Bernard Cornwell Discusses The Fort, His Latest Historical Novel

Bernard Cornwell, the author of the terrific Richard Sharpe series, discusses his new historical novel, The Fort, with Sarah Crown from the British newspaper The Guardian.

Cornwell (seen in the above photo) tells how he learned about a "forgotten story" from the American War of Independence, and how he came to debunk legendary hero Paul Revere.

You can view the video interview via the below link:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/video/2010/nov/03/bernard-cornwell-fort-novel

You can also go to an earlier post and read about the novel and listen to an audio interview with Cornwell via the below link:

*

http://pauldavisoncrime.blogspot.com/2010/10/bernard-cornwell-on-his-new-historical.html

An Interview With Bernard Cornwell, Creator of the Richard Sharpe Series, On His New American Revolutionary War Novel, The Fort

John J. Miller's Between the Covers radio program at National Review Online features an interview with Bernard Cornwell, the historical novelist.

Cornwell is the creator of Richard Sharpe, the Napoleonic-era British soldier who is featured in a wonderful series of novels and portrayed by Sean Bean in the popular BBC TV series.


Cornwell's new novel is The Fort, which is set during the American Revolutionary War

You can listen to the interview via the below link:

http://radio.nationalreview.com/betweenthecovers/post/?q=ZGEwMDdhNTZmODMxNTkyYzgwNDg4NDc2MWE3ODEwZTQ=

Below is a description of the novel from the publisher, HarpersCollins:

"While the major fighting of the war moves to the south in the summer of 1779, a British force of fewer than a thousand Scottish infantry, backed by three sloops-of-war, sails to the desolate and fog-bound coast of New England.

Establishing a garrison and naval base at Penobscot Bay, in the eastern province of Massachusetts that would become Maine, the Scots—the only British troops between Canada and New York—harry rebel privateers and give shelter to American loyalists.

In response, Massachusetts sends a fleet of more than forty vessels and some one thousand infantrymen to “captivate, kill or destroy” the foreign invaders. Second in command is Peleg Wadsworth, a veteran of the battles at Lexington and Long Island, once aide to General Washington, and a man who sees clearly what must be done to expel the invaders.

But ineptitude and irresolution lead to a mortifying defeat—and have stunning repercussions for two men on opposite sides: an untested eighteen-year-old Scottish lieutenant named John Moore, who will begin an illustrious military career; and a Boston silversmith and patriot named Paul Revere, who will face court-martial for disobedience and cowardice.

Grounded firmly in history, inimitably told in Cornwell's thrilling narrative style, The Fort is the extraordinary novel of this fascinating clash between a superpower and a nation in the making."

You can also read my GreatHistory.com three-part interview with Bernard Cornwell about his Sharpe series via the below links:

http://greathistory.com/interview-with-sharpe-creator-bernard-cornwell.htm

http://greathistory.com/interview-with-sharpe-creator-bernard-cornwell-part-ii.htm

http://greathistory.com/interview-with-sharpe-creator-bernard-cornwell-part-iii.htm