Recently Read and Recommended - The Flashman

Back in the late 1960's George MacDonald Fraser started a series of historical novels called the Flashman series. The series is an hilarious send-up of Victorian society and the British Empire.

The tale is told from the long lost (fictional) Flashman Papers and is written from the perspective of an 80 year old Flashman. Harry Flashman, aka Flashy, is a coward and a cad, not to mention one horny devil. His sense of self-preservation is exceeded only by his most incredible luck. 'Flashman' begins the series of tales that relate Flashy's exploits. The book begins with Flashy being kicked out of school, cuckolding his own father, joining and being thrown out of the 11th Hussars, but ending up in India and then Afghanistan with British Army.

Sometimes I would begin to think 'well, Flashy is really just giving voice to the same fears that every soldier feels in the face of imminent battle and likely death', but then he'll do something dreadfully base, contemptible, detestable, dirty, dishonorable, low, mean, sordid, vile, and wretched and then I remember just what a despicable character he has - funny, magnetic, and almost loveable, but despicable nonetheless! Absolutely hilarious. Highest recommendation.