Jilly Cooper fans - over here...

[JackieNo]

How about a trip to Jillywood?

(although, being slightly picky, since when has Dom Joly been a 'celebrity gardener'?)

Bump.

also picky Pete doesn't live in the cotswolds.
but fun for a day out with fellow jilly addicts.

So where does Pete live? Presumably London?

Oh HELLO JackieNo! I have been re reading Jilly recently, just finished Polo (mentions of Princess Diana abound but it is v enjoyable) and Octavia and Prudence and have Lisa and co short stories o the go now. They are not as satisfying. I am thinking of re reading Pandora to get me through the next month of commuting even though I only have it in hardback.

I've been re-reading the really old ones, with the girls' names, and really enjoying them (in a frothy, frivolous kind of way - plus they remind me of my youth, when I first read them), but I haven't ventured any further. I've never even read (I don't think) The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, or any since then. I gather 'Wicked' is pretty dire.

Wicked is fairly dire, there's some HORRIBLE paedo stuff in it, really not very Jilly at all, I don't know what she was thinking. The man who made husbands etc is a pile of shite, won't be reading that again, doubt I've even got it tbh.
but have been loving imogen, octavia, bella etc

They all seemed so daring and naughty when I first read them. But now I enjoy them for spotting the jokes that come up, and the descriptions of the clothes.

Ooh - that reminds me. I saw an ad recently for perfume (Lancome, maybe), that had as its music 'When love comes in and takes you for a spin, ooh la la la c'est magnifique', and I'd never heard the actual song before, but it reminded me instantly of the line in one of the books (to my shame can't remember which one - maybe Imogen?), where the heroine's drunk, and she sings 'When love comes in and takes you for a spin, ooh la la it's bloody awful' .

I know, there was a bit in one of the ones where she was describing this
'heavenly, handsome man' and all sounded lovely until she got to the description of his moustache! And cord suit!

. And they all have medallions.

I can't remember which one it is, I think it might be Polo, but Daisy goes to a wedding in a crushed velvet purple knickerbocker suit. I think with a frilly blouse as well. And supposedly looks good!

minnie - that would ave been rupert's marriage to taggie [yes i know too much]

pete lives not far from me unfortunately in darkest wiltshire

DisasterArea - you really do know too much. So do you ever see Pete knocking around?

I was very at Wicked. Very dubious stuff imo.

Used to quite like her,although she was very unoriginal and often repeated the same wittycomment in several books.

It is Polo, because I've just re read it and yes, it is Rupert's wedding to Taggie.

Ever had a Jilly moment in real life?? A few years ago I was at my parents' for xmas and on Boxing Day we went over to friends of theirs for drinks. There I was, standing in the kitchen sipping champagne with the other women, watching the men on the lawn clay pigeon shooting when it struck me - it could have been straight out of a Jilly novel (even down to the host having it off with his secretary and her husband trashing the host's car as revenge, etc. etc.).

minniemummy. Were you wearing a purple velvet knickerbocker suit, by any chance ?

God I love Jilly! The thing that always makes me laugh is how she goes on about polo players, showjumpers, art dealers etc HITTING THE HEADLINES AT EVERY GIVEN OPPORTUNITY. And being mobbed by fans! When does this happen in real life? Who really cares about polo? Ah, love it!

[deep breath] ??.. [whispers] ??.. I quite like The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous! It was my first Jilly and I?ve got a real soft spot for it. But Polo is my fave ? ah, Luke! Agree with you lot - Wicked! should be called Shite! You can tell she?s spent a lot of time with the kids down at her local comp can?t you?

Here you go, masalachameleon - a bibiography. I don't think it matters what order you read the first ones in though - they're all self-contained.

Emily (1975)
Bella (1976)
Harriet (1976)
Octavia (1977)
Imogen (1978)
Prudence (1978)
Lisa and Co. also released as Love and Other Heartaches (1981)

The Rutshire Chronicles:

Riders (1986)
Rivals (1988) (also called Players)
Polo (1991)
The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (1993)
Appassionata (1996)
Score! (1999)
Pandora (2002)
Wicked! (2006)

I love the Man who made husbands Jealous!

Appassionata is the steaming pile, too much classical music description zzzz

Reread Rivals recently. Love the Rupert/Taggie love story.

Blimey JackiNo, I thought I had a pretty encyclopaedic knowledge of Jilly Coooper books, but you've beaten me!

Another Jilly fave is Class - it's great. I read it when I was about 13 and it had me in stitches. Is a bit like Noblesse Oblige but written in the 70's.

I live in Cheltenham and sometimes hope to bump into Jilly Cooper shopping in Cavendish House (saddo emoticon)

GetOrfMoiLand - oh blimey no, I cut and pasted that from Wikipedia.

Riders, Rivals and Polo def the best, they kind of go downhill bit after that (sacrilege), however do admit to a soft spot for Pandora.

Have just re-read Riders and Rivals for the first time in years, love Rupert and Taggie!

lol!