Georgette Heyer Fans discussion

Oooh I don't know this one!

I shall be interested to hear what you think of it!

Great find, Carol! Isn’t that the one set during WWII? Should be of historical interest at least, though her contemporary “serious” novels seem to be mostly awful.

Ugh, I really didn't like that one. Sorry Carol - maybe you will find something in it that escaped me.

Carol, I'd like to know what you think if you read this.

Hilary wrote: "Oooh I don't know this one!"

GH wrote some books that she later suppressed, including 4 contemporaries. This is one of them.

Everyone else - I'm pretty sure I'm going to find this awful! I thought "Helen" was one of the worst books I'd ever read & it's supposed to be a masterpiece compared to this one.

A boss from our organisation bought a house & the previous owner left 20 boxes of books behind. They are in our storage shed & my boss & I started going through them yesterday. So far the only thing that is definitely worth money is there was one of those albums of cigarette cards.

Be exciting if there are any more GHs in the pile.

& it was a lot of fun explaining to my workmates that this dreadful book could be worth more than GH's best works! :D It has a broken spine which usually means worthless but a GH collector might still be interested

A thought:

Would anyone who has one of GH's awful contemporary novels be willing to post a summary of it for the rest of us? I think many of us are curious, but not to the extent of tracking down a copy and buying it.

Since I made the suggestion, I'd be willing to do one, if someone who has a copy would be willing to lend it.

wow that's exciting! Even if it's awful, it's still a rare GH novel.

MaryC wrote: "A thought:

Would anyone who has one of GH's awful contemporary novels be willing to post a summary of it for the rest of us? I think many of us are curious, but not to the extent of tracking down..."

In the Books folder there is this thread;

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Kate wrote an excellent review of Helen & the two of us had a bit of a discussion in the comments

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Carol ♪ Blinded by the Light ♪ GR Background wrote: "

"

Oh did you get this?? Though it may not be that interesting as so many of you'll have mentioned, I still would like to read it! It's a rare book I believe. That was a nice find for you Carol! It's outrageously priced at Amazon!

Oh, that one! Oh please, review it for us! Isn't it wild how some of the writers I admire most have turned out such an amazing amount of *stuff*, some genius, some gibberish!

Seema wrote: "
Oh did you get this?? Though it may not be that interesting as so many of you'll have mentioned, I still would like to read it! It's a ra..."

Kind of. Thing is I have a pesky thing called a conscience. The damn thing has never done anything but make my life a misery for me! So I can't take advantage of the others not knowing this book may be worth some coin. But it is at home with me for the moment.

The condition of some of the books was kind of heartbreaking. They hadn't been stored properly.

Elliot wrote: "Oh, that one! Oh please, review it for us! Isn't it wild how some of the writers I admire most have turned out such an amazing amount of *stuff*, some genius, some gibberish!"

Don't worry if I suffer, you all suffer! :D I'll start a book thread when I start reading it!

Elliot wrote: "Isn't it wild how some of the writers I admire most have turned out such an amazing amount of *stuff*, some genius, some gibberish!"

Like Thomas Hardy. Five or six great novels that make him one of the foremost Late Victorian authors, and a SLEW of forgettable ones!

They just kept working, and some semi-precious and precious jewels emerged. Also some rocks, but that's the nature of being a working writer.

Carol ♪ Blinded by the Light ♪ GR Background wrote: "Seema wrote: "
Kind of. Thing is I have a pesky thing ..."
Oh that's sad! You should try and preserve them!

MaryC wrote: "
Like Thomas Hardy. Five or six great novels that..."

That's true. I'd also say not every word Dickens penned was gold.

Anyway in a further development my GH loving friend wants to buy this & is interested if the other 3 contemporaries turn up. :)

Carol ♪ Blinded by the Light ♪ GR Background wrote: "MaryC wrote: "Anyway in a further development my GH loving friend wants to buy this & is interested if the other 3 contemporaries turn up. :) ..."

That should ease your conscience! Read as much as you can bear, first, for our benefit.

It was so horrifying to me I've tried to block it out. I was so sorry that I had cost the library the out-of-state interlibrary loan, I nearly called to apologize to her. Definitely read it with a large bag of potato chips and a notebook to record your horrors. It may take several bags of chips to force yourself through it, and it may change your opinions on Heyer as a person.

Good luck on this endeavor. (Ok, I may be overstating. But don't say I didn't warn you!)

Kate wrote: "It was so horrifying to me I've tried to block it out. I was so sorry that I had cost the library the out-of-state interlibrary loan, I nearly called to apologize to her. Definitely read it with a ..."

You get out of area loans for free??? *Carol turns an unattractive shade of green* Here it's $6 minimum. With ereaders, op shops & so on very rarely worth it.

In honour of GH I will probably have what she was having when she wrote it - a couple of really stiff gin & tonics!

I don't think I will think worse of GH then I did after Helen! After that one I didn't read any of her books for years!

Carol ♪ Blinded by the Light ♪ GR Background wrote: "... I don't think I will think worse of GH then I did after Helen! After that one I didn't read any of her books for years! ..."

Please don't react like that this time! We need you here.

HJ wrote: "
Please don't ..."

Aw, thanks! & it will be a few books down in the queue.

Also, I'm not sure if I will get back to the shed this Wednesday as another customer has donated 3 large boxes of books. Plus the usual amounts come in. I know my boss is very keen to get anything of value out into the market - but it would have been at least 37 degrees Celsius in there last week!

It must be like Christmas, delving into boxes of books to see what you'll find!

HJ wrote: "It must be like Christmas, delving into boxes of books to see what you'll find!"

If I was paid this would be the perfect job!

I bought 'Helen' a few years back when I was in my 'anything by Georgette Heyer' phase. I couldn't finish it. I really tried but it was pretty awful. Not surprised she tried to have them suppressed.

Well, ILL is "free" to me in that my taxes paid for it already. When I worked in a public library (I am now a school librarian) we once long ago estimated the average cost of out-of-system interlibrary loan at $35 not counting overhead - that was just staff salaries, postage, % of Worldcat membership, van service, etc. Illinois has very good libraries and very good library service, particularly in the Chicago area, and it's rare to need to go out of system, let alone out of state or out of the country, so it all balances out.

I think it's dreadful to charge patrons to borrow materials, though, to me it is asking those who can't afford to pay for a service to subsidize those who can afford it, since everyone is paying taxes regardless of their ability to pay additional fees. Plus why would we want to encourage people to spend their own money on drivel when the library can purchase once and sate the curiosity of so many, while discouraging production of more dreck by starving the publisher of revenue? :) And even the libraries with oodles of tax money benefit from sharing with those that don't - my ILLs of Helen and Pastel both came from small, underfunded in-system (Chicago suburban) libraries that might have oldy moldys on the shelves because a thorough weeding might wipe out the fiction collection.

Barren Corn, though, that one came from much farther afield. No excuse to have that one on shelves outside of a university or some GH studies local interest or something. Poor brave readers.

Hey, I think we should start using the phrase "Back to the Shed" as code for getting a chance to sneak off for something awesome. Like calling in sick to work and reading all day...

PS It's pretty cruel to bemoan your toasty weather to those of us trying to foist off the sub-zero shoveling on husbands so we can go back to the shed...

Kate wrote: "Hey, I think we should start using the phrase "Back to the Shed" as code for getting a chance to sneak off for something awesome. Like calling in sick to work and reading all day...

PS It's pretty..."

Ha! I know someone who is a raging alcoholic. When he goes "back to the shed" he is sneaking a few drinks!

Back to the shed in my Dad's family meant someone had to cut a switch and get a whupping. Not so pleasant as ditching work.

Great find, I am eager to hear how it turns out!

I work in a library processing inter-library loans, and until a few years ago, there was no charge. Due to budget restrictions they have recently begun charging a $3 fee, which, honestly, does not even cover the postage. Cuts had been made in every possible area, staff salary, benefits, hours, supplies, book budget, and free ILLs went away.

Although years ago, I worked in my uni's library, and they charged $3.00 per ILL way back then.

I ran out of oomph for posting last night, but no, didn't get back to the shed. Boxes & boxes of books turned up & had to be sorted. I did snag Cover looks a bit 60s MILLS & BOON but I do usually love Goudge's work.

We are" going to the shed" tomorrow morning. My boss is worried that even though the shed has cameras there may be something valuable in those boxes.

Yes I know libraries have to find some way to make money. Years ago when I worked at one of the Auckland libraries there used to be a charge on what was considered the more rubbishy fiction. Of course *sigh* GH was there but as soon as she died she was moved to the free! That logic really escaped me!

Carol ♪ Blinded by the Light ♪ GR Background wrote: "I ran out of oomph for posting last night, but no, didn't get back to the shed. Boxes & boxes of books turned up & had to be sorted. I did snag Cover looks a b..."

Elizabeth Goudge is wonderful!

I love Elizabeth Goudge as well!

One of my favorite Elizabeth Goudge books.

I went in this morning & sorted the final 20 boxes - although there are still boxes there from other sources.

Since a lot of things were priced our best guess if that the book owner had a garage sale & these were the books left behind. Of these, a couple of very old fiction books, a very old gardening book, a book of WW2 cartoons look like they could be worth something.

& no more Georgette Heyer. :(

Carol ♔ Typo Queen! ♔ wrote: "

"

Oh Carol! That is a very rare find. The rarest GH novel I have in my collection would probably be a 1st ed of The Quiet Gentleman (spine is ruined, jacket has been cut, so only the picture is available--worst, it is glued on the back of the cover) and 1st ed Lady of Quality. Luckily, the online bookstore I'm frequenting is helping me find GH novels by informing me right away of any copy they receive.

How much would your copy of Barren Corn be?

In good condition without the dust jacket my best guess would be NZ$35- 70. With a dust jacket - worth a lot of money. Honestly couldn't tell you.

But this one has a broken spine. I offered to pay $15 but was charged much less.

I've just got to finish A Civil Contract & I, Claudius & then I'll start Barren Corn. I'm looking forward to it the way I'd look forward to a dose of cod liver oil. :/

Carol ♔ Typo Queen! ♔ wrote: "In good condition without the dust jacket my best guess would be NZ$35- 70. With a dust jacket - worth a lot of money. Honestly couldn't tell you.

But this one has a broken spine. I offered to pay..."

Love your comparison there Carol. I got a copy of Helen some years ago. I tried. I really did but I couldn't finish it. One of the most boring reads ever. And I'm a huge Heyer fan!

Teresa wrote: " Love your comparison there Carol. I got a copy of Helen some years ago. I tried. I really did but I couldn't finish it. One of the most boring reads ever. And I'm a huge Heyer fan! ..."

It is mystifying how much the quality of her books can vary, isn't it? I don't think much of her contemporary mysteries, either, but at least one can finish them. And I don't care for her histories, either. But to think they came from the same brain which wrote Frederica or Cotillion or The Grand Sophy -- well!

Teresa wrote: " I got a copy of Helen some years ago. I tried. I really did but I couldn't finish it. One of the most boring reads ever. And I'm a huge Heyer fan!

I think I've posted elsewhere here that after Helen I didn't read GH for years. One of the worst books I've ever read.

HJ, I often wonder if her husband was an influence there, maybe bemoaning that she was having to waste her talent writing Regencies rather than completing her masterpiece My Lord John.
& she wrote the mysteries to involve her husband,didn't she? (although I like the Hannasyde/Hemingway ones)

Possibly, Carol, although I think her belief that her Regencies were of less merit than her histories was one she held all along, even without her husband's influence. But then romances have never been given proper credit, and still aren't! And in her day men were just as likely to read her books as women, so it wasn't just because they were seen as being for women.

As for her mysteries -- yes, my understanding is that he was involved in plotting many of them. Maybe that's why they don't come to life in the same way the Regencies do; in my view it's not a good idea to graft characters onto a plot, instead of the characters themselves giving rise to the plot because of their characteristics and interaction.

I think I read somewhere that she was working on a history book about the kings of England or Tudors or some such. This seemed to be a passion of hers. She was known to say that the Regencies were written to pay the bills. But she must have had some love for them because they are so brilliantly written and the research is spot on.

Teresa wrote: "I think I read somewhere that she was working on a history book about the kings of England or Tudors or some such. This seemed to be a passion of hers. She was known to say that the Regencies were ..."

That would be My Lord John. Koestler has a theory that in GH's heart of hearts she knew MLJ was a bad book & that is why she never got it finished.

Thanks for that Carol. I know she was very disappointed over this book. Think she felt it was more worthy or something. If I had been able to write Regencies like she did I'd have been over the moon.

Teresa wrote: "I think I read somewhere that she was working on a history book about the kings of England or Tudors or some such. This seemed to be a passion of hers. She was known to say that the Regencies were ..."

I wish she had written about the Tudors, at least she couldn't have made it as boring as MLJ or Simon The Coldheart . They were so laboured and so lifeless it is hard to imagine that GH wrote them . I have read - maybe in Koestler - that some of the reason for their lifelessness is that she failed to grasp the importance of religion in medieval days.

For me, the main difficulty with Heyer's histories is that she eliminates her biggest strength - her humor. I expect that would be as true if she wrote about the Tudors.

I don't think she failed to grasp it so much that she seems to have despised it so utterly that she was unable to grasp the medieval paradigm, their way of making sense of the world, which included religion in its hierarchy. (And Howard's right, no humor.)

According to the Koestler biography, she was angry that she wasn't accepted by the literati, and Lord John was to fix that.

IIRC it's the Jane Aiken Hodge biography The Private World of Georgette Heyer that introduces that particular criticism of Heyer's medieval fiction -- that she really didn't "get" religious faith. Even her clergyman characters in her Regencies don't generally make it beyond "good, kind, learned people" (e.g. Arabella's father), assuming they escape being hypocrites or prigs. Then there's the "by-the-Book" religion of the Bible-quoting Nurse Priddy, who is certainly a true-to-life character -- there are plenty of people like that in the world right now! -- but who still misses the whole picture.

Judith L.
H. was very good at regency romance, less good at contemporary mysteries, and unfortunately not at all good at her ambition to write a serious, critically praised historical novel. Well, it is hard to recognize one's limitations, especially when one's ambition is perfectly praiseworthy; certainly true of me, I'm sure.