It was, O’Brian told us, his first literary award; in fact, his first prize of any sort since he was given a pen-knife by the headmaster of his prep school in Paignton for keeping on running when everyone else was way ahead and out of sight. Well, they’re out of sight now, but no longer ahead, and Patrick O’Brian is running still.
This article first appeared in the Spectator of 1st July 1995, and is reprinted here by kind permission of its literary editor, Mark Amery.
Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander
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