Flashman.

This is coolbert:

The anti-hero as hero?

From the Chicago Tribune today:

The creator of “Flashman” has passed away. George MacDonald Fraser.

“British writer drew praise for 12 historical novels featuring the roguish antihero”.

”Flashman” published in 1969, introduced readers to an enduring literary antihero: the irrepressible Harry Flashman."

“ . . . Flashman - - the bullying schoolboy . . . grown up to become a soldier in the British army . . . Flashman fought, drank and womanized his way across the British Empire, Europe, and the United States, playing a pivotal role in the century’s great historical moments. A vain, cowardly rogue, Flashman nonetheless emerged from each episode covered in glory, rising to the rank of brigadier general”

Flashman. British army “hero” of the Victorian age. Did it all, saw it all, knew everyone of consequence and was there for it all!! And THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF FLASHMAN TOO!!

[think here of the TV series, “The Indiana Jones Chronicles”!!]

Dig this stuff:

“Each installment of the series purported to come from a faux-biographic trove of memoirs - - The Flashman Papers - - discovered in an English attic in the 1960’s.

Mr. Fraser proudly pointed out that a third [1/3] of the first book’s American reviewers believed the Flashman Papers were real.”

Flashman was a non-graduate of Rugby [???]. A bullying schoolboy from the prestigious English public school?? From the wiki entry for Rugby:

"he [Dr. Thomas Arnold] infamously expelled one of Rugby’s most distinguished old boys, Sir Harry Paget Flashman VC KCB KCIE. He remains the only Rugbian to obtain a VC but is more famous for his whore mongering, carousing and general caddish behavior. Furthermore, Flashman is believed to be the founder of Brothel Cricket though codifications of the rules were not brought about till several years after his death."

[this wiki entry is all in good natured fun of course!!]

coolbert.