Arthur Ransome, Peter Duck

- The first installment of Arthur Ransome's adventure novels, "Swallows and Amazons," was published in 1930, and in the years following, the series has become a cult classic. - The beloved children's books chronicle the adventures of two families, whose children form the Swallows and the Amazons, two groups that embark on summertime adventures in England's Lake District; camping, fishing, exploring, and pirateering. - From the author's note, found on title page: "I have been often asked how I came to write Swallows and Amazons. The answer is that it had its beginning long, long ago when, as children, my brother, my sisters and I spent most of our holidays on a farm at the south end of Coninston...We adored the place. Coming to it we used to run down to the lake, dip our hands in and wish, as if we had just seen the new moon. Going away from it we were half drowned in tears. While away from it, as children and as grown ups, we dreamt about it. No matter where I was, wandering about th