(For OBM, and any other fans) Georgette Heyer Appreciation Society

[wombling]

Thought it was a good idea to start this lw, so we stopped cluttering up the Austen Thread (thanks onebatmother, for the suggestion). But I have only just managed to get around to it, so is there anyone else out there who is keen?

What are your favourites, I love These Old Shades, Devils Cub, The Grand Sophy and Venetia. I also managed to discover a historical novel I didn't know wbout "The Great Roxhythe", unfortunately out of print. When googling, I also managed to find www.georgetteheyer.com, which is a mine of info I didn't know about, esp about her modern novels.

[constancereader]

I seem to remember Margaret Drabble being very complementary about GH.

[RosaLuxOnTheBrightSideOfLife]

I have all the historical novels: faves are Frederica, Venetia, the Grand Sophy and These Old Shades. I also love the cameo appearance the Duke of Avon makes in Devil's Cub. He is SO my ideal man. I wish there were more, I would love to be reading them for the first time again, but noone else ever came close - as OBM says, it is the humour that makes them stand out, they are laugh out loud books.

[procrastinatingparent]

OBM I love the fact that she doesn't explain what things are to modern day readers (always a danger in historical fiction). Took me ages to work out what a phaeton was or rataffia. Actually, still could have them completely wrong as have never studied that period in history and everything I know about it comes from GH!

Such smashing dialogue, and wonderful balls, and candles guttering in their holders - but when I try to explain to anyone in those terms they just think it is ghastly.

[procrastinatingparent]

Venetia! Think Lord Damerel might be my ideal man (sorry, DH)...

[HonoriaGlossop]

I often think they should do a GH for a Sunday night period drama. We've been all Jane-Austened out...

though I think it should be illegal for whatshisname to adapt it - the guy that puts rude bits in Jane Austen - Andrew Davies. Yuk.

[cmotdibbler]

I have heard that GHs history is so good that one of them is/was used for officer training at Sandhurst re the Napoleonic wars. Certainly I've found that I know a worrying amount of social history of that period when it comes up in discussion - and its all from GH

[Pollyanna]

Friday's Child isn't one of my favourites actually - I prefer my heros more sardonic and brooding than Sherry!

I do like Faro's Daughter too.

Also not very keen on the pure historical novels.

[wombling oh yes, know who you are...please ignore any rants about my mother you may witness on here, suffice to say atm I preferred 200 miles between us...]

[TheYoungVisiter]

Can I join please please please?

I love them all but have a soft spot for The Masqueraders as it was the first one I ever read. Though totally preposterous (brother dresses up as sister and vice versa - very Shakespearian!)

[HonoriaGlossop]

funnily enough I have just read The Masqueraders!

I just love the dialogue, it's set that bit earlier and is all 'egad!' and 'faith!' etc

[procrastinatingparent]

I think the masqueraders and the black moth were some of her earlier ones and I don't like them as much (sorry).

I do love both her young ditzy heroines and her older sensible finding love late in life (29!) ones. And I love her young dopey heroes and her older sardonic rakes. Actually I love them all.

[DarrellRivers]

I love GH
I can remember The Grand Sophy and Frederica
perhaps The Corinthian, and Sprig Muslin

[TheYoungVisiter]

PP, I do know what you mean. it's very, very silly but that's part of the charm I think!

Her later ones are much more intentionally funny aren't they? I am just re-reading the talisman ring actually, which is exactly that (older sensible heroine, young romantic one).

[procrastinatingparent]

TYV 'charm' is a very good work for GH - there is something so engaging about her characters.

Forgot the Talisman Ring combined both sorts of heroine - love all those freetraders and hiding in the cellar!

[onebatmother]

[wombling]

OOh! How exciting, lots of kindred spirits, Yep, AS Byatt, Stephen Fry, Margaret Drabble, and India Knight all love her, latest editions all feature quotes from them.

I have to say, I love all of them, the older, sillier ones & the more serious, leter ones too. Iirc, The Black Moth was written when she was in her teens to entertain her ill brother, so that prob explains the silliness. Cmot, yes I heard that the account of the battle of Waterloo in An Infamous Army is recknoned to be the most accurate written representation.

Does anyone remember The Spanish Bride?

[Issy]

GH relatively unique in providing witty, charming and complete escapism without insulting my intelligence, my historical sense or my literary standards.

[TigerFeet]

I am off to the library tomorrow, will definitely have a read of GH. Any recommendations for a first read?

I am to admit I had to Google AS Byatt and Margaret Drabble - interesting that they are sisters but can't seem to stand one another (according to Wikipedia anyway so pinch of salt taken). I may have to have a read of them too.

[edam]

Fantastic idea for a thread!

I heard the same about An Infamous Army being used at Sandhurst. Certainly a very moving, detailed account of the battle - better than the one I got studying O-level history. And I think there's a bibliography or something listing the original sources she studied - Wellington's dispatches and so on.

Charming is exactly the right word for Georgette Heyer. She's v. v. good at young men and boys (I think she had a son?). Clearly understands them very well. Sherry and his friends in Friday's Child are lovely.

I like the grown up heroines best - the ones who are independent. Ancilla Trent, for instance. Or the woman whose parents are 18th century hippies (the hero's cousin is trying to murder him.. silly plot but fab heroine).

Adore the way she uses real people for minor characters - Poodle Byng and Beau Brummell. I often wonder if Lord Worth and Judith would have saved the Beau from ruin had they only been real...

[procrastinatingparent]

Wish I'd said that Issy - exactly right. Too little genre fiction that does not insult that trinity ...!

Remember lending my GH library to friend who was pregnant and had 2 other children and a husband who was working abroad. She just got into bed at 8pm every night and read and read, found them so comforting.

She now lives in the US and has to buy them on Ebay, thereby robbing herself of the other pleasure of GH which is finding them cheap in charity shops. Although I have noticed there are not as many to be found as before. [I am such a sad fan I am now trying to collect them all in the same cover...]

[wombling]

Ooh Tigerfeet, try These Old Shades, for sheer devilishness and passion, and Arabella for romantic escapism. Oh I am jealous ina way that you are about to discover them for the first time. I remember being a teenager, and feeling like it was the greatest thrill once I discovered them, I found Regency Buck in the library, and fell upon it iirc. Sigh, happy reading.

[HonoriaGlossop]

TigerFeet you must try Friday's Child first

I know I sound like a broken record, I appreciate her others but I think this book is magical. Totally agree with Edam that Sherry and his friends are brilliantly 'real' and lovely.

[onebatmother]

I am going to take a photo of my ma's collection and post it here PP. They have pale brown battered cloth hardback covers and red writing, I think.
And they smell fantastic!

[HonoriaGlossop]

just read your last post issy - that's so so well put. Exactly.

[wombling]

Pollyanna,

Don't worry, I can imagine that having one's mother on the doorstep could be more trouble than it's worth, mine certainly is, I will deffo turn a blind eye to any rants!

[onebatmother]

While I, TigerFeet, would strongly recommend These Old Shades for a novice.

Slightly less ...masochistic, Honoria? Though with similarly curled upper-lip quotient.