187
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #178,741 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★★
Everything I need to know I learned from Flashman
I discovered and read George MacDonald Fraser's masterful "Flashman" series in my teens (I'm now crouching this side of forty), at the same time I first read Ian Fleming's James Bond novels.
From Bond I've learned how to play baccarat, how to pull an Aston Martin out of a skid, and how to climb through a tunnel of scorching hot metal.
I have never in my life had to do any of these things.
On the other hand, from Flashman I've learned lessons I use every day of my life:
* When the trouble starts, keep your head down, or better yet, in a totally different country.
* Never be afraid to accept credit for something good you did. That goes double for something good you didn't.
* Never volunteer.
* Wine, women, and song? To hell with the song.
* There's no shame in living as a coward. Beats dying as a hero.
* Always have an escape plan. If not, steal someone else's.
Game, set, match: Flashy.
