🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Arthur Ransome
His mother did not want him to abandon his other studies to focus solely writing but was still supportive of his books, urging him to publish The Picts and the Martyrs in 1943, despite Evgenia hating it. She was often discouraging about his novels as he was writing them. Arthur was educated first in Windermere, then Rugby School, where he lived in the exact same study room which Lewis Carroll used, however he didn’t wholly enjoy the experience because of his lack of athletic skill, poor eyesight, and limited academic achievement. He later studied chemistry at Yorkshire College, but in 1902, he abandoned the chemistry degree he was working toward so that he could become a publisher’s office boy in London.
All Book Series by Arthur Ransome
Great Northern? A Scottish Adventure of Swallows & Amazons
Book 12 of 13 · published 1947
The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
Series opener · book 1 of 3 · published 1968
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp, in Rhyme
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 2008
The War of the Birds and the Beasts and Other Russian Tales
Book 3 of 6 · published 1984
The Firebird and Other Russian Fairy Tales
Latest in the series · book 6 of 6 · published 2004
The Souls of the Streets and Other Little Papers
Series opener · book 1 of 22 · published 1904
Signalling From Mars: The Letters of Arthur Ransome
Book 21 of 22 · published 1997
Arthur Ransome's Long-Lost Study of Robert Louis Stevenson
Latest in the series · book 22 of 22 · published 2011
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Arthur Ransome?
His mother did not want him to abandon his other studies to focus solely writing but was still supportive of his books, urging him to publish The Picts and the Martyrs in 1943, despite Evgenia hating it. She was often discouraging about his novels as he was writing them. Arthur was educated first in Windermere, then Rugby School, where he lived in the exact same study room which Lewis Carroll used, however he didn’t wholly enjoy the experience because of his lack of athletic skill, poor eyesight, and limited academic achievement.
Which Arthur Ransome series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Swallows and Amazons series, the earliest of Arthur Ransome's multi-book series: it opens with Swallows and Amazons (1930) and runs to 13 books across 1930–2008, ending with The Picts & the Martyrs (2008).
How many books has Arthur Ransome written?
Arthur Ransome has 47 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1904 and 2021. 13 of them belong to 1 named series — the largest being the Swallows and Amazons series with 13 books — and 34 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Arthur Ransome's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Arthur Ransome's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Swallows and Amazons (1930–2008, 13 books).
How are Arthur Ransome's books organised into series?
This guide splits Arthur Ransome's 47 books into 1 named series and 34 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Swallows and Amazons (13 books, 1930–2008).