Regency Buck: Georgette Heyer Book Club Part 4

not saying the name as it could out me IRL, but DD3 shares a name with a minor GH character who is selfish and a bit stupid - it is a book I hadn't read till a few years ago, and was a bit when DDs name popped up . Thankfully DD3 isn't selfish or a bit stupid.

Snap DashingRedhead, dp doesn't know that's where my inspiration for dd1 came from. He turned down Venetia for dd2 though.

Yes, that's very funny. He has the measure of her within minutes.

Actually my dd does have a name from GH. Quite late in the pregnancy I was reading Sylvester and (without telling DH where I got the idea) suggested Phoebe to him. I'd almost forgotten that!

Lovely anti-heroine: not that pretty, shy, bookish, horsy and incredibly funny and clever.

To go back to Worth, the bit where he says to Peregrine that Judith naturally wanted the house she was told she couldn't have makes me feel he could be an awful lot worse.

DH would never have countenanced any GH name for our DD, save perhaps Abby (as in Wendover).

Our dog is Letty, as in Letty Lade and also one of the minor characters in April Lady but there's no way I'd have got away with it for a child .

How lovely that the RL Venetia lived up to her literary namesake, MG. I wonder if her mum was a GH fan.

I knew a Venetia once. She was blonde and very beautiful and spirited and really could have doubled as Venetia Lanyon. I found that quite satisfying somehow.

Highly logical! Save skipping about.

Fwiw I think GH does better when she isn't reusing characters. She has to change them (eg Tracy to Justin, but even Justin between books) to get the story right and it is awkward. Better simply to start again.

RuthlessBaggage, when we started the GH Bookclub we initially agreed to read in order of publication but Black Moth was so clearly the inspiration behind These Old Shades that we went straight on to that while the memories were fresh then it seemed to make sense to read Devil's Cub as it's the sequel. But then we decided we should read Regency Buck before An Infamous Army so we had met all the characters in in IA as their younger selves.

So there is method in our madness!

I think we're back to reading in order after IA, aren't we?

I read a lot of Cornwell (Sharpe) before coming to Heyer, and by comparison her battle descriptions are short, pithy and plot-driven.

A lot of the same characters come up, too. Worth cross-reading.

I've got that one already, Leonie . I bought it early on in my GH addiction. It's pretty good although her links to GH novels tend to focus on the same handful rather than the whole range but there's some interesting stuff about Regency society, etc.

I'll go and have a look at Dilys' recommendation on Amazon now but I think I want a big coffee table tome with plenty of lavish illustrations and all the key events of the Regency.

Did anyone catch the series about it on BBC3 a few months ago? There were lots of events in it which are referenced fleetingly in GH but unless you know the event and when it happened it sort of passes you by, iykwim.

I adore Heyer, and I LOVE Worth, although he is a difficult character I think. He's very much in the current fashion of controlling, abusive strong leading men. He is more distant in Infamous Army and Judith has grown a pair matured so it's a very interesting book for that reason.

Heyer's heroes so rarely give anything away. Compare Worth to Avon, or Beaumaris, for example. If they'd just occasionally tell us what they are thinking, the poor girls would be saved so much heartache.

Oh, I meant to add that I skip the battle scenes in Infamous Army too.

I'm hoping the IA discussion will focus on the human element rather than being an in-depth analysis of battle strategy.

This thread is very bad for my bank balance! I've just ordered the Beau Brummell book which can sit alongside the copy of the GH biography that I accidentally ordered last week .

Does anyone have a recommendations for general reading around the regency period? I've gone through everything Wiki has to offer but I'd like a proper book that I can dip in and out of.

Apparently the battle descriptions are extremely accurate, although, I have to admit I find them a bit dry, as well.

I've ordered it in from the Library too.

Oh yes I do Leonie, if I pick one up I have real problems putting it back down . Almost as addictive as MN...

Another fan of her Beau Brummell... think this was such a great characterisation of him that's it has stuck with me throughout life and is my template for a mild-mannered hero .

Ancilllary Beau Brummell reading suggestion if anyone is keen - Ian Kelly (bit of a renaissance man himself, he plays Hermione's dad in the Harry Potter films!) wrote a fab biography of Brummell, really loved this book; it fleshed him out beautifully (and added bonus I now know enough about the care and maintenance of a sparkling pair of hessians that I could do a champagne boot polish if needed although would rather drink it )

Leonie thank you for the tip to skip the battle scenes in Infamous Army... have never managed to finish it before

Oooo midnight I had the 'massive chest infection stay on the sofa with antibiotics for the next week' thing back last autumn. Managed a novel and a half a day, thank you dp, mum and sister for completely taking over my maternal duties.
Mind you the agonising pain in my ribs/diaphragm every time I coughed (which was every few minutes day and night) was appalling. Hope you feel better soon.
I'm being very good, I'm NOT reading any other GH's until next weekend. Or having a second glass of wine after dinner or even thinking about a cigarette or eating chocolate or - oh look a flying pig!