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Ebook607 pages9 hours
Valiant Gentlemen: A Novel
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
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About this ebook
Following her New York Times Editor’s Choice collection of short stories Tales of the New World, historical fiction master Sabina Murray returns with an epic and bold novel of friendship and betrayal set across four continents and a 40 year time-span.
In prose that is darkly humorous and alive with detail, Valiant Gentlemen reimagines the lives and intimate friendships of humanitarian and Irish patriot Roger Casement; his closest friend, Herbert Ward; and Ward’s extraordinary wife, the Argentinian-American heiress Sarita Sanford. Valiant Gentlemen takes the reader on an intimate journey, from Ward and Casement’s misadventurous youth in the Congowhere, among other things, they bore witness to an Irish whiskey heir’s taste for cannibalismto Ward’s marriage to Sarita and their flourishing family life in France, to Casement’s covert homosexuality and enduring nomadic lifestyle floating between his work across the African continent and involvement in Irish politics. When World War I breaks out, Casement and Ward’s longstanding political differences finally come to a head and when Ward and his teenage sons leave to fight on the frontlines for England, Casement begins to work alongside the Germans to help free Ireland from British rule. What results is tragic and riveting, as both men are forced to confront notions of love and betrayal in the face of the vastly different tracks their lives have taken.
Reminiscent of the work of Peter Carey and Michael Ondaatje, Valiant Gentlemen is a uniquely human account of some of early 20th century’s larger historical figures from a ravishing” (O magazine) and brilliant” (Boston Globe) voice in fiction today.
In prose that is darkly humorous and alive with detail, Valiant Gentlemen reimagines the lives and intimate friendships of humanitarian and Irish patriot Roger Casement; his closest friend, Herbert Ward; and Ward’s extraordinary wife, the Argentinian-American heiress Sarita Sanford. Valiant Gentlemen takes the reader on an intimate journey, from Ward and Casement’s misadventurous youth in the Congowhere, among other things, they bore witness to an Irish whiskey heir’s taste for cannibalismto Ward’s marriage to Sarita and their flourishing family life in France, to Casement’s covert homosexuality and enduring nomadic lifestyle floating between his work across the African continent and involvement in Irish politics. When World War I breaks out, Casement and Ward’s longstanding political differences finally come to a head and when Ward and his teenage sons leave to fight on the frontlines for England, Casement begins to work alongside the Germans to help free Ireland from British rule. What results is tragic and riveting, as both men are forced to confront notions of love and betrayal in the face of the vastly different tracks their lives have taken.
Reminiscent of the work of Peter Carey and Michael Ondaatje, Valiant Gentlemen is a uniquely human account of some of early 20th century’s larger historical figures from a ravishing” (O magazine) and brilliant” (Boston Globe) voice in fiction today.
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Reviews for Valiant Gentlemen
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
2 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tells the 19th century story of Roger Casement and his best friend, Herbert Ward. Their friendship solidifies in the African Congo where they are both working for an exploration company. There is a great deal of information regarding the exploration of the Congo River and the part that King Leopold of Belgium played especially in enslaving the natives. Henry Stanley and Joseph Conrad make appearances. The setting is often brutal but believable.Henry Ward goes on to marry Sarita Sanford, the daughter of a wealthy Argentinian and his life takes a different turn from Casement's, who remains in the English foreign service. Although Roger Casement is Protestant Irish, he believes in and looks forward to independence from England even though he becomes Sir Roger Casement. Casement and Ward remain close friends along with Sarita and their children. Roger, however, never marries and is gay. He loves Ward but never in any kind of physical way; his lover, Adler Christensen later breaks his heart.Ward pursues his love of art becoming an accomplished sculptor; Casement travels back to Africa, then to Peru where his feelings for the indigenous peoples continue to put him in conflict with those in power over him. Along with that Casement becomes increasingly forceful regarding Irish independence from England. When WWI breaks out, the political differences between Ward and Casement comes to a head. Casement begins to work along side the Germans in the hopes that they can help free Ireland, a move that makes him into a traitor. As Ward's sons are fighting the Germans (one is killed), the divide between Casement and Ward is complete. Casement is eventually hung as a traitor to his country, a country he spent his life working for.A fascinating and historically accurate book. The author has done much research and perked my interest enough to read further accounts of both men. The setting in the African Congo is sometimes difficult to read, but equally fascinating is the life in upper class England where Ward and family are thriving. Loved the character of Sarita who manages to be as independent as a woman could be during that time period.