Flashman and the Redskins: From the Flashman Papers, 1849-50 and 1875-76 [Hardcover]

George MacDonald Fraser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1982

The seventh volume of the "Flashman Papers" records the arch-cad's adventures in America during Gold Rush of 1849 and the Battle of Bighorn in 1876, and his acquaintance with famous Indian chiefs, American soldiers, frontiersmen and statesmen.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'If ever there was a time when I felt that watcher-of-the-skies-when-a-new-planet stuff, it was when I read the first Flashman' PG Wodehouse 'Mr Fraser is a skilful and meticulous writer, twice as good as Buchan and twenty times better than Fleming' Auberon Waugh, Evening Standard --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

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 numerous films, most notably 'The Three Musketeers', 'The Four Musketeers', and the James Bond film, 'Octopussy'. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 479 pages
• Publisher: Wm Collins & Sons & Co; First Edition edition (June 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0002226618
• ISBN-13: 978-0002226615
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,574,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars #2 on my All-Time Top 10, September 2, 2003

By 

Carl Hoffman (Cleveland Heights,, OH United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Flashman and the Redskins (Paperback)

I usually enjoy the Flashman books more or less depending on my engagement with their historical content, and generally I'm not big on westerns. But this was like one of the great Hollywood films in the way it captured the majesty and adventure of the West, with humor and satire sprinkled throughout. In 1849, Flashy participates in the Gold Rush; 27 years later, he returns in time to become the sole white survivor of Custer's Last Stand. The greatest chase of the entire Flashman series occurs about halfway through, with a murderous Apache war party pursuing Sir Harry across the New Mexican desert. Reading it, I literally couldn't breathe; when it was over, I choked up over Fraser's sheer storytelling brilliance. What a writer!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Flashy reluctantly helps tame the Wild West., February 1, 2008

By 

H. S. Wedekind "Mr. Weekend" (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Flashman and the Redskins (Paperback)

"I never did learn to speak Apache properly. Mind you, it ain't easy, mainly because the red brutes seldom stand still long enough - and if you've any sense, you don't either, or you're liable to find yourself studying their system of vowel pronunciation while hanging head-down over a slow fire or riding for dear life across the Jornada del Muerto with them howling at your heels and trying to stick lances in your liver."

- Sir Harry Flashman, VC, KCB

Thus begins FLASHMAN AND THE REDSKINS, the seventh packet of the Flashman Papers, which were discovered in a Leicestershire, England saleroom in 1966 and edited by George MacDonald Fraser (also, the longest and funniest book in the series). This packet follows chronologically on the heels of FLASH FOR FREEDOM! It is divided into two parts: the first takes place in 1849, the second in 1876.

In the first part, we find Harry fleeing American justice, and possibly being hanged for murder, by trying to secure a berth aboard a fast ship bound for England from New Orleans by blackmailing his Latin quoting nemesis, Captain John Charity Spring, M.A., "Oriel man, slaver, homicidal lunatic." Barely escaping capture, he and Spring hide out in a New Orleans brothel. From here is where our lovable rogue begins his trip west enroute to the goldfields of California. Along the way he discovers the charms of a mulatto prostitute, encounters blood thirsty scalp hunters, and barely escapes with his hair from savage Apache warriors.

The second half of FLASHMAN AND THE REDSKINS finds Sir Harry back in America in 1876 with his beautiful wife Elspeth chattering empty-headedly by his side. Taking advantage of an opportunity to make some easy money, and hoping to charm his way into the arms of yet another beautiful woman, he leaves Elspeth to enjoy the society of Philadelphia while he embarks on a trip by river boat up the Missouri to scout the territory around Bismark, North Dakota. Little does Flashy know what is in store for him on this supposedly safe trip. I won't spoil the fun, but suffice it to say, "Custer's Last Stand" has never been written in more frighteningly entertaining prose as the deadly action swirls dangerously around our trembling anti-hero and his rumbling bowels.

This is one of George MacDonald Fraser's best. Unfortunately for us Flashman-iacs, Mr. Fraser passed away on January 3, 2008. I, for one, will miss this great novelist's knowledge of history, writing skill and terrific sense of humor. As Capt. Spring would have said about GMF's style, "castigat ridendo mores" (laughter succeeds where lecturing won't).

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More of Fraser's history and humor, June 26, 2005

By 

doc peterson (Portland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Flashman and the Redskins (Paperback)

_Flashman and the Redskins_ is essentially two stories, tied together with the common thread of the American West. As Harry Flashman - cad, womanizer, cheat, theif and coward (and also a Knight of the Bath, recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Victoria Cross) - winds his way through the West, readers are treated to a veritable "Who's Who" of the time.

The first half of the book is about the "opening of the West," as Harry travels the Oregon and Santa Fe trails to California as a '49er. Along the way he makes the acquaintance of such larger-than-life personalities as Kit Carson, Gallatin, Mangas Colorado and Geronimo. The second half of the book Harry returns West, to meet the likes of Geo. Custer, Spotted Tail, Crazy Horse, Anson Mills, Wild Bill Hickock (and a surprise for both Flashman and the reader.)

The history, of course, is impeccable. Fraser takes readers across the West from Independence, MO to Santa Fe, north to Ft. Laramie, from Ft. Robinson, the Little Big Horn, and finally, Deadwood. Quite an adventure, indeed. In the middle of it all is Harry Flashman, ever the scoundrel; and this book will not disappoint, as Harry is more devilish than usual. It was a pretty involved and lengthy read, but with so much material (and so many personalities) to cover, it was very much worthwhile.