Customer Reviews

Doctor Dogbody's Leg (Heart of Oak Sea Classics)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book was a change of pace for the author, who was the co-author of Mutiny on the Bounty and other books. It is humorous light reading, with the tales set in the Cheerful Tortoise, as Dr. Dogbody, Royal Naval, meets with old acquaintances and tells tales about how he lost his leg. It sometimes rambles a bit, as tales might if told by an old-timer reminiscing. Overall, it is a good collection of stories that could probably be shared with children. So get a pint of ale, and sit down in front of the fire at the Cheerful Tortoise while Dr. Dogbody relates his adventures.

This unique collection of short stories, all of which are based in a small and colorful Portsmouth tavern, is a fabulous read. Excellent characters, pure enjoyment layered upon tales of the sea, famous events and battles and a lot of witty and rich dialog. Dr. Dogbody's salty and humorous martime stories capture both the people and events of the time. Dogbody is a mixture of Harry Flashman, Forest Gump and Long John Silver. The supporting cast of characters is suberb, all carefully written to interface with Dogbody's amazing tales relating to the loss of his missing apendage. I'd love to see the BBC present ten episodes of this book. A clever and unique reading adventure. If you enjoy the Forester, Kent, Pope, Fraser or O'Brian's novels, you'll find this and keep it on you bookshelf and point it out to your literary companions with a chuckle.

A must read for any and all O'brien fans. This is one the funniest books I have ever read. The good doctor spins increasingly outragous yarns and somehow makes it all seem plausible. The writing is first rate and the characters are vivid and real.

A beautifully written and conceived collection (or is it one continuous tale?), this book will grab anyone who appreciates great humor and skillful writing. A true test of a book's greatness, this one I was truly sorry to see end. Grab a tankard of ale, or a glass of Port Royal, and settle down by the fire at the Cheerful Tortoise. You'll roar with laughter and gasp with astonishment at the good Doctor's tales.

This is an excellent novel for those who love nautical fiction the likes of C.S. Forester or Patrick O'Brian. Doctor Dogbody is like a Forest Gump extraordinaire of the early 1800's. So, "Heave to" nautical fiction fans for a humorously written historical adventure.

A truly entertaining book, a story of the sea and sailors back when men were made of iron and ships were made of wood. I would not only recommend this book to readers of sea lore, but as a first time book of the sea to non-maritime readers! This book gives true meaning to "sea stories", something every Navy person has known by another name! Excellent reading, you can't go wrong.

It is the end of the eighteenth century. Doctor Dogbody was a navy surgeon who spent most of his life at sea on sailing ships. As long as most people can remember he has had a wooden leg. Whenever old mates gather around the fire at Will Tunn's Cheerful Tortoise with a pint in their hand and long to hear a tale, they anxiously await the tale of how the good doctor lost his leg. The tale is never the same twice!

This is one of those rare books that you keep on your bookshelf for re-reading. I have read "Doctor Dogbody's Leg" at least 20 times. I made the mistake of letting somebody borrow it and it
has disappeared. Guess I am just going to have to buy another copy!

Sea tale larded with oceangoing jargon that will satisfy both the armchair salt and his real-life counterpart.

This book was a real departure for James Norman Hall, and demonstrates Hall's ability to create a series of unified but stand-alone short stories, each with a tongue-in-cheek ability to tell a (usually~!) believable story. Well, let's face it, they're all lies, but they're such INTERESTING lies!

F. Dogbody, Surgeon in the Royal Navy, has lost a leg- and each of his stories that he related in the cozy Plymouth inn as how he lost the leg is as entertaining at the last. If you're a fan of Jack Aubrey novels (as I am), you will like these stories.

The introduction about James Norman Hall is as interesting as the book. Hall, an American, fought in the trenches in World War I before America joined the war, then fought as an American fighter pilot- and was the commanding officer of America's leading ace, Eddie Rickenbacker.

Get two or three copies of this nice little book and share with your friends. They'll love you for it.

Anybody who loves the works of Patrick O'Brian will love this book! This book by Hall surpasses his "Mutiny on the Bounty". This was my best find of the year- stumbled across it in a little book store in Carmel.