The Flashman Papers

Harry Flashman is a fictional character in a series of comic historical novels and short stories by George MacDonald Fraser. The character first appears as a bully in Thomas Hughes' Tom Brown's Schooldays; toward the end of that novel he is expelled from Rugby school at 17 for drunkenness. Fraser takes up the tale from there, having him join the army. "If ever there was a time when I felt that “watcher-of-the-skies-when-a-new-planet” stuff, it was when I read the first Flashman."

- P.G. Wodehouse

Flashman participates in all of Britain's major wars of the late 19th century, plus other conflicts. The military history is generally quite accurate, except for having Flashy inserted. The tales are written in the first person, with Fraser claiming to be just Flashman's editor. All the books have extensive "editor's notes" giving historical background, and some have appendices for longer background essays. Important characters like Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi have biographies as appendices.

Flashman is a thoroughly despicable character; Fraser describes him as "a scoundrel, a drunk, a liar, a cheat [and] a braggart" and "an unrepentant old cad". He is a rake who pursues women from prostitute to princess, a bully who thoroughly enjoys beating servants, and distinctly racist. Worst of all for a military officer, he is an utter coward. Despite that, through a combination of luck and knavery, he comes out of each adventure looking like a hero. He ends up as General Sir Harry Flashman with medals from many countries, including the highest that Britain, the US and France give: the Victoria Cross, the Medal of Honor and the Légion d'honneur.

Flashy claims his only talents are with languages, horses and women. His language skills get him sent into various places as a spy or diplomat, then political and sexual complications usually get him into trouble. The tales are hilarious and definitely bawdy, though never even close to pornographic.

Avoid reading Flashman if you will be offended by his attitudes, which are an exceedingly long way from politically correct by current standards. Almost any 19th century colonial soldier would have ideas some would find offensive today, but the cynical, lecherous scoundrel Flashy is downright outrageous.

Trying to follow Flashman's routes today would be largely impractical since his adventures take him to so many places. However, his tales are worth considering as background reading if you are going to some of those places, especially the battlefields.

Destinations
We list the tales here in approximately chronological order.
 * The real conflict this was based on was the Schleswig Holstein question, a complex dispute between Germany and Denmark.
 * Cricket enthusiasts will likely enjoy the first part of the book which includes some quite detailed descriptions of the game as played in the 1840s. Flashman claims his fast bowling is the only accomplishment he is really proud of. His heroic reputation is bogus and his abilities with women, horses and languages came naturally, but he worked hard to develop skill at cricket.
 * Flashman is captured by the pirates, but eventually escapes by swimming ashore in Madagascar. His wife is also taken by the locals, despite the lovelorn pirate's effort to keep her. They have further adventures there, mainly in Antananarivo.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * The real conflict this was based on was the Schleswig Holstein question, a complex dispute between Germany and Denmark.
 * Cricket enthusiasts will likely enjoy the first part of the book which includes some quite detailed descriptions of the game as played in the 1840s. Flashman claims his fast bowling is the only accomplishment he is really proud of. His heroic reputation is bogus and his abilities with women, horses and languages came naturally, but he worked hard to develop skill at cricket.
 * Flashman is captured by the pirates, but eventually escapes by swimming ashore in Madagascar. His wife is also taken by the locals, despite the lovelorn pirate's effort to keep her. They have further adventures there, mainly in Antananarivo.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * Flashman is captured by the pirates, but eventually escapes by swimming ashore in Madagascar. His wife is also taken by the locals, despite the lovelorn pirate's effort to keep her. They have further adventures there, mainly in Antananarivo.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.
 * Later he sees all sides of the slavery system. He is forced to become a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and after abandoning his passenger he finds work as a slave driver on a plantation, but then he is sold into slavery when he is caught with the boss's wife and she falsely cries rape. It ends with a dramatic escape.

It is clear from comments in other books that Flashman also served on both sides of the American Civil War, and with Emperor Maximilian in Mexico, but alas no details have been published.