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The Street Philosopher
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Product Description
Review
‘A galloping good story’
The Times
‘Lust, avarice, envy, revenge all play their part in this brilliantly told, well-paced story, which also begs the question, so relevant today, of just how close to action journalists and recorders of war should be allowed’
Daily Mail
‘Plampin’s historical research is impressive, as is his command of detail….his true gift of descriptive power’
Independent on Sunday
Product Description
An elegant, powerful novel, set in Victorian England, a time not so different from our own… perfect for fans of THE INTERPRETATION OF MURDER and THE SHADOW OF THE WIND
Ambitious young journalist Thomas Kitson arrives at the battlefields of the Crimea as the London Courier’s man on the ground. It is a dangerous place, full of the worst horrors of war but Kitson is determined to make his mark. Under the tutelage of his hard-bitten Irish boss Cracknell, and assisted by artist Robert Styles, he sets about exposing the incompetence of the army generals.
Two years later, as Sebastopol burns, Thomas returns to England under mysterious circumstances. Desperate to forget the atrocities of the Crimea, he takes a job as a ‘street philosopher’, a society writer reporting on the gossip of the day. But on the eve of the great Art Treasures Exhibition, as Manchester prepares to welcome Queen Victoria, Thomas’s past returns to haunt him in the most horrifying way…
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This is a real beast of a book that has everything - sex, violence, humour, great characters, a twisting plot with a bit of culture and a lot of history thrown in for good measure. It's worth mentioning here that "a street philosopher" in the nineteenth century was no more than a gossip columnist of his day so there's no Proust or Freud to worry about here.
The street philosopher of the title was Thomas Kitson, sent to report on the Crimean War for the London Courier under roving reporter Richard Cracknell. The two form an uneasy alliance, Kitson the more sensitive and refined of the two alongside Cracknell the gung-ho, bawdy and outspoken philanderer. Kitson went to quietly report, Cracknell to make his name and uncover injustices and failings in the British army as they fought alongside the French and Turks against the "Ruskies". Cracknell's nemesis (and vice versa) was one Colonel Boyce, who cared more for his moustache than his men and saw the war as an opportunity for financial gain, looting the country of it's artefacts when he should have been at the front line....or perhaps keeping a closer eye on his wife.
The Courier duo are soon joined by illustrator Robert Styles, who fell under the spell of the beautiful Madeleine Boyce, wife of the Colonel, on the boat over from England. When he found out that Cracknell was keeping the Colonel's bed warm for him, the humiliated artist went into a sharp decline, traumatised at both her rejection of him and the bloodshed all around. He was soon to be found at the frontline, ragged and starving, manically drawing the living hell he found himself in whilst taking pot shots at the Russians with a borrowed gun. The book switches frequently between the atrocity of war in the Crimea to the chaotic streets of Manchester two years later where the very different lead characters are brought together again in a dramatic finale in the presence of the queen.
I really enjoyed this book, Plampin tells a great story though he has quite a wordy style that can be heavy going in parts. At nearly 500 pages it took me a while to get through but the effort was well worth it. The switching between countries and years was a bit confusing to start with but the reasons later become clear and the long path we are led along comes to a fitting finale. The excellent cast of characters all play their parts in the story but be warned it's not for the squeamish (Manchester could be rough in those days!). The horrors of war are well detailed here - you can almost smell the gunpowder and taste the blood as the author takes you into the heat of the battle. Historians will enjoy the references to the battles at Alma and Inkerman, the Light Brigade and the siege of Sebastapol too.
Great book, a well researched and enjoyable read (9/10)
The street philosopher of the title was Thomas Kitson, sent to report on the Crimean War for the London Courier under roving reporter Richard Cracknell. The two form an uneasy alliance, Kitson the more sensitive and refined of the two alongside Cracknell the gung-ho, bawdy and outspoken philanderer. Kitson went to quietly report, Cracknell to make his name and uncover injustices and failings in the British army as they fought alongside the French and Turks against the "Ruskies". Cracknell's nemesis (and vice versa) was one Colonel Boyce, who cared more for his moustache than his men and saw the war as an opportunity for financial gain, looting the country of it's artefacts when he should have been at the front line....or perhaps keeping a closer eye on his wife.
The Courier duo are soon joined by illustrator Robert Styles, who fell under the spell of the beautiful Madeleine Boyce, wife of the Colonel, on the boat over from England. When he found out that Cracknell was keeping the Colonel's bed warm for him, the humiliated artist went into a sharp decline, traumatised at both her rejection of him and the bloodshed all around. He was soon to be found at the frontline, ragged and starving, manically drawing the living hell he found himself in whilst taking pot shots at the Russians with a borrowed gun. The book switches frequently between the atrocity of war in the Crimea to the chaotic streets of Manchester two years later where the very different lead characters are brought together again in a dramatic finale in the presence of the queen.
I really enjoyed this book, Plampin tells a great story though he has quite a wordy style that can be heavy going in parts. At nearly 500 pages it took me a while to get through but the effort was well worth it. The switching between countries and years was a bit confusing to start with but the reasons later become clear and the long path we are led along comes to a fitting finale. The excellent cast of characters all play their parts in the story but be warned it's not for the squeamish (Manchester could be rough in those days!). The horrors of war are well detailed here - you can almost smell the gunpowder and taste the blood as the author takes you into the heat of the battle. Historians will enjoy the references to the battles at Alma and Inkerman, the Light Brigade and the siege of Sebastapol too.
Great book, a well researched and enjoyable read (9/10)
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed The Street Philosopher. Full of atmosphere, excitement and intrigue. And knowing Manchester a good bit as I do, it was even more interesting for me. My daughter lives on Princess Street today, which is where the Street Philosopher lived. I would recommend this book without hesitation. I read it over the Christmas week and it complemented a glass or two of whisky and a few mince pies perfectly!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The events of this story are packed around the Crimean War and the subsequent threads that have been pulled apart in Manchester and London. A less than glorious period in British Victorian times. The author Matthew Plampin conveys the period extremely well and in a way that is not overly heavy - a slight worry given that he is a lecturer on the subject.
We have murder we have lust, avarice and of course some typical Victorian military characters. Were there any good officers? It almost seems not and perhaps one can put that at the foot of Bernard Cornwall. However that said Matthew Plampin is not the same and the more famous writer and to be fair he adds much more historical depth and knowledge. His writing style is easy to get to grips with but does not treat you like an airport casual reader. He is much better than that.
If you are a fan of the Victorian period this will appeal. He evokes the imagery and the times evocatively and I was drawn into the London and Manchester city life almost as if I was there.
Overall I'd say Matthew Plampin comes across as a heavyweight writer of historical fiction and better than most.
We have murder we have lust, avarice and of course some typical Victorian military characters. Were there any good officers? It almost seems not and perhaps one can put that at the foot of Bernard Cornwall. However that said Matthew Plampin is not the same and the more famous writer and to be fair he adds much more historical depth and knowledge. His writing style is easy to get to grips with but does not treat you like an airport casual reader. He is much better than that.
If you are a fan of the Victorian period this will appeal. He evokes the imagery and the times evocatively and I was drawn into the London and Manchester city life almost as if I was there.
Overall I'd say Matthew Plampin comes across as a heavyweight writer of historical fiction and better than most.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting but a somewhat disjointed plot
In the end I was slightly disappointed with this book. The author draws a convincing portrait of the horror, brutality and military incompetence of the Crimean War and the period... Read more
Published 8 months ago by TMJ
Power play by men desperate for honour
What a great story! Thomas Kitson is in the Crimea to report on the progress of the war for the London Courier. He can have no idea what he will come up against. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Alison McVey
An interesting novel - hard work but rewarding
I didn't know much about the Crimean War before reading this novel. One of my less wise moves was dropping History as a subject early in my schooling in favour of sciences. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Andrew Kerr
Recommended!!
Take Thomas Kitson, a sensitive journo; Richard Cracknell, his boozing, fornicating and insightful senior; Robert Styles, their newspaper's illustrator prone to madness; Colonel... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Paul Pinn
Historical novels don't come much better
The historical context (Crimean war and post-industrial revolution Manchester) is fascinating, but that in the end is merely the context for a great novel with excellent writing,... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Londoner42
Crime and Crimea
I liked this book a lot. For once, as a story which is told within two separate time frames, this works well: probably because there are only two or three years separating the two... Read more
Published on 20 Dec 2009 by Michael Watson
Post-traumatic stress, circa 1855
Matthew Pamplin's epic novel may initially seem a somewhat intimidating and dense prospect, but it more than repays the initial effort with its look not just at a largely forgotten... Read more
Published on 19 Nov 2009 by Trevor Willsmer
a good read
We chose this book for our reading group, 6 ladies of mature years.We each thoroughly enjoyed the book. It would have been even better if there were some reading notes. Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2009 by K. M. Hall
Absorbing and worthwhile read
Not being one for the military history genre, I approached this debit novel based around the Crimean War with some misgivings. Read more
Published on 3 Oct 2009 by Claptonite
Recommended
Matthew Pamplin has set a very high standard on his debut novel, with this rich and absorbing tale. From two strands 3 years apart, one set in the Crimea, one in Manchester, we... Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2009 by Andy Edwards
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