History with a human face

Books Special Report | The rise of historical fiction and narrative history—which often takes God into account through richly detailed stories of the era—marks a positive cultural trend | Gene Edward Veith

Filmmakers are now adapting Patrick O'Brian's seafaring novels of the Napoleonic war to the big screen, a prospect that has fans of his 20-book series as excited and as apprehensive as Tolkien and Harry Potter fans were at the news that their beloved books would become movies.

O'Brian, who died in 2000, inspired a number of other historical-fiction writers who followed in his wake. Modernism is over, and with it its prejudice for things that are new, so interest in the past and stories that bring history to life has surged, from the literati (the novels of Umberto Eco) to pop culture (Titanic).

And now popular culture embraces O'Brian. The role of Captain Jack Aubrey goes to Russell Crowe, the Oscar-winning star of Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind. Paul Bettany will play Aubrey's sidekick, ship's surgeon and secret agent Stephen Maturin. (Mr. Bettany played the young Chaucer in A Knight's Tale and Mr. Crowe's college roommate in A Beautiful Mind.) Billy Boyd, who played Pippen in The Lord of the Rings, will portray Aubrey's faithful coxswain Barrett Bonden.

ACCESS THIS ARTICLE IMMEDIATELY AND RECEIVE ONE MONTH OF ONLINE ACCESS AND TWO ISSUES OF WORLD'S PRINT EDITION—ALL FOR JUST $5. SEE THE NEW SUBSCRIBER BOX BELOW.

IF YOU ARE ALREADY A PRINT OR ONLINE-ONLY SUBSCRIBER, PLEASE LOG IN BELOW.

The complete article is ~3062 words long

Current Subscriber

Magazine
Subscriber

Online-Only
Subscriber

Click here for other subscription options that also will enable you to access this article.

New Subscriber

Secure form

Receive instant access to this article and one-month access to WORLD's subscriber-only online content — plus, enjoy 2 issues of WORLD's print edition — all for just $5*.

Want a different type of subscription? Click the following links for Online-Only Subscription options or Print Subscription options (which include online subscription access).

Payment Information

Name	State	Card Type

Address	Zip	Card Number

City	Email	Expiration Date
		/
	Phone Number

Offer Terms

Subscribers Advantage Automatic Renewal Program You authorize WORLD Magazine to charge your credit/debit card at the price listed above and in time to renew your subscription to WORLD Magazine, without interruption, before the start of the first 6-month term (for $34.95) and then thereafter at 6-month terms at the regular rate then in effect unless you tell us to stop. You may cancel at any time during your subscription and receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. If your credit/debit card cannot be charged, we will bill you directly instead.

*Offer good in the U.S. only for new subscribers.
I agree to the terms above

Outside the US, click here.
Renewing subscribers, click here.
Gift subscriptions, click here.

NEED HELP? Call 800-951-6397, Monday-Friday (except holidays), 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, or send email to customerservice@worldmag.com.

Copyright © 2012 God's World Publications
All rights reserved
Articles may not be reproduced without permission
July 07, 2002, Vol. 17, No. 26

Bureaucratic burial Jun. 29, 2002	NEA: School bully Jun. 22, 2002	Global shame Jun. 15, 2002
The Marriage Amendment Jun. 8, 2002	Will Kurds stand alone? Jun. 1, 2002	Mounting a defense May. 25, 2002