Celebrating the life of Douglas Reeman (who also wrote as Alexander Kent), 1924-2017

With this post, I regretfully take note of the passing, last week, of the renowned and prolific author Douglas Reeman, who also wrote as Alexander Kent.

This is an unusual post for me. I haven’t created this kind of post before, but then I’m not sure when a fellow author has had as much influence on me, my life, and my writing. I want to celebrate his life, and honor his work.

Douglas Reeman's first published book was "A Prayer for the Ship," in 1958.

As The Telegraph (London, UK) states in the obituary, Douglas Reeman’s book sales exceeded 34 million worldwide. The Telegraph goes on to state that, “The typical hero of a Reeman novel is an amiable but bloody-minded sailor who sidesteps attempts by his bungling superiors to prevent him from engaging with the enemy on his own terms, and scores a famous victory against the odds.” 

The full obituary is here… http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2017/01/26/douglas-reeman-author-obituary/ 

Lieutenant-Commander (Royal Naval Reserve) Douglas Reeman was a sailor himself, serving in World War II and the Korean War. His pseudonym of Alexander Kent was apparently the name of a friend and fellow naval officer who died during the Second World War. One does not have to speculate where he got the material and inspiration for much of his work; he lived it. Some of the best advice for an author is to write what you know. Douglas Reeman certainly did just that.

As a sailor and small ship captain myself, I had taken note and read some of Douglas Reeman’s books. But, it was discovering the books he wrote (1968-2011) as Alexander Kent that really woke me to his writing. I have to admit that I read Alexander Kent’s books voraciously.

Douglas Reeman's first book written(1968) as Alexander Kent was  "To Glory We Steer." This book, and a number of others, take the title from the lyrics of "Heart of Oak," the Royal Navy march, also adopted by the Royal Canadian Navy.

I had read books by other ‘tall ship’ and seagoing authors, but the Richard Bolitho series really resonated with me. I like that Alexander Kent wrote about the humanity of his characters. As a reader, I really got to know, and to like, Richard Bolitho. What I most liked about the protagonist was that he was a decent human being, a good and loyal friend, and an effective and enlightened leader. In reading about Richard Bolitho and his times, one soon realized that there were many tyrants and bullies in the Navy and the society of his time. The same could be said about our societies in the more recent era. There were life lessons in those books, and many of them still apply in today’s world. 

  

When asked about Richard Bolitho, the author Douglas Reeman said, “I always feel that he was already there, that he discovered me. I have come to know and recognize him as a friend, and am often moved by the views and beliefs he expresses.” To paraphrase Douglas Reemans’ further words, Bolitho refused to accept injustice towards those he was leading. He was a man without conceit.

I personally have visited HMS Victory, the flagship of Lord Nelson, in its current stationary location at Portsmouth, England. I have wondered at the men who sailed her, and those who lead and commanded her. In writing of the lives and times of those ‘tall ships’, Douglas Reeman has helped me with my life. His words helped me in my dealings with difficult people, and inspired me in my efforts to be a true and loyal friend (and relative). His writings eventually encouraged my own writing, and I can only aspire to a small fraction of his skills and talent.

"In the King's Name, " written under the pen name of Alexander Kent, was the final book published by Douglas Reeman, in 2011. 

These past few days, after learning of his passing, I re-read the first three books of the chronological Bolitho series. I have re-learned to appreciate those books as much as I did in the first and second and additional readings of years past.

I have also come to think, again, about those life lessons. We could only hope and wish that some of the leaders in today’s world might have some of those same qualities of humility, sensitivity, compassion, bravery, honor and a lack of conceit  as those brought to life by Douglas Reeman in his character of Richard Bolitho.

www.douglasreem.com

I close this post about Douglas Reeman by paying tribute to his life, and his writing, and the thankfulness that I was able to discover those books. I commend them to you. You can start the search to find them here… https://www.douglasreeman.com/  

Whether you read my books, or Douglas Reeman's, or the books attributed to Alexander Kent, I wish you

Happy Reading,

Wil

Getting it Right... almost always starts with Getting it Wrong

Getting is right almost always starts with getting it wrong.  Unless we put ourselves or someone else into danger, the only bad thing about making mistakes is failing to try again.  And again.  And again.  And as many times as it takes to get it right.

That process, of trying it over and over until it works, has been my mantra in life, and in writing.  How many times have we said, or heard, ‘we learn from our mistakes,’ or perhaps, if we’re lucky, ‘we learn from the mistakes of others.’ 

As a writer, I often read, to see what others are writing.  I read what is selling and I read what is getting good reviews.  I also read what is new, or does not have good reviews, or what might not be selling, yet.  I read what appeals to me.  This is how I learn from others’ mistakes, and successes.

As I writer, I look at my own work.  I put my work out there.  I see which of my books sell, and which of them earn good reviews.  This is how I learn from my own mistakes, and possibly, from my own successes.

Getting it right, as an author, can be a long process.  It almost certainly very unlikely that the first novel we write is going to be a great success.  Almost any author will tell you that they did a lot of writing before they ended up with a work that they were happy with, or that sold well, or that got good reviews.  But, the key is to keep trying.  That means to keep writing.

In my case, I write because I want to write.  I write what I want to write.  I write for my own pleasure.  I share my writing in the hope that some will like it, and perhaps, the hope that I might somehow tell a story that will have an impact.  

But, most importantly, I realize that it’s okay to get it wrong, if I keep trying to get it right.

Wil

Giving Thanks - for the good people, good things and good events in our lives

Giving thanks = what's important.

The importance of the fourth-Thursday-in-November holiday is well known to a domestic American audience, but of course not so well known elsewhere. In Canada, the same Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated in early October, but otherwise the holiday is not recognized elsewhere in the world. There is no equivalent in Australia, or New Zealand, or the UK, or anywhere else. I’ve been fortunate to be part of large Thanksgiving gatherings in the US, and in Canada. I also had a singular chance to be part of a group of Americans and others celebrating on the other side of the world, and that was an enjoyable and meaningful experience.

In the US, Thanksgiving is most often known for gatherings of families, and the holiday creates the busiest travel days of the year. Of course, the holiday started a few centuries ago as a giving of thanks for a good harvest. What I most like today is a common practice where family members share what they are most thankful for. That includes all those present at the dinner table, from the youngest to oldest.

What to be thankful for?

I think the process of thinking what we are thankful for is important, and really, far too important to be left to only one day per year. Thinking about what we are grateful for should be practiced every day, and especially when we have a great experience. 

I have been fortunate, in recent years, to be something of a mentor to a younger family member, now a young teenager. When I’ve taken that person out to do fun or interesting things, they’ve remarked that they wish we could do it again, or more often. 

My response has been something like this. “I agree, and this was really interesting (or a lot of fun).  And, I really enjoyed doing it with you. But the most important thing now is that we remember the moment. Remember how interesting it was (or how fun it was), and make that a highlight in your life that you want to remember. Think of this highlight, remember it, and give thanks for it. Make your life about remembering all of these good things, and be thankful.”

The moments we give thanks for.

I often think about what I am thankful for, and try to appreciate those good or great moments in my life. Today, as I do many days, I give thanks for all of the good people, good things and good events in my life.

If you are able to sit at a table on Thursday, November 27th, and give thanks, good. If you don’t (or can't) celebrate the holiday, that’s okay, too. Simply take this moment, right now, to think about whatever good things you’ve had in your life, and be thankful.

Wil

Getting it Right...almost always starts with Getting it Wrong

Getting is right almost always starts with getting it wrong.  Unless we put ourselves or someone else into danger, the only bad thing about making mistakes is failing to try again.  And again.  And again.  And as many times as it takes to get it right.

That process, of trying it over and over until it works, has been my mantra in life, and in writing.  How many times have we said, or heard, ‘we learn from our mistakes,’ or perhaps, if we’re lucky, ‘we learn from the mistakes of others.’ 

As a writer, I often read, to see what others are writing.  I read what is selling and I read what is getting good reviews.  I also read what is new, or does not have good reviews, or what might not be selling, yet.  I read what appeals to me.  This is how I learn from others’ mistakes, and successes.

As I writer, I look at my own work.  I put my work out there.  I see which of my books sell, and which of them earn good reviews.  This is how I learn from my own mistakes, and possibly, from my own successes.

Getting it right, as an author, can be a long process.  It almost certainly very unlikely that the first novel we write is going to be a great success.  Almost any author will tell you that they did a lot of writing before they ended up with a work that they were happy with, or that sold well, or that got good reviews.  But, the key is to keep trying.  That means to keep writing.

In my case, I write because I want to write. I write because I need to write. I write what I want to write.  I write for myself.  But; I share my writing in the hope that some will like it, and perhaps, the hope that I might somehow tell a story that will have an impact.  

But, most importantly, I realize that it’s okay to get it wrong, if I keep trying to get it right.

Wil

Giving Thanks - for the good people, good things and good events in our lives

Giving thanks = what's important.

The importance of the fourth-Thursday-in-November holiday is well known to a domestic American audience, but of course not so well known elsewhere. In Canada, the same Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated in early October, but otherwise the holiday is not recognized elsewhere in the world. There is no equivalent in Australia, or New Zealand, or the UK, or anywhere else. I’ve been fortunate to be part of large Thanksgiving gatherings in the US, and in Canada. I also had a singular chance to be part of a group of Americans and others celebrating on the other side of the world, and that was an enjoyable and meaningful experience.

In the US, Thanksgiving is most often known for gatherings of families, and the holiday creates the busiest travel days of the year. Of course, the holiday started a few centuries ago as a giving of thanks for a good harvest. What I most like today is a common practice where family members share what they are most thankful for. That includes all those present at the dinner table, from the youngest to oldest.

What to be thankful for?

I think the process of thinking what we are thankful for is important, and really, far too important to be left to only one day per year. Thinking about what we are grateful for should be practiced every day, and especially when we have a great experience. 

I have been fortunate, in recent years, to be something of a mentor to a younger family member, now a young teenager. When I’ve taken that person out to do fun or interesting things, they’ve remarked that they wish we could do it again, or more often. 

My response has been something like this. “I agree, and this was really interesting (or a lot of fun).  And, I really enjoyed doing it with you. But the most important thing now is that we remember the moment. Remember how interesting it was (or how fun it was), and make that a highlight in your life that you want to remember. Think of this highlight, remember it, and give thanks for it. Make your life about remembering all of these good things, and be thankful.”

The moments we give thanks for.

I often think about what I am thankful for, and try to appreciate those good or great moments in my life. Today, as I do many days, I give thanks for all of the good people, good things and good events in my life.

If you sit at a table on Thursday, and give thanks, good. If you don’t celebrate the holiday, that’s okay, too. Simply take this moment, right now, to think about whatever good things you’ve had in your life, and be thankful.

Wil

Getting it Right...almost always starts with getting it Wrong

Getting is right almost always starts with getting it wrong.  Unless we put ourselves or someone else into danger, the only bad thing about making mistakes is failing to try again.  And again.  And again.  And as many times as it takes to get it right.

That process, of trying it over and over until it works, has been my mantra in life, and in writing.  How many times have we said, or heard, ‘we learn from our mistakes,’ or perhaps, if we’re lucky, ‘we learn from the mistakes of others.’ 

As a writer, I often read, to see what others are writing.  I read what is selling and I read what is getting good reviews.  I also read what is new, or does not have good reviews, or what might not be selling, yet.  I read what appeals to me.  This is how I learn from others’ mistakes, and successes.

As I writer, I look at my own work.  I put my work out there.  I see which of my books sell, and which of them earn good reviews.  This is how I learn from my own mistakes, and possibly, from my own successes.

Getting it right, as an author, can be a long process.  It almost certainly very unlikely that the first novel we write is going to be a great success.  Almost any author will tell you that they did a lot of writing before they ended up with a work that they were happy with, or that sold well, or that got good reviews.  But, the key is to keep trying.  That means to keep writing.

In my case, I write because I want to write.  I write what I want to write.  I write for my own pleasure.  I share my writing in the hope that some will like it, and perhaps, the hope that I might somehow tell a story that will have an impact.  

But, most importantly, I realize that it’s okay to get it wrong, if I keep trying to get it right.

Wil