Bruce Alexander

[inuvik]

Greetings all,

For many many years one of my favorite series has been the "Sir John Fielding" mysteries by Bruce Alexander. These are fictional exploits based on the character of the real Sir John, who was a blind judge back in the 1700's (I think) in England.

Anyway, they are great! There are at least 10, but there won't be any more as the author died last year.

They should be read in order, and the first one is called...(drumroll please): Blind Justice!

If you love mysteries, and blindness, in your leisure time (which of course we all do), you'll love this series.

They are likely available at your public library--mine carries all of them, so no need to buy.

[mlm828]

I have just finished reading the series, and I heartily concur in inuvik's recommendation. The books are fiction, but Sir John Fielding was a real person. He was the younger half-brother of Henry Fielding (best known today as the author of Tom Jones). In the 1750s, the Fielding brothers were magistrates (lower-level judicial officers) in London. At that time, London was virtually lawless. There was no organized police force and what law enforcement there was, was provided by (largely ineffectual) night watchmen and "thief-takers" (the 18th century equivalent of bounty hunters). The Fieldings organized a group of constables, known as the "Bow Street Runners" (Bow Street was the location of their court) which provided the first effective law enforcement in their jurisdiction. After Henry Fielding's death in the mid-1750s, John Fielding continued their work for another 25 years and was knighted for his accomplishments. As inuvik has stated, he was blind, having lost his sight while serving in the British Navy as a young man. For more information on this fascinating historical figure, see this article: "The Blind Beak of Bow Street." (In the slang of the period, "beak" was the term for anyone in a position of authority).

The books are very well written and entertaining. They do not sugar-coat the harsh realities of 18th-century London, especially the poverty and desperation of the poor, but they are not overly graphic. They are narrated by the fictional teenaged orphan, "Jeremy Proctor," who becomes Sir John's ward and assistant, and are populated by interesting characters. I suspect the Sir John Fielding of the novels is somewhat more ahead of his time than the real person, although he was ahead of his time in many ways.

I have extra paperback copies of three novels in the series, which I have replaced with hardcover copies: the first two, Blind Justice and Murder in Grub Street, and a later one, Smuggler's Moon. If anyone would like to have them, I'll be happy to send them to the first person who PMs me. (I'll post a note if anyone claims them).

There is also a British mini-series (5 episodes) about the Fielding brothers, City of Vice. It takes place at the time when they were beginning their efforts to organize the "Bow Street Runners." It is very well-done, but also very dark and gritty. It is not for the faint-hearted or squeamish. It stars Ian McDiarmid (the evil Senator Palpatine from Star Wars) as Henry Fielding and Iain Glen as John Fielding. It is available on DVD.

[inuvik]

Glad to hear you enjoyed the series! I must read them again sometime, it has been a while since I picked any up.

Apr 15, 2009 14:59:40 GMT -5 mlm828 said:

There is also a British mini-series (5 episodes) about the Fielding brothers, City of Vice. It takes place at the time when they were beginning their efforts to organize the "Bow Street Runners." It is very well-done, but also very dark and gritty. It is not for the faint-hearted or squeamish. It stars Ian McDiarmid (the evil Senator Palpatine from Star Wars) as Henry Fielding and Iain Glen as John Fielding. It is available on DVD.

And whoo hoo! My library has this and I've added it to my list. Karma!

[mlm828]

I'll be interested to find out what you think of City of Vice. It's definitely not your usual "costume drama."

Smuggler's Moon has been spoken for. The other two books are still available, if anyone wants them.

[Kasman]

Apr 15, 2009 14:59:40 GMT -5 mlm828 said:

(In the slang of the period, "beak" was the term for anyone in a position of authority).

Not quite. Actually, a beak was either a magistrate or a headmaster.

[inuvik]

I have now seen 4 of the 5 episodes of City of Vice, and I'll finish it tonight.

Well--um--it certainly is sordid and gritty! It seems to be set about 20 years before the books too. John is very young.

It's a bit too unpleasant for my tastes. And there is not really enough of John, Henry is definitely the star here.

I do appreciate the little bits of humour that show up occasionally. The show really needs them to lighten the tone.

The best part is the effect of zooming through the 2D map of London, and having the map morph into the buildings.

But that said, it is very interesting, just not very pleasant. I've learned a few things, like that places where homosexuals gathered (early gay bars) were called mollyhouses. (Impress your friends with 1700's trivia!)

Too bad it wasn't renewed, as I would definitely get series two. Maybe John would have been more of a focus as time went on.

The webpage is still up and you can see clips here:

www.channel4.com/programmes/city-of-vice

Thanks for letting me know about it, mlm!

[mlm828]

I know what you mean, inuvik. It's very well done, but parts are hard to watch. Still, it's definitely worth watching. I particularly enjoyed the interactions between the two brothers, and the contrasts between them.

There is also an interesting interview with the lead actors, Ian McDiarmid and Iain Glen. (I think it's also on the same web site, but I'm not sure how to get there from the link you posted).