(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.

Oooh, OBM! I only have pathetic paperbacks - I will drool and covet! One friend inherited all of hers from her father, lovely hardbacks. Am hugely jealous.

Yes, agree these old shades would be lovely to start on too

this is rather sad (in both senses) but when my mother died reading and re-reading Georgette Heyer was almost the only thing that got me through. She and Agatha Christie were the only authors I could cope with.

Totally witty, amusing, wise and engaging without being in the least pretentious, demanding, pontificating or reductive.

Love her.

What a fabulous father PP!

YV
Oh, you've made me feel all weepy. Can't see screen. I was just thinking that probably, my mothers books still smell of her, a bit, as well as mouldy old paper etc.

At the risk of being shouted down, I don't think These Old Shades is such classic Heyer - maybe it is the French setting. I'd read Arabella, The Grand Sophy, Black Sheep, Frederica or Venetia first, TF. Although the first one I read was 'A Civil Contract' which is not at all like the others, and I was still hooked.

Dh is away tonight, might have to read GH for hours in bed.

I can see me having to use dd's book allowance as well at this rate

PP yes, I think it's all very much to do with which one you read first, isn't it.
I remember it took me a while to get into the others because they weren't frenchified.

Although I do think that there's a rather thrilling sexual subtext in TOS which I don't remember finding quite so vivid in her others.

OBM! Although, yes, struck me as interesting too!

I made DH read one once and he said he enjoyed it, although I notice he hasn't ploughed through all her oeuvre.

lol at ploughing through oevre!

Can you imagine how freaked out they'd be, though, with this sudden explosion of interest? Suspicious, I think - wanting desperately to believe, but not quite able to?

The Spanish Bride is based on a true story apparently. I'm quite fond of it - I like her plucky heroines.

You are completely right about TOS and its subtext, OBM. Not sure Avon is a very nice man at all... . Lesser but similar frisson in Devil's Cub, especially when the Duke turns up. And it is definitely Damerel's sordid Byronic past which makes him the perfect hero in Venetia.

bloody hell pp I bet they would! God how fantastic!

I read Sylvester first - definitely one of my faves now and a good one to start with. I agree that These Old Shades isn't classic GH - too early on I think.

I do like the one with Judith and Lord Worth in - which is that one?

I remember when I was in Nepal trekking after I left university, discovering a bookshop full of GHs. It is quite a strange place to be reading GH really!

pp my dh read Arabella while we were in Nepal together , I think he hasn't read anymore since though...

Funding to include complete set of first editions and many trips to Bath and environs for research purposes. I feel a PhD proposal coming on ...

Yes which is the Judith/Lord Worth one?

Pollyanna, that was the one DH read too (although not in Nepal, ). I chose it for him because it has so much fabulous dialogue and a bewitchingly beautiful, clever and good heroine .

Regency Buck?

Oh yes PP, and gowns, and wig when appropriate.

A crate of rataffia to encourage thought.

A spaniel.

A phaeton.

I went round the Jane Austen museum in Bath, and was tutted at by the rest of the group (you have to sit through the talk first, adn go round in a big group ) because i kept squealing "oh yes, I know that, that was in GH". And actually being in the Assembly Rooms (which are not nearly as big as I'd imagined them to be - very nice cafe in there though). Need to arrange a weekend away with DD1 who has discovered GH.....

lol OBM

you see! it's like a lovely inheritance! A fabulous gift from clever mothers to their clever daughters! I CANNOT wait till DD 2.5 is reading. Am going to get the flashcards out RIGHT NOW!