Talk:Harry Paget Flashman

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Contents 1 Mock Society 2 Tuva 3 Miscasting 4 Format 5 Discovery of Flashman Papers 6 Image 7 Adding to the article 8 toadying 9 Wow 10 Daniel Day-Lewis 11 Time to Research and Write 12 Pge refs for historical characters 13 Error

[edit] Mock Society

Dear 62.64.250.162, Follow the link and you will see why I described it as a "mock Flashman society". It is presented as a continuation of the frame tale that there is a real Flashman and real Flashman papers and as if there were a real Flashman Society to study those papers. If there were a "James Bond Society" that acted the same way, I'd call that "mock" too.

Best regards, Ortolan88

The Flashman Society is not (as suggested in the references) Fraser's website. While Fraser is the "President" of the society, the web page is the brainchild of the society's "Chairman" David Tibbets.Oldbubblehead 05:21, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Tuva

Flashman at the Charge -- I pointed out to Ralph Leighton that Harry visits Tuva in this book.

Ralph Leighton wrote Tuva or Bust! Richard Feynman's Last Journey

[edit] Miscasting

I'm not sure this is encyclopædic but surely Royal Flash (the film) suffered heavily from mis-casting. Flashman was a big handsome man who looked like the hero he pretended to be. There was a real difference between his appearence and his character. That was a great part of his success (along with his only 3 skills, women, horses and languages). Malcolm McDowell was puny and timorous-looking. He looked as Flashman really was. Flashman could never have fooled anyone looking like McDowell. Avalon 02:33, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Format

I've moved some of the start paras into a title on the 'layout of the stories'. I felt that the intro was too long and rambling as it was, and I feel its better now. Can anyone seeking to change it back talk to me first? Pydos 14:37, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Discovery of Flashman Papers

According to the explanatory note in my copy of "Flashman" the Flashman Papers were "discovered during a sale of household furniture at Ashby, Leicestershire, in 1965." not 1966 as previously stated in the entry. I have changed the date of discovery in the article to 1965. However I'm not an expert on Flashman; is there some other reason to suppose that the Flashman Papers were discovered in 1966? Skatehorn 17:16, 7th Januray 2006 (CET)

I wouldn't be surprised if some edition or another of a different book gave 1966 - discrepancies do creep in - but taking the year from /Flashman/ seems sensible. Anyone have an early edition? Shimgray | talk | 17:31, 7 January 2006 (UTC)

My 1969 edition of Flashman gives the year as 1965. --Loopy ^e 20:08, 7 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Image

Hum. We've an image of the current cover of Flashman; these seem to change with some regularity, given they appear to have reissued the whole lot following the new book. Would it be best, if I can scan a copy (I think there may be one at work) to use the original cover? Shimgray | talk | 21:21, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

I was kind of thinking the same thing myself. I'm not enamoured with the new illustrations, but unfortunatly the original illustrator, Arthur Barbosa, died a few years ago (Googling tells me 1995). I have everything up to Flashman and the Mountain of Light with the old Barbosa illustrations, but I may have loaned one or two of them out. Jooler 22:43, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

My copy of Flashman and the Angel of the Lord doesn't name the illustrator, but to me it looks like he's based the likeness of Flashman of Malcolm McDowell. Jooler 22:48, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

My Flashman on the March paperback, which is handy, gives Gino D'Achille as the illustrator of the cover - he's on the back cover above the UPC code, though, not on the "credits" page where you might expect. Shimgray | talk | 15:07, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

Yes Gino D'Achille is the illustrator of the most recent reprints. But this is not the same illustrator (or at least the style isn't) of my copy of Flashman and the Angel of the Lord Jooler 23:32, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Adding to the article

I would like to add a few things to this article, if no one has any objections. Namely, a list of Flashman's decorations, a brief synopsis of each novel (separate article if long enough), and maybe a timeline. I'm a big fan of these books, and I would like to do them justice. Comments? --Joelmills 02:40, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

The timeline would fit well within the article, but the synopes (sp?) may present a size issue. Instead of one article summarizing every book, though, what about a brief article for each novel? It seems more sensible to me and I think it'd be easier to build them one at a time (you are suggesting something of rather large scope, after all). You could also move the existing "Historical Characters" section from the main article into each as well, using that format as a template for each (i.e. and introduction, the plot synopsis, and the "Historical Characters" section).

As to decorations, I don't see too much value in anything past a handful (or even past the VC and & KCB listed). If anyone's that curious, they can grab a copy of the works themselves.

Good luck! --KNHaw 06:24, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

I don't see too much value in anything past a handful.... - I entirely disagree - Please add everything you can. Make the aritcle as complete as possible. Size is not an issue. The old 32k limit is a guideline that no longer really applies. Articles can now be edited in sections. The 32k limit was imposed because some browsers could only hold 32k in the edit buffer and so for some people it was impossible to edit them beyond that size. Jooler 06:54, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

I'll take a stab at the decorations first, so you can take a look (probably on some fork from my user page). That will make it easier to come to a consensus. --Joelmills 01:46, 11 April 2006 (UTC)

OK, take a look at User:Joelmills/Flashman's distinctions and decorations. I took it from the beginning of Flashman and the Tiger. Not sure if Flashman on the March has a more updated list; my brother lost my copy in Bangladesh. I didn't realize when I suggested this that there was a brief list already in the article, but this is more complete. I'll try the timeline next, but that's going to take some serious time, because I'll go through each novel to pinpoint exact dates (which will be difficult). --Joelmills 03:02, 11 April 2006 (UTC)

I'd be happy to help write separate articles for the books, in fact I'm surprised it hasn't been done. Anybody else? Guinnog 12:02, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

I've been thinking about that, making a Flashman timeline to make it easier for myself, but I haven't gotten very far. I would be more than willing to chip in, if you want to split them up or something. Never written a book article. --Joelmills 00:06, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

I'll put it on my to-do list. Guinnog 01:14, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

I've started by redlinking the articles. I'll try to put up stubs before I go to bed tonight. Please feel free to chip in! Guinnog 21:31, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

Have a wee look now. Please help, I cannot do all the work myself. Guinnog 20:48, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

Nice work, Joelmills! Guinnog 06:39, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

I recently attended a lecture by George Macdonald Frasier at the National Army Museum and he indicated in the questions session that he is seriously looking at three possible choices for the new flashman novel. I have added this to the article as well as possibilities for the setting.

Thanks, I've trimmed and copyedited it a bit, partly to make clear what is fact and what is speculation. Is there a written or web cite for the statement by Fraser you refer to? That would be even better. Guinnog 17:25, 6 May 2006 (UTC)

Not as far as I'm aware. It was only last saturday the lecture took place. But from the way he was talking about it he did mention Flashmans part on both sides in the ACW more than once so fingers crosed with that one. Then again fans have been saying that for ages both sides of the pond as it'd make for a long book. This is why I gave a short list of the likely potentials. Then again Fraser started ON THE MARCH with the end of the Mexican Adventure so that may still be fresh in his mind. I personally am betting on another American Continent story.

[edit] toadying

Flashman quite often mentions toadying and being a toady or toadeater. People may be interested to know that a toadeater was originally, a a snakeoil salesman's assitant who would who eat poisonous toad and then his boss would "cure" him. Jooler 10:19, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

Gosh. Guinnog 12:00, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Wow

Wow. I didn't realise you guys were creating detailed articles on the books. Well done. KUTGW. Perhaps we should put page references for the historical characters, so that we can properly verify them. Jooler 03:35, 2 June 2006 (UTC)

I like the idea of page references, but my paperbacks have a different number of pages than the editions listed in the infoboxes. I'm not sure how to resolve this problem. --Joelmills 03:27, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Daniel Day-Lewis

I think Daniel Day-Lewis is a bit too old to play Flashman is his prime now. He's 49. I reckon Rufus Sewell would be a good choice he's 10 years younger. Jooler 10:08, 18 June 2006 (UTC)

I have deleted the mention of Saul David (as no one has heard of whoever he is) and have reworded the sentence accordingly.

[edit] Time to Research and Write

Can it possibly be true, as the article says, that "it takes roughly 3-5 months to research and write a Flashman novel"? Surely this should say "3-5 years". In the past they have been published on a 3-5 year timeline...

Hiya - I am the person who added the 3-5 month comment. This comment came from Frasier himself at a lecture at the National Army museum back in the spring of 2006. Don't forget - he has a life! He doesn't just write write write and start the next Flashman book as soon as the current one is completed. 3-5 MONTHS IS A long time to dedicate to something and he stated that he often wrote through the night. He also wrote numerous other books in that timeframe so he was not completely dedicated to Flashman. Hope this answers your question. Perhaps I should add in the sentence that "it takes roughly 3-5 months to research and write a Flashman novel FROM BEGINNING THE RESEARCH TO COMPLETING THE FINAL DRAFT"? If no one objects to this I'll change it.

Ollie [04-10-2006]

[edit] Pge refs for historical characters

I've just discovered some of my other Flashman books, they were hiding behind some DVDs. I really think we need to add page references to the historical characters. Joe said that his copies have different page numbers from other editions. We should perhaps find a consensus of what editions to use for this. Perhaps if I might kick the ball off, with Flashman. My copy is a Fontanna paperback second impression 1990 from a 1988 first run under Fontana. The first chapter begins on page 13, The novel concludes on page 294 (notes begin on the following page). Picking a page halfway through the book - it looks like Elphinstone is first mentioned on page 82. Jooler 21:34, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

This may be a problem. I have a Plume paperback from 1984. The first chapter starts on page 11, the novel concludes on page 252, and I have Auckland first mentioning Elphinstone on page 71. --Joelmills 03:01, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Error

1. Flashman and the Dragon (1986) — the Anglo-Chinese Second Opium War 1860 and Taiping Rebellion, 1900.

The Taiping Rebellion took place in the 1850s, the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. I am not making a correction because I haven't read the book and I don't know what is actually intended. But I hope that someone who has read the book will fix this statement.RandomCritic 09:10, 9 December 2006 (UTC)