(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.

[procrastinatingparent]

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.

[HonoriaGlossop]

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

[TheYoungVisiter]

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.

[onebatmother]

What a fabulous father PP!

[onebatmother]

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.

[procrastinatingparent]

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.

[TigerFeet]

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

[onebatmother]

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.

[procrastinatingparent]

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.

[onebatmother]

lol at ploughing through oevre!

[Issy]

There is a UK-based GH forum at gheyer.9.forumer.com/. It's rather quiet and I'm sure it would welcome new acolytes!

[onebatmother]

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?

[RosaLuxOnTheBrightSideOfLife]

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

[procrastinatingparent]

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.

[onebatmother]

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

[Pollyanna]

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!

[Pollyanna]

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

[procrastinatingparent]

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 ...

[onebatmother]

Yes which is the Judith/Lord Worth one?

[procrastinatingparent]

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 .

[procrastinatingparent]

Regency Buck?

[onebatmother]

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

A crate of rataffia to encourage thought.

A spaniel.

A phaeton.

[ShrinkingViolet]

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.....

[procrastinatingparent]

lol OBM

[onebatmother]

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!