politcs in London or slave trading in Africa – not that it matters really in this hilarious third installement of the Flashman Papers

When Flashman was inveigled into a game of pontoon with Disraeli and Lord George Bentinck, he was making an unconscious choice about his own future – would it lie in the House of Commons or the West African slave trade? Was there, for that matter, very much difference?

Once again Flashman’s charm, cowardice, treachery, lechery and fleetness of foot see the lovable rogue triumph by the skin of his chattering teeth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9780007593422

George MacDonald Fraser

The author of the famous ‘Flashman Papers’ and the ‘Private McAuslan’ stories, George MacDonald Fraser has worked on newspapers in Britain and Canada. In addition to his novels he has also written numeous films, most notably ‘The Three Musketeers’, ‘The Four Musketeers’, and the James Bond film, ‘Octopussy’. George Macdonald Fraser died in January 2008 at the age of 82.

Reviews for Flash for Freedom!

[danielstj · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The character of Flash is pure scoundrel. MacDonald writes about him in such a way to amuse and entertain the reader. It was a quick, succinct read. It was also easy to follow. Nevertheless, the book does not hold long-standing value in the larger scheme of what composes literature.

3 stars.

[leischen_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Flashman becomes involved in slave trafficking and freeing slaves when his adventures take him to Africa and America. Good lecherous fun in the classic series.

[mrsplum_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Discovering Flashman has been my highlight for 2010. Fraser’s skills as a novelist and historian is such that he created a character who remains ultimately likeable, despite his treatment of women. There have been many such men in life – why not in art? Flash for Freedom in the first, and perhaps most disturbing, of the American Flashman adventures.

[ritaer_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Flash is framed for cheating at cards and forced on to slave ship owned by his father in law. Much time on the run in US, meets young Lincoln.

[ehines_20 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not for the easily offended, Flashman's narrative shows quite a bit of the offhand racism we might expect from a Victorian. But he's also honest and acknowledges merit where he finds it--so long as it isn't the high-principled kind.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

To me, this is the best of the Flahman series, the one that persuaded me to go on reading them after finding the original Flashman too daastardly and Royal Flash disgusting (I happen to love Prisoner of Zenda and could not bear the parody. Besides, it got Bismarck's politics wrong for the time in question.) In Flash for Freedom, though, Flashy is less dastardly and actually does help a slave escape and wins the approval of Abe Lincoln; in this one, as in some later ones, he really is more of a ppicaresque hero --lecherous and unheroic, but not as consistently caddish as in the first volume.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Flashman goes through the whole Slave trade cycle, being shanghai'd onto a slaver, and traveling to Africa. the destination of the cargo is New Orleans so then he escapes his boss and the South with an attractive female fellow escapee. Then it is up the Mississippi to meet with Abraham Lincoln before getting back to Blighty. Good fun.

[jztemple · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The recent death of George McDonald Fraser has brought a close (maybe permanent, maybe not?) to this delightful series of books. I have had the pleasure of following this series every since the release of the first book back in the sixties. The Flashman novels combine history (including substantial endnotes) with sex, action, adventure and the secret pleasure of enjoying the exploits of one of the most notoriously popular non-politically correct characters of 20th Century literature. Flashman is a womanizer, a coward, a scoundrel and a cheat, but in the novels, which are all narrated by Flashman himself, he is utterly honest with his readers. He is a man not proud of his faults, but certainly unabashed about them.The Flashman novels could be dismissed as sensationalized light reading , but Fraser cleverly tied his character into most of the major events of the last sixty years of the nineteenth century, a Victorian Zelig or Forrest Gump. Flashman casually mentions this minor detail or that simple observation, then Fraser in his assumed role as editor of the Flashman papers meticulously explains in the endnotes how these mentions by Flashman confirm the truth of his narrative, since only if Flashman was there could he have known about this fact or that. Fraser's endnotes also round out the historic details of the narrative, giving background and elaboration to the history-as-I-lived-it tales told by Flashman. It all works wonderfully, even if you somewhat suspect that some details are being outrageously fabricated.I very strongly recommend these books to anyone who has an interest in history and is willing to keep an open mind towards the womanizing and the language (the n-word appears quite a bit, but completely in character for Flashman). I would suggest the best way to read them is in order of publication. This doesn't follow Flashman's own life chronology, but the books published later often make reference to previous editions of the "Flashman Papers" and so is more fun for the reader to follow.

[jcbrunner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fraser's great naughty character Flashman presents a narrative of the whole slave trade from the British financiers to the source in the kingdom of Dahomey in Africa, the trans-Atlantic voyage, slave markets, New Orleans brothels, plantations and the underground railroad that transported slaves out of the United States to safety in Canada. As always, Fraser triggers interest in learning more about some of the characters and stories told. Especially the king of Dahomey and his Amazon warrior corps picked my interest. I also wonder whether in 1849, there already existed a distinct Texan accent (however unlikely it would have been for an upper class Englishman to fake it so convincingly to fool Southerners).True to the topic, the author uses one gimmick I wished he did not have made such frequent use: the n-word. In 1971, this might not have had the shock value it does now, but the contrast between censoring swear words and an abundance of n-words is off-putting.The quest for authenticity might have gone too far. Abraham Lincoln also emerges in a far better light than he was in reality. In 1849, his journey towards emancipation had only begun. He had always believed in the moral wrongness and inhumanity of slavery but his political views were pragmatic if not conservative. He was not a firebrand but often, quietly, leading from behind.Overall, an enjoyable read with very good pacing and stitching together of very different locations.

[seriousgrace · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you are keeping track, this is the third installment of the Flashman papers "owned" by Mr. Paget Morrison. To recap the first two packets of papers (published in 1969 & 1970): Flashman has been expelled from Rugby School, served in the British army and survived a skirmish with Otto von Bismark. The third packet picks up in the year 1848 and seems to be initially edited by Flashman's sister-in-law, Grizel de Rothchild as the swearwords are heavily edited and the sex is practically nonexistent (unheard of for our Harry, but don't worry - it picks up!). This time Harry's adventure focuses on a trip to America (Washington and New Orleans) where he meets Abraham Lincoln, gets caught up in the slave trade (with the underground railroad and as a salve runner), and par for the course, nearly loses his life several times over. Once again, it's a woman who saves his bacon.

[santhony_35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Our intrepid hero, Harry Flashman, is back for volume three of the Flashman Papers, a narrative of the life and times of one of the most ne’er-do-well wastrels to ever grace the pages of a published autobiography.This installment picks up where the second volume left off; Harry returns from his Continental adventures, having matched wits with one of the greatest statesmen of the 19th century, Otto von Bismarck, and changed the course of European history as a result. Soon, however, Flashman once again finds himself in a pickle, as a result of his roguish behavior. Forced to flee polite society until the resulting scandal blows over, Flash is relegated to crewing aboard a slaver, as it plies its trade on the African subcontinent and into Caribbean waters. Following capture by the U. S. Navy, his adventures continue in the American South, where he is constantly on the move, just one step ahead of his presumptive captors. As has become the custom in Harry’s autobiographies, well known historical events pepper his experiences, as Abraham Lincoln plays a starring role in this adventure.As in the previous two Flashman novels, our Harry is revealed as the premier coward and opportunist of his era; faults which he quite willingly admits and even boasts of. In one of his numerous, desperate scrapes, his self directed exhortation captures the true Flashman spirit: “…-bristle up the courage of the cornered rat, put on the bold front, and to hell with them. Bluff, my boy- bluff, shift and lie for the sake of your neck and the honour of Old England.” Uproariously funny and entertaining, this installment is every bit the equal of its predecessors.

[varielle_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After a gambling scandal involving a woman (of course), Flashman is forced into the slave trade by his horrible father-in-law. Then he finds himself forced into rescuing slaves along the underground railroad. Along the way he meets Abraham Lincoln, who sees through that lying old Flashy, but likes him anyway. Although this is another raucous, gawdy, naughty Flashman adventure, Fraser doesn't neglect his history. If a callous old cad like Flashman can be horrified by the trade there may be hope for him yet.