‘What is civilization?’ A deep and vital question we need to keep asking. I liked this pithy response, particularly one scoop coffee-flavoured with one scoop raspberry and one of mango sorbet. In a silver cup on a sunny terrace. That’s civilization.

‘What is civilization?’ asked Bridget.  ‘Ices,’ said Roger, ‘and all that sort of thing.’

For more of a taster of these timeless classics, see our review here, or simply enjoy some splendid cover illustrations for the books.

Source: Arthur Ransome, Secret Water (London: Vintage, 2014 (1939)), p. 372