In his illustrated talk Dr John Ridley explores the life of Arthur Ransome and his most famous children's book, 'Swallows and Amazons'. Written towards the end of his career as a journalist and foreign correspondent, this adventure story, set in the English Lake District and evocative of a time between the wars, has been enjoyed by generations of children and adults. But why was it so successful? Could it have been a combination of Ransome's spirit of adventure, his love of the Lake District, his passion for sailing and, not least, his distinctive writing style?