This summer I read two wonderful books that are both considered British children’s classics. I missed them as a kid, so this was my first time to experience the wonder and delight of reading them.
The two books were The Railway Children by E. Nesbit, published in 1905, and Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome, published in 1930.
Both of these would be lumped into the historical fiction genre for today’s readers.
However, I’d place them into a sub-genre I refer to as Past Contemporary. By this I mean that although both of these stories are set in our (as readers) past, the authors set them in their own contemporary time periods.
Now they are historical stories, but when published they were contemporary stories.
For a discussion of the three sub-genres of historical fiction, see my previous article, Historical Fiction: My Definition.
It seems like I’m splitting hairs, but it is helpful for readers to know they might need to do a little legwork to understand all the cultural references the authors assumed their readers would get.
It’s also nice to know that the way the time period and culture is portrayed is through the characters’ and authors’ eyes, and not interpreted by later authors imposing their own thoughts and feelings onto the past.
Past contemporary stories give a truer glimpse into how people thought in the past.
Granted, both of the books I read seem to give an idealized account of childhood. I would accept that about Swallows and Amazons. The children have lovely adventure without being in any danger. True evil never touches them. The story is an ode to play and imagination and adults getting out of the way.
In The Railway Children, however, the children are dealing with the dire consequences from someone’s wrongdoing. Their mother hides the worst from them and helps them see their situation as an adventure.
I love how both books show loving families and healthy relationships. Their “innocent” lives are a huge part of why I enjoyed the books. Dark stories are generally not my cup of tea.
I also enjoyed the glimpse into rural England in early Twentieth Century. These stories truly did bring me to another time and place.
Whats your favorite children’s Past Contemporary book? What do you like about it?