> I think I haven't been exposed to such a good writing in years. (Which probably says as much about average modern writing as it does about my reading habits)

I have been reading the Aubrey-Maturin book series by Patrick O'Brien (you may have heard of the film, Master and Commander, based on some of the books). It is a literary treasure trove that has impeccable historical accuracy. The same demonic drive rings through in these books as POB started his series of 20 books well before the information age.