Artist: William Breakspeare - source
I'm doing a bit of re-reading lately, mostly Georgette Heyer - it's the mood I'm in. For those of you not familiar with Heyer's work, Wikipedia is generously informative re: Heyer's biography and bibliography.
A new year benefits when begun with Heyer. (Words to live by.)
The author's expertly researched Regency Romances as well as the couple of Georgian Romances I've read are - dare I say it? - enchanting. Well, why not? Heyer invented the genre. Best of all, her sense of humor coupled with the occasional absurdity always make me laugh out loud. (I love a book that doesn't purport to make me laugh out loud but does so anyway.) Heyer's occasional use of Regency slang takes getting used to, but hey, it's not rocket science - plus it's loads of fun.
The wicked delight Heyer takes in her characters and their lives is totally evident in her best books and transfers itself to the reader immediately. Her affection for the often endearing secondary characters is also obvious from the first. No one can write a better Regency fop or a lack-wit gudgeon or a brainless twit (but always with affection), better than Heyer.
This era in British history lends itself to romantic imaginings probably because of Jane Austen. Of course the reality was somewhat different and mostly rather grim, but while reading Heyer's Regencies you can make believe that happily ever after really existed once upon a time.
I also enjoy Heyer's less well-known 'contemporary' detective fiction which, to my mind, rivals some of the best of Golden Era. I haven't, yet, read any of her more serious historical work so can't say anything about those. But I've heard very good things about AN INFAMOUS ARMY which is said to contain one of the best accounts of the Battle of Waterloo found in fiction.
The following is a list of my favorite Georgette Heyer Regency and Georgian books. Where I've reviewed the book, a link is included.
Warning: the more you read of Heyer's work, the more you want to read. It soon becomes an addiction.
1) ARABELLA (1949) Regency.
2) COTILLION (1953) Regency
3) THE GRAND SOPHY (1950) Regency
4) THE TALISMAN RING (1936) Regency
5) SYLVESTER, or THE WICKED UNCLE (1957) Regency
6) THE CORINTHIAN (1940) Regency
7) THE NONESUCH (1962) Regency
8) FREDERICA (1965) Regency
9) FRIDAY'S CHILD (1944) Regency
10) FARO'S DAUGHTER (1941) Regency
11) THE RELUCTANT WIDOW (1946) Regency
12) THESE OLD SHADES (1926) Georgian
13) THE DEVIL'S CUB (1932) Georgian
14) THE CIVIL CONTRACT (1961) Regency Historical
15) THE CONVENIENT MARRIAGE (1934) Georgian
Yvette, my Georgette Heyer reading has been exclusively among her mysteries, which are generally very good. I think my own favorite, which I'd recommend to you and your readers, is ENVIOUS CASCA, which has interesting characters, a good deal of humor and wit, and a good locked room/impossible crime murder. What's not to like?
ReplyDeleteYou know, Les, I think I have that somewhere on my bookshelves and I may have even have read it at some point. But ask me about it and I draw a blank. Time to go looking. I do think Heyer's Regencies are more women oriented than most books. :)
DeleteI'd read several of Heyer's mysteries, but I was just introduced to her Regencies this month—it seemed practically everybody I knew was reading The Grand Sophy and raving about it, so I had to try it, and I loved it too. I wasn't sure if I'd care anything about non-Austen Regencies, but I love Heyer's style. I've got another one on request from the library now.
ReplyDeleteOh you picked a great one to begin with, Elisabeth. Heyer's style is so hard to resist. :)
DeleteOh my and I've ever just read one by her and a mystery one at that!
ReplyDeleteWell, you'll just have to play catch-up, Peggy Ann. :)
ReplyDeleteYvette, I know a couple of people who swear by Georgette Heyer just as others do about Agatha Christie. I aim to read at least some of her books this year.
ReplyDeleteThen you'll have to look for her mysteries, Prashant. Wikipedia has a full list.
DeleteGood gad that's a lot of favourites - would it have been easier to list the ones that you thought were't very good? I do have several of hers on the shelves (admittedly the crime ones) but must dig deeper - thanks Yvette, as always.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Sergio. Heyer wrote a lot of books, a lot of terrific books. I'm a greedy reader. :)
DeleteI've just finished a reread of my favourite, The Talisman Ring. It's got everything, including TWO adorable romantic couples. And prior to that, I reread Envious Casca, one of my regular Christmas reads.
ReplyDeleteI think this really cold weather encourages hunkering down with a stack of good old-fashioned books.
I so agree with you Susan. It's the weather. Old favorites make you feel warmer. :)
DeleteAs for THE TALISMAN RING - don't you think that it would make a terrific operetta? All that coming and going in and out of the inn. I think it would be lots of fun. I wish I knew how to write music. :)
Yvette, I just received word from the Malice Domestic folks that a book called "Georgette Heyer" by Jennifer Kloester has been nominated for an Agatha Award in the Best Nonfiction category. Sounds like one you might want to look up... :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, thanks for the info, Les. :) I'll check and see.
ReplyDeleteOooh - perfect. I'll just read straight down this list. Thanks! Belle
ReplyDeleteYou won't go wrong. I have superb taste in Heyer books. :)
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