The Fishing Fleet: Husband-Hunting in the Raj Hardcover – March 4, 2014

I really enjoyed this book. It was something I had wondered about. Having met several Army Wives in the 80s - and heard stories of multiple postings over as many years ( and the stories that went with them) and met Army “Brats” - those who had been sent to boarding school at 5&6 so Mum could go with Dad. Holidays in far off postings. Or not. Some even went to finishing school in Switzerland- which by the 80s morphed into Chalet girls - so you could cook then ski. Many girls STILL want to marry into the Army, but officer & above in Cavalry etc. The whole “fleet” thing has just changed and moved with time and circumstance. Those in the upper echelons of the Forces need a partner who understand the demands of the job. There are still those who have been trained over generations for just that job - if they want it. This book was a tiny glimpse into a life that no longer exits. It seemed to exist like an exotic hothouse flower that needed extravagant care, when the care ran out, the flower died.

This is the first book read about the time of the Raj. And it was worth the time. Colorful stories of a time in the past that hopefully the world won't see again. A cattle call of young women to find the highest ranking and riches husbands. Everything being slanted to the male 's advantage. Most of the stories have a happy ever after ending never mind the ones that didn't. I could not believe all these brave women when though just to have husbands. In some cases its a fairly brake land of dinner parties, hunting and dancing your feet off. There is a!so a darker.side of heat , sickness, snakes and isolation. But never mind that everybody dance and have a great time. These women are so brave for just thinking about doing this with all the travel and unknowns. When I first started reading I had a very negative view of these "husband hunting women, more as social climbing ,well whores .this turn out not to be as true as I thought. Though rich and pretentious do do something like.this risk all they had to be brave or very dumb. Mostly I feel the parents played the biggest role in putting their children on the sales block. Yes, i,m looking back to the past with different rules and different social standard but to Me it seems more like a " slave trade". Notice.they didn't do this with the men. Plus the fact that they shipped their children off back to England for several years and got the girls back at the age to be married off is a little cold hearted, why have children ? I didn't include much about the native people of India. Because the author doesn't. it's more of they are happy to work all hours and serve the nice white people. Al! Of thus being said the book is a look in to a past that seems hard to believe, like the Gone with the wind , that's if you where the rich whites in the story. Still the hard part is I liked the book couldn't believe what some of these women when. Through and did in one life time. I would.say read the boom but keep in your mind the other side of some of other who's life's didn't seem to matter. My next rant would have to be all the hunting and treatment of animals. I can understand the one for the pot idea but the tiger hunts that .are so much fun for them,not caring or thinking of what.they are doing seems .so heart less. I know hunting was different but the author didn't even take a stand on how bad it was. Well after all this I did enjoy the book and it's worth read. Ha he a.strong stomach in reading some of the parts. And think about the other part of the story not been I told. Garb a cool drink head out to the spring g weather and read a bout life in the Raj. If you live in a cooler climate , you will enjoy the winters more after the heat in the book.

I found this book interesting and informative, if a bit repetitive. However, I do have a caveat. These young brides were consistently described as intrepid, "chin up and bear it all" types. There was no mention of any young woman who gave up, left her husband and went home to England. I don't believe this didn't happen. The conditions in India could be extremely trying. Though the country was beautiful, there was much hardship to bear. The weather, illness, bugs and rats, loneliness; all this must have defeated at least some young women, but we didn't hear of this. Ms. de Coucy writes only of the brave girls who managed to forge some kind of life in the Raj. I would have liked to learn a bit about the other side. Still, I would recommend this book for its vivid descriptions of India during the time of the Raj and what life was like for those who made a life there.

I've lived in the Anamallais where one of the Fishing Fleet girls married a planter on Stanmore Estate and they were among the founding members of the Anamallai Club of which I was a century later, a member and Secretary. So the story felt very familiar. Amazing people with their own problems, many self created by their racist snobbery. But still their resolve, strength, courage and dedication comes through very inspiringly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Until I stumbled across the Amazon page for it I had no idea that women would actually volunteer to face danger, sickness, terrible heat and years of bad hair days just to nab a husband. In the early years during the mid 1800's the East India company paid the women to come to India whether they found husbands or not. Later, when the British Government took over, ladies or their families paid considerable fees for the women to sail to India to, hopefully, win the husband lottery.I agree with those who say that the chapter topics are awkward and make the book seem disjointed. It might have been better to arrange the book chronologically. There were women I hoped to hear more about later, but were never mentioned again. What happened to the woman who had polio? Did she find a husband?Would I read any book just because it's written by Anne de Courcy. No. But will definitely read more about India during the time period of the Fishing Fleet.