In the United States, Edward Lear is best remembered for his delightful limericks and other nonsense poetry. In 1996, Maldwin and his wife Gilly set off in their sailing yacht Gang Warily through the rivers and canals of France to the Mediterranean and south Italy to reach the scenes Lear had described in paint and in words. Edward Lear (1812-1888) had many talents that this book recaptures. He was an artist, illustrator and a writer known for his nonsensical poetry and limericks, a form he popularized. He spent many years in Italy and he managed to paint the landscape, particularly the coast, in his drawings in a way that showed his admiration for the scenery and demonstrated his ability as a topographical artist. He is considered the "original green tourist," advocating his way of wandering on foot with a sketchbook to capture the countryside and enjoy the people. After You, Mr. Lear is a superbly illustrated work highlighting Lear's many talents with previously unpublished material.
Industry Reviews
Maldwin Drummond is a sailor and a farmer who got an idea. He cruised under sail with the specific goal of following in the wake of artist and nonsense poetry writer Edward Lear (1812-1888). The result is After You Mr. Lear: In the Wake of Edward Lear in Italy which relates Maldwin Drummond's nautical and land-based adventures as a result of his unusual quest. Profusely illustrated with cartoons, paintings, photos and maps, After You Mr. Lear is an intrinsically interested account of a modern-day cruise which was embarked upon a voyage of discovery to the appreciation of armchair travelers and land-bound sailors. Drummond's deftly written accounts of leaving from the Isle of Wight aboard his yacht Gang Warily and crossing the English Channel, then navigating the rivers and canals of France all the way to the Mediterranean, then sailing down the coast of Italy and Calabria, will hold the reader's rapt attention from first page to last.
After You Mr. Lear is a highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library collections. * Midwest Book Review *
Readers whose palates crave a Grand Tour of history, culture, art and literature while passing through the French waterways and into Mediterranean ports on a well-found yacht with pronounced shear and a well-read captain will appreciate this book. * Sailing *
The combination of sailing narrative, Lear biography, and travel journal is hard to resist. If you have cruised the Med, are (or even are not) a sailor, or simply enjoy well-written prose describing some of the most beautiful places on the planet and the life of a most interesting man, then you're in for a treat. * Sail Magazine *
