Categories: Go Ahead, Win Some Shit
Tags: georgette heyer, julia quinn, recommendations, sourcebooks
by SB Sarah • Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 07:03 AM
Unquestionably powerful librarian Nancy Pearl (I mean, dude, she has her own Action Figure!) has a new article up at NPR of her recommendations for carry-on books that make traveling and waiting a marvelous escape. Says Pearl, “You want a book — either fiction or nonfiction — that’s complex enough to smother your annoyance when the guy in the row ahead reclines his seat into your lap, but not so intellectually challenging that it demands a dictionary.” Oh, hell to the yes, ma’am.
And ho, there, what awesome sauce through yonder linkage breaks? It is the Heyer, and she is on the list! Heyer’s An Infamous Army is among the books recommended as perfect for carry-on reading, to which I say, “Carry on, Ms. Pearl, for verily thou art rocking my socks.”
But wait, there’s more! We’ll sell you the whole seat, but you’ll only need the edge! Sourcebooks, which has reissued many of Heyer’s books with absolutely scrumptiously opulent covers (if they were pastries they’d be moist cupcakes with four inches of perfect icing), is offering 10 books to Smart Bitch readers.
We have three copies of An Infamous Army, plus one each of Friday’s Child, Cotillion, Royal Escape, False Colours, Lady of Quality, Black Sheep, and Faro’s Daughter. Ten books for ten winners!
So leave a comment, and tell us your favorite Heyer scene, character, or just book in general. I’m not eligible, but I will say with no fear that I can reread over and over the scene in Devil’s Cub where Kate Mary (sorry!) begins to sniffle in front of Vidal, and he realizes due to her graceless snurfle she’s not at all like her silly sister, oh, no no no.
I’ll pick 10 winners at random, and you’ll get yourself some Heyer if you win. You have 24 hours. Carry on!
ETA: Heyer, Heyer everwhere! GalleyCat is hosting a GalleyLOLCat contest, wherein the winner gets some Heyer, too. Bitchery reader Mandy’s cat is in the running: seems Tiny likes Julia Quinn. Tiny, says I, has good taste.
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Categories: Go Ahead, Win Some Shit
Tags: georgette heyer, julia quinn, recommendations, sourcebooks
Categories: Go Ahead, Win Some Shit
Tags: georgette heyer, julia quinn, recommendations, sourcebooks
But, but, but… I’ve never read Heyer and I truly want to. But all my money has been spent smashing herring to feed the rejected baby penguins and *tear rolling down cheek* my reading Heyer has had to suffer.
But if I were a winner I do vow: I would put the penguins to sleep with a chapter of Heyer every night.
(spamfilter: recently15. There’s my mental status for you!)
Evelyn said on...My favorite G. Heyer is Arabella. First discovered the author on audio tape way back in the early 90s when I was commuting long miles. I had never read a Regency, nor listened to a book on tape, and just selected the title at random. What a delightful surprise! I knew I was in Heyer heaven when I was oblivious to the bumper-to-bumper traffic because I was enjoying the story so much!
My favorite scene/lines comes from the nonpareil himself, Mr. Beaumaris: “I am quite sure you did, my love, but while I am prepared to receive into my household climbing-boys and stray curs, I must draw the line at a lady rejoicing in the name of Leaky Peg.”
Cotillion! I’d love to win some Heyer books!
If I admit to having never read Georgette Heyer, will I have fruit thrown at my head?
It’s true. I’ve never read Heyer or Austen. I know. I’m rectifying the Austen situation this summer…
Catherine said on...I’ve never heard of Heyer. :( But If I won and liked it I’d buy her back list! (pick me! pick me!)
By the way, is she Romance or more romantic Fiction? Or none of those at all?
Suze said on...Devil’s Cub: “Having phlegm, sir, I am required to hold the bowl.” Kate assisting the French doctor fix up the hole she shot into Vidal. Man, I haven’t read that book in at least 15 years, and I still LOVE that scene.
Also, Venetia. “I’ve suddenly had the most diverting thought!”
Although, my favourite Heyer was Simon the Coldheart, for reasons I’ve never delved into. Maybe because it was so unlike her Regencies.
I’ve only read Beauvallet so far, but I really enjoyed it. I love the way she writes, and even if I don’t win, will one day improve my Heyer-fu. (That said, PICK ME! PICK ME!)
*clears throat* Anyway…
While I think it very romantic -and Sir Nicholas is in that Scarlet Pimpernel vein, which I lurve- I think my favorite part is Dominica vs. her aunt in the battle o’ wits.
Hey, Catherine, be warned that her backlist is HUGE! But totally worth it.
And may I add, that action figure ROCKS! How unutterably cool is it that somebody came up with a librarian action figure?
Alexina said on...Never read her books but from some of the comments I’m truly tickled pink. WANNA READ (read: PICK ME!)
kelly said on...i just finished the corinthian*, and i loved it. consquently, it took little over 24 hours from me finishing that and tracking down ‘the black moth’. unfortunately, i’m at work and cannot begin it yet!
but before that, nope, hadn’t heard of heyer until she popped up here. but i’m young and stupid, and therefore oblivious of cool things until they pop up on the internets.
*why can’t we nickname people like they did back in the day? ‘nonesuch’ is so much badder than somethin’ like ‘brangelina’.
Theresa Meyers said on...Fear not, thou are not alone in thy lack of Heyeristic experience fellow bitches. Let it not diminish thy thirst for a sock-rockin read. I too have yet to experience they awesomness that is Heyer and need an education!
Eli said on...So that huge backlist, that would be why I haven’t read Heyer yet. I’ve gotten recommendations from every trusted source I use. Authors I love can’t say enough. My books to buy list is too long as it is and I just know that the first Heyer will be like trying to eat just 1 potato chip. I’ll be lost to a Heyer reading orgy. Which for me means a Heyer buying spree, and then there will be the new bookcase to hold them all....
Hey, do I increase my odds by commenting way too often? In the course of searching for the correct title of Simon the Coldheart for my initial comment, I came across this:
http://www.georgette-heyer.com/
Holy fangirl! A comprehensive and comprehensible resource for all things Heyer.
Okay, I’ll stop now. Please send me a book.
I’ve only read 2 Heyer novels so far. Both this year. And my favorite scene at this moment is in Frederica when the title character gets into trouble walking her dog and pretends the dog belongs to the hero. I don’t want to give more than that away, but that was a hilarous scene.
It’s not Kate, it’s Mary. Mary Challoner, and the scene that kills me every time is when Vidal says to his silly cousin something along the lines of, “I am not following them (Mary and silly cousin’s silly lover) because I am angry. I am following them because I’m demmed sure I can’t live without her.” Or something much more awesome than my memory. There’s Cousin Charles in The Grand Sophy saying, “I dislike you excessively” instead of “I love you.” There’s Frederica with her “restorative” pork jelly. I adore Heyer!
And as much as I’d like the books again, this list of books was my birthday present from my husband, so DON’T put me on the list for the draw, okay! I just had to correct Mary’s name.
Okay, I lied. Just because I can, here you go (from Devil’s Cub):
Vidal spoke softly: “Come here.”
“I have something to say to you first, my lord,” returned Miss Challoner calmly.
“Good God, girl, do you suppose it was to hear you talk that I brought you to France?” Vidal said derisively. “I’ll swear you know better than that!”
“Perhaps,” admitted Miss Challoner. “Nevertheless, sir, I beg you will listen to me. You won’t pretend, I hope, that you are fallen in love with me.”
“Love?” he said scornfully. “No, madam. I feel no more love for you than I felt for your pretty sister. But you’ve thrown yourself at my head, and by God I’ll take you!” His eyes ran over her. “You’ve a mighty trim figure, my dear, and from what I can discover, more brain than Sophia. You lack her beauty, but I’m not repining.”
She looked gravely up at him. “My lord, if you take me, it will be for revenge, I think. Have I deserved so bitter a punishment?”
“You’re not very complimentary, are you?” he mocked.
She rose, holding her pistol behind her. “Let me go now,” she said. “You do not want me, and indeed I think you have punished me enough.”
“Oh, that’s it, is it?” he said. “Are you piqued that I liked Sophia better? Never heed it, my dear; I’ve forgotten the wench already.”
“My lord,” she said desperately, “indeed I am not what you think me!”
He burst into one of his wild laughs, and she realized that in this mood she could make no impression upon him.
He was advancing towards her. She brought her right hand from behind her, and levelled the pistol. “Stand where you are!” she said. “If you come one step nearer I shall shoot you down.”
He stopped short. “Where did you get that thing?” he demanded.
“Out of your coach,” she answered.
“Is it loaded?”
“I don’t know,” said Miss Challoner, incurably truthful.
He began to laugh again, and walked forward. “Shoot then,” he invited, “and we shall know. For I’m coming several steps nearer, my lady.”
Miss Challoner saw that he meant it, shut her eyes, and resolutely pulled the trigger. There was a deafening report and the Marquis went staggering back. He recovered in a moment. “It was loaded,” he said coolly.
plaatsch said on...Toss-up between “The Unknown Ajax” - which was my first Heyer and probably my first romance, waaaaay back before I was legal - and “Cotillion” in which the heroine picks the right guy instead of the obvious one.
Eva_baby said on...Ohh… the pain, the pain....There are too many I love—Frederica, The Talisman Ring, The Grand Sophy, Arrghhh!
But if I had to pick a favorite scene, it would be the denouement scene in These Old Shades where the Duke of Avon, in his full metrosexual finery tells a story and unmasks the perfidious villain in front of all of high society. Awse!
Lori said on...My best friend is a Heyer ‘ho and won’t even let me borrow… reading the above except from Devil’s Cub, I now know why!
I have to choose one scene?!
Okay, at the moment it’s in Black Sheep, when Abigail Wendover meets Miles Calverleigh for the first time:
She said unsteadily: “Talking to you is like - like talking to an eel!”
“No, is it? I’ve never tried to talk to an eel. Isn’t it a waste of time?”
She choked. “Not such a waste of time as talking to you!”
“You’re surely not going to tell me that eels find you more entertaining that I do?” he said incredulously.
That was rather too much for her: she did giggle, and was furious with herself for having done so.
“That’s better!” he said approvingly.
They are a delightful pair of characters, and the book itself is charming, funny and perfect bedtime reading. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to delve into Heyer for the first time. Generally speaking, she has a couple of types of heroes: ‘alpha-male’ sorts (I usually don’t like these, but Heyer’s are just fine) and the quiet but wry and funny men who charm the socks off you without even trying. Calverleigh is one of the latter, and Abigail is a sensible, mature, thoughtful woman that I can’t help but adore.
Malin said on...In Devil’s Cub, I am always entertained by Rupert’s wine buying.
Out of the multiple thousands of fiction and romance novels that I’ve read since I was 12 years old , I too have never read Georgette Heyer. In fact, I never even heard of her till maybe 2 or 3 years ago when I first saw her name mentioned online.
put me in for the drawing because I’d love to see what all the fuss is about.
Sarah said on...Pick me! I need to be exposed to the legend!
runswithscissors said on...Too many fabulous, snarky, delicious scenes to mention. Of course I love the scene in Devil’s Cub where Mary shoots Vidal. I also I love the ending of The Nonesuch and almost every single line in Arabella. But this exchange from Regency Buck may be my favourite:
‘Do you suppose, Lord Worth, That there is any great likelihood of my marrying you?’ inquired Judith in a sleek, deceptive voice.
He raised his brows.’Until I ask you to marry me, Miss Taverner, not the least likelihood,’ he replied gently.
Ouch.
I am a complete Heyer fangirl: when Arabella was serialised on Radio 4’s book at bedtime I went to bed early every night so I wouldn’t miss it. I think you can still listen to it here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0092tc1
Jael said on...Devil’s Cub and Black Sheep are two of my very favorites! I love the scene near the end where Dominic walks in when Mary is dining with the elderly gentleman. Hilarious!
Miles ability to make Abby laugh in Black Sheep just endears him to me.
KCfla said on...* Hangs head in shame*
I too have never been blessed to read a Heyer before…
Perhaps I’ll get lucky and SB Sarah can rectify this *lackoheyer* syndrome for me????
pls? kthx
azteclady said on...I like The Toll House and the Grand Sophie. I haven’t read many, though, and I’m still hunting a copy of These Old Shades.
Becky said on...I read Venetia a couple weeks ago, and totally cracked up at the end when he says something like “I’ve been trying to propose, but we keep getting interrupted.” And then they’re interrupted again.
Even with all the reading I do, I keep coming across “I can’t believe you’ve never read him/her” authors. Until Venetia, Heyer was on that list.
Sarah B said on...This is my first time posting a comment and I’m drawn by the Heyer. I’ve only read Black Sheep because it is the only one I could find from my library that wasn’t in large print. (Not that large print is a bad thing) I love Miles Caverleigh - he’s such a grump!
I’ve been dying to read other Heyer novels.
Never read Heyer, either, but from everything I hear from readers who have, I think it’s just a matter of time before it’s required by the Constitution. So I’d love to get a head start!
I started reading Heyer in high school and remember cheering at the end of Cotillion when she ends up with Freddy. Have read most of the others, but I’m crap at remembering details from what I read. But I’d love to get reacquainted with the grand dame.
Oh, and Sarah, thanks for the mention. Tiny does love his Julia Quinn…
ChristineP said on...I love Venetia, Arabella, The Nonesuch...well, I think I’ve loved just about every Heyer book I ever read.
Also, I’ve taught Regency dancing. That should earn me a free book, don’t you think?
(spam word: added62. I would like 63 Georgette Heyer novels added to my bookshelf!)
Shary said on...I love, love, love Heyer. I don’t think I can choose a favorite scene or character. Her dialogue is brilliant! And did you know that she wrote some clever mysteries, too?
Ooh, ooh, I’ve only just recently read Heyer for the first time! It was A LADY OF QUALITY (I loved Heyer’s characterisations of Ninian and Lucilla). Pick me, pick me!
Leah said on...I’ve never read Heyer, but have heard so many great things about her books that I’d love to try them!
spam detector: waiting 41....hey, I’m waiting, and I’m 41--a sign that you should pick me!
Kimberly Anne said on...I got A Lady of Quality at a used book sale this spring, but my TBR is so ginormous that I haven’t gotten to it yet. To keep from being cast out of the Bitchery for all time, I promise to read it posthaste!
I was looking at the page that Suze linked to, but I have a question. I’m assuming these are romance books, but I want to know if there’s sex in these or if it just never goes there. I’m ok with either, but if there’s sex I want to know what kind. It says she died in 1974 so I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a lot of forced seduction going on. I’d appreciate the info. Thanks!
I have never had the chance to read Georgette Heyer, either (I’m working on Austin’s Mansfield Park right now), but I’ve been in love with the new reprints! I read a guy blogger’s bit on how great it was that they got “proper” covers so that he wouldn’t be embarassed to read them in public anymore!
I have to say, the one whose story sounds the MOST interesting is False Colours. Twins switching places? Hell yeah!
My, my - maybe I AM lucky - my postword is “george55”!
My favourite scene is probably from ‘The Convenient Marriage’
Here is how I previously recapped it:
The HEROINE escapes from the home of the VILLAIN to meet her BROTHER (drunk) and his FRIEND (inebriated) on the street, in the early hours of the morning.
Heroine: I’ve killed [the villain]!
Heroine’s Brother: Nonsense!
Heroine: I hit him over the head. With a poker.
Brother: Do you suppose she did kill him?
Brother’s Friend: May well have.
Brother: I lay you five to one she hasn’t.
Friend: Done!
BROTHER and FRIEND proceed to the VILLAIN’s house to see whether he’s alive or not, and try to start up a card-party.
I’ve lightened up on ‘A Civil Contract’ since then, and if we get to choose, I already own Friday’s Child, and Cotillion (Freddy!).
Lene said on...Oh, I’ve read and loved all of them, but my favorite is probably “Frederica” simply because it was my first. I received it as a Christmas gift from my wonderful aunt (who always gave me the best books) when I was around 14 years old. I still remember the cover of that particular printing, too.
I also dearly loved “The Toll-Gate.”
And there I was, thinking I was just so special…
Yes, I’m one of those who’s never read Heyer, either. As a matter of fact, I’ll be reading Pride and Prejudice for the first time this summer, too. (And I call myself a romance author?)
Just like everyone else, I’d love to win, too. I promise I’ll not only be thrilled, I’ll actually read the book!
-S
I’m a HUGE Heyer fan. I spent a tidy fortune ordering all the Arrow reprints from England (my god, the shipping *shudder* the shipping).
Many of my favs have already been mentioned, but I’ll stand up for An Infamous Army as well. God I LOVE that book. The heroine is fab (Lady Babs, what a creature!), the hero is to die for, and the book is linked to my favorite “series”: These Old Shades (Justin and Leonie), Devil’s Cub (Justin and Leonie’s son Vidal and Mary), Regency Buck (Worth and Judith), An Infamous Army (Vidal’s granddaughter and Worth’s brother).
Plus, An Infamous Army has the most moving description of the Highland regiments marching out of Brussels ever written. I cry every time I read it.
I was looking at the page that Suze linked to, but I have a question. I’m assuming these are romance books, but I want to know if there’s sex in these or if it just never goes there. I’m ok with either, but if there’s sex I want to know what kind. It says she died in 1974 so I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a lot of forced seduction going on. I’d appreciate the info. Thanks!
Catherine, there is no on-stage sex in Heyer. And DEFINITELY no forced seduction.
I’m assuming these are romance books, but I want to know if there’s sex in these or if it just never goes there. I’m ok with either, but if there’s sex I want to know what kind.
No sex. Nothing beyond a kiss. And they’re considered “historical fiction” in England, though they do follow all the “rules” for an RWA def “romance”.
Freyathorn said on...I’ve re-read my Heyer paperbacks so often that I wear them, so they need replacing!
I adore the Grand Sophy, and the vague romantic poet. I love Frederica, who doesn’t mind if her younger brother blows up the attic.
My favorite of the moment is Sprig Muslin, where the TSTL pretty young thing is rescued by the hero (repeatedly), shoots him, then learns to wring the neck of a chicken. The denouement has 3 different sets of rescuers all converging on a rural inn, and getting into a traffic jam.
Oh, too many scenes from the Fredericka [or The Unknown Ajax, The Grand Sophy, Sylvester] to say here, but maybe when Lord Alverstoke chides Fredericka that her mutt who caused the havoc among the cows in the park was a Tajikistani Hound rather than a Balukistani. Well, that just lost all sense of the joke, but I do enjoy the scene.
Please pick me-me-me-me!
Cool, thanks for answering my question guys. I’ll definitely have to check her out even if I don’t win. (I still want to win though, Pick Me!)
Melissa said on...Oooh, Heyer! She was my introduction to Regencies, when I read “The Grand Sophy”. From her I discovered Clare Darcy and Barbara Cartland, and then the whole Signet regency line at my favorite used bookstore. (Forgive me for liking Cartland so much. I was young and didn’t know better.)
My all-time favorite scene is from Devil’s Cub, when Mary shoots Vidal. But I also like the scene in The Grand Sophy where Sophy shoots Lord Chalbury, so he can’t fight Cousin Charles and ruin her plot to get him and Charles’s sister Cecilia back together. I forget what he says to her, but her reply of “Good heavens, I am not missish!” always makes me laugh out loud. Because it’s the understatement of the century. :)
HeatherK said on...Never read anything by her, so can’t give a favorite part. She sounds like a fun read, though, from the way you talk about the books.
Rebecca J said on...I love them all, but my favorite Heyers are two books: Devil’s Cub and The Grand Sophie.
I wanted to be Sophie when I was a girl and I wanted to meet Vidal.
Oh, I remember that I loved Sophia Challoner, Vidal’s love interest.
And, I just learned from Wikipedia that there is a trilogy here:
These Old Shades: Duke of Avon
Devil’s Cub: Marquis of Vidal
The Infamous Army: Lady Barbara Child (Vidal’s daughter)
Sigh. I have several editions of La Heyer’s books in boxes and will probably go out and purchase those three again…
JaneDrew said on...Eeee! Eeee! Heyer reprints! *performs the Dance of Joy*
This will make my Evil Scheme of acquiring all of her works SO much easier!
First ran into her work while I was living in Munich for a year, and gleefully devoured it. It’s incredibly hard to pick just one scene, so I think I will have to go with the scene in “Devil’s Cub” where Mary is recounting her Adventures Thus Far to the gentleman she meets at the inn. Not only because it’s such a treat to hear her perspective on what’s been going on, but since the reader knows more about the gentleman in question than Mary does, everything becomes twice as hysterically funny.
Also, I love her mysteries (which I haven’t seen mentioned on the list yet). They’re set in contemporary (to her time) England, and always feature a romantic pairing, as well as brilliant characters, and quite interesting plots. And who could resist a book called, “Why Shoot a Butler?” ?
JaneDrew
Word: Policy58-- it is my policy that if I can manage to purchase 58 Heyer books (multiple copies to give to others, natch), then I will!
I have to admit that Regencies aren’t my thing and never have been, though I had to read Austin for a college class and enjoyed them. As I result, I’ve never read Heyer, either. I love Mary Stewart’s early works, which are likely ‘modern romantic suspense’ equivalents to Heyer’s writing style. (By modern, I mean fifties and sixties). So...stick my name in the hat and I’ll happily give Heyer a try. Perhaps I’ll even add some of her works to my Library List to check them out if I don’t win.
Aly Army said on...I love Heyer—as a kid, I haunted the bookstore for re-issues and have carted all of them from apartment to house to house for the past 20-ish years.... several of mine are tattered and almost cover-less from so much love.
I love the ”These Old Shades” trilogy—it carries the story from the French Court to England and then back to Brussels on the eve of Waterloo.... the characters are all delicious and she ages them rather gracefully.
The Grand Sophy and Venetia are particular favorites—Sophy’s potential mother-in-law, the languid Spanish grand-dame is spectacular....
and her unfinished treatment of John of Bedford in My Lord John—wow, I love that one…
Her mysteries as well are delightful and as witty, erudite and ‘spot on’ as anything by Dorothy Sayers.
Kaetchen said on...My favorite quote? “A great many dramatic situations start with screaming.”
No, wait, that was Barbarella.
Okay, how about this one? “Oh, not at all, ma’am! I like being hit over the head with cudgels!”
Kat
Jane O said on...I had an elderly aunt — she died a few years ago at the age of 101 — who thought there were few pleasures to equal a new eorgette Heyer. She, of course, read them when they were new and introduced me to them later. It’s nice to know a new generation i also enjoying them. I join the ranks of those who love the scene in Devil’s Cub where Mary shoots Vidal:
Miss Challoner saw that he meant it, shut her eyes, and resolutely pulled the trigger. There was a deafening report and the Marquis went staggering back. He recovered in a moment. “It was loaded,” he said coolly.
nearly 71? Not missing by much.
The scene where Sophy sets her Mamaluke-trained horse into full flying dressage mode in Hyde Park is a fav of mine. And the daunting pigsfoot jelly in Frederica. The use of “stoopid” as an endearment in Venetia. And George. Wonderful, wild, out-of-his-mind-in-love George in Friday’s Child (and the possibly gay buddy in that circle of friends). The French girl who wants to know if her cousin would ride hell for leather to rescue her as she was taken to the guillotine in a tumbrel (and her obsession with the tumbrel and his utter disgust at her overly florid imaginings of her own impending death) in The Talisman Ring. The amazing black moment in Faro’s Daughter where she tells him she hates him and he replies that he thought he’d learned to love her. *squee* Rotherham shoving his beautiful hands into his pockets in Bath Tangle. Ulysses, the mongrel dog, sleeping with the hero’s glove in Arabella. The utter ridiculousness of Sir Nugent in Sylvester.
Nearly every book has some really special, memorable bit that is simply unforgettable.
And, I just learned from Wikipedia that there is a trilogy here:
These Old Shades: Duke of Avon
Devil’s Cub: Marquis of Vidal
The Infamous Army: Lady Barbara Child (Vidal’s daughter)
There are actually four related books. Regency Buck has cross over characters with An Infamous Army (and Lady Babs is Vidal’s GRANDDAUGHTER, not his daughter). The hero of An Infamous Army is the younger brother of the hero from Regency Buck, and the secondary romance from Regency Buck also gets entangled in An Infamous Army when the husband develops a crush on Lady Babs (who is, IMO, the template for the bad girl reformed).
I love, love, love the parts in SYLVESTER where Phoebe is writing her book with her Sylvester-like villain. I also like that Sylvester has a truly angstful event in his past, but it didn’t mold his entire character (as so often in modern romance).
My favorite of the more serious ones is A CIVIL CONTRACT--I love all the class issues, as well as the way Jenny works so hard at the marriage, and how Adam gradually comes around.
Chelle_St said on...You know, Venetia may be my favourite heroine anywhere, ever. I am just vain enough to identify with her (I will SO end up with a Yardley if I’m not careful), while also eternally admiring the way she’s sane but in love. And I adore Damerel as well, foxed orgies and all, and the way Aubrey keep getting involved, bless him. Actually, Aubrey is brilliant in his bratty geekiness and vaguely sexy in a one-night stand kind of way. And most of all, I adore the dynamics between the three of them, with Nurse sitting guard like a vulture.
The only other Heyer-book I’ve read was The Grand Sophy which, although it carries less personal significance for me, is also awesome. Its minor characters are varied and vivid, Sophy is the sexiest thing this side of Argentina, and the whole thing read like a colourful, enchanting collage of monkeys, pistols, bluestockings and annoying little siblings.
Chanel19 said on...Hanging my head in shame. I made it through my teen years in the ‘70’s without ever reading a Heyer. I was Victoria Holt girl.
Pick me, out of sympathy for a lack of romantic knowledge.
My word thing is labor86. Appart from spelling labour wrong, I’m willing to admit that I’d read Heyer if I won, regardless of it being a labour of love or not.
I loved the part in Devil’s Cub where Mary gets Vidal to drink her broth after he’s been shot.
It’s so hard to pick just one (for overall story, I veer between “Arabella” and “Regency Buck” as my faves), but one of my very favorite Heyer scenes is towards the end of “Sprig Muslin"-- it’s such sheer nonsense that I always have to stop and read it aloud to myself and then chortle manically over it.
Amanda, the horrible hoyden, has decided that she can bully her straightlaced beau into marrying her by pretending that she has been ruined by someone else.
“ ‘Well, Hildebrand must be the one to do it. Hildebrand! HILDEBRAND!’
Hildebrand… his fingers writhing amongst his disordered locks as he wrestled with literary composition vouchsafed only an absent grunt.
‘Hildebrand, would you be so very obliging as to pretend to compromise me and then refuse to marry me?” said Amanda cajolingly.
‘No, can’t you see I’m busy! Ask Uncle Gary!’ said Hildebrand.
... ‘I think you are very uncivil and disobliging!’ said Amanda roundly.”
Pure delightlful lunacy.
On a related note, I read a completely different sort of Heyer this past weekend, one of her mystery novels, called “Penhallow”. It’s a psychological exploration of the build-up to a murder in a very Agatha Christie-esque setting. I highly recommend it to Christie and Sayers lovers!
RStewie said on...Oh, pick me!! I’m also one of the deprived who has not read my own Heyer, and I can feel parts of me shrivelling from the lack.
Honestly, I’d never heard of her until this site. But reading the favorite scenes, I’ve DEFINITELY been missing out. Please help!
Sara said on...I’m fond of Sylvester, the wicked uncle, both the book and the character. Those eyebrows!
A huge hooray to Nancy Pearl for including Robin McKinley’s Sunshine on the NPR list, as well. What a fab book!
Robinjn said on...I know I read at least several Georgette Heyer’s when I was young, but it’s been decades and they’re mostly lost to memory. I was wanting to renew my acquaintance, and I even checked one out at the library last night but would love to have a new edition!
polly said on...Sylvester, the conversation Sylvester and Sir Nugent had about the duck in a thunderstorm. And any bits of the novel Phoebe wrote, which are wonderful send-ups of gothic novels.
Or the Convenient Marriage, when the heroine proposes to the hero. She’s young and spunky, and he’s ridiculously alpha, and yet it works, and cracks me up everytime.
Really, almost anything by Heyer. Devil’s Cub is probably my favorite, but so many people have already cited bits of it.
Cotillion is my favorite Georgette Heyer. ( I bought the most recent release for my 18 year old daughter) But I also love Friday’s Child and the Devil’s Cub. I think that my favorite scene is when Vidal stabs Mary with his sword in his duel with her supposed husband.(This couple did a lot of violence to each other for a romance BEG) His violent declaration that she belonged to me, made my teen heart swoon.
Vidal, Vidal, he was the ultimate bad boy.
My all time favorite is the scene where Mary and the mysterious older gentleman are having supper in The Devil’s Cub.
My second favorite is the scene where Deborah has Max tied up in the cellar in Faro’s Daughter.
*Sigh* So many years of good reading, over and over again!
Oh, one of the best parts has to be in The Grand Sophy when Sophy points out to her lovestruck cousin how completely inept her artistic swain, something along the lines of “romance is all well and good, but there’s something to be said for remembering to bring an umbrella....” Priceless!!!
And who can forget the pathos in A Civil Contract—and how Heyer does so much with glances and gestures to convey the mood.
I cannot wait to introduce these delightful heroines to my girls who will love them as much as I do!!
I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s posts and remembering all of the great Heyer books and lines. I’ve read all of the Regencies and some of her mysteries but would love the new release!
Here’s the thing about her books...no sex, little kissing, but clever clever dialogue that leads to the inevitable chemistry and romance. And, even though her books were written in the first half of the 20th century, her heroines are never TSTL victims. They may not always make the best decisions but you cheer for them in the end. And her alpha males are flawed and drool-worthy!
Here’s a site dedicated to all things Heyer: http://www.georgette-heyer.com/
jennyOH said on...I have only read one Heyer, and I don’t remember the title or even the plotline, really, other than it involved a very independent young lady named Annis (or Anise?), and she had a sister-in-law named Amabel. I remember thinking those were the coolest names ever, and whenever I think of this book it reminds me of my bestest friend from university, with whom I used to trade Mills & Boone and other romance novels back and forth.
security word law93 - it is the LAW that I win this book and improve my Heyerology!
So this is what it takes for me to come out of lurkdom and finally register/comment! I will admit that I haven’t read any of Heyer’s books, but because of the recommendations from this sight several of her books (including Infamous Army) are now on my wishlist at Amazon. Just before seeing this post, I read the excerpt from Infamous Army that NPR posted, and if I don’t win a copy here I’ll definitely have to go buy one.
Venetia of course when she is trying to convince Lord Damarel that she would rather have him than respectability.
Or any of the hilariously unpleasant family gatherings in any of her mysteries usually just before or after a murder.
Or in Unknown Ajax the scene when Hugo finally makes it clear to his toplofty grandfather that his grandfather has no hold, financial or otherwise, on him.
So very, very many good parts.
I’ve only read The Corinthian, so I’m nominating that for my ‘most awesome bit of Heyer’. :) But I’d love to read more!
Cressida said on...I’m amazed no one has mentioned False Colours yet! I adore Kit and Cressy, and the scene in which Cressy faces down the blackmailer and does other spoilertastic things is hilarious and completely upended my expectations for the narrative.
I also really love Charles’s declaration of dislike in The Grand Sophy, not to mention the fact that she deals with proposals while wrangling ducks. Absolutely brilliant.
SonomaLass said on...My favorite right now is Cotillion, because that’s what I just got from the library. I don’t have a favorite character or scene yet, because if I let myself start reading now, this will become YET ANOTHER day when I get nothing checked off of my summer “to do” list.
All hail free books!!
Oh, The Grand Sophy without a doubt. The whole durn book, in fact. Looooved that book. Also particularly loved The Corinthian.
I’ve yet to read The Devil’s Cub, but I hear it’s the best.
Cyranetta said on...Yay for this thread! My definitely beaten-up Heyer collection would probably be on my save-in-case-of-disaster collection.
I so appreciate seeing the individual scenes that others have listed, and I have to mention yet another from Devils’ Cub at the very end when they are all converging on the inn in France, and the innkeeper snootily inquires who all these strange English are, and Rupert says something about The Old Gentleman being Avon and Vidal being Avon when Leonie comes sweeping in, Rupert chortles something like, “She’s Avon too!” There’s no way I can do it justice without the book in front of me, but the timing of that scene is exquisite!
The imageword for me was “special13”—it’s psychic, innit?
sarah said on...Oh! I love Heyer, although I have only read a few!
My favorite Heyer scene has got to be in FARO’S DAUGHTER—love the “they hate each other but they really don’t” stories—when the heroine “kidnaps” the hero in her basement for a night, and he plays on her sympathy to get her to leave a candle to ward the rats away. She does, and when she checks up on him he’s used the candle to burn through his ropes, but her immediate concern isn’t that he’s free, but that he’s burned himself. She’s so worried about the injury he’s done to his hands that she lets him out of the cellar so she can tend to his wounds.
Oh! And second favorite, in the same book, is when the heroine’s brother finds out she has a man locked in the cellar and goes down to apologize for his sister and to let him out. But the hero’s refuses to be “freed” because the heroine’s intention was to keep him locked up, and then he scolds the brother for not having the balls for sticking to her plan. HA!
Can I enter though I’ve never read any Heyer? It’s on my TBR, and this would kick-start me :)
Stephie H. said on...I LOVE DEVILS CUB!!! This isn’t a scene, but I just think it’s hilarious how the hero kills two people in a duel & wins an impossible horse/carriage race in the first twenty-five or so pages. Alcohol is to Vidal what spinach is to Popeye!
Mari Miller-Lamb said on...Me too! I would ove to enter and sadly, I have never read what sound like marvelous books -please help pathetic me!
Mari
Rene said on...I’ve never read any Heyer! But I’d love to. :)
Sarah N said on...So much Heyer love! I enjoyed the cross-dressing in The Masqueraders, but my favorite line is from Devil’s Cub:
“I feel an almost overwhelming interest in the methods of daylight abduction employed by the modern youth.”
A sentence so cool, I read it three time the first time I saw it. <3
kukulcan girl said on...I’ve never read Georgette Heyer. :( Too bad.
Favourite Heyers:
1. Cotillion (this is my FAVOURITE simply because Heyer absolutely nails it by subverting all the popular romantic archetypes (the saturnine rake who isn’t the hero, the slightly effeminate, good natured fop who is, the heroine whose read a few too many romances and sets out to catch the rake, but falls in love with the fop), plus a masterful cast of supporting characters. A classic.
Favourite part? The ending, when Freddy steps up and (SPOILER) punches Jack, much to everyone’s astonishment (particularly his own).
2. The Quiet Gentleman. Heyer at her ensemble best (see also: Frederica and The Unknown Ajax). I love that the hero is this delicate, beautiful blond and the heroine is the practical, short necked Miss Morville.
Favourite part: when she rescues him after he falls from his horse. (and every scene with the Dowager).
3. Regency Buck. This is totally old school, but no one does it better than Heyer. Judith is the beautiful, hot headed heiress and the Earl (name forgotten) is her guardian, all dark and ironic and handsome. Sparks fly. There’s guest appearances by Brummell, a skanky Prince Regent cameo and Lady Jersey; Almacks, kidnappings, a shooting, heroic rescues, romance, heaving bosoms, misunderstanding and the kitchen sink.
Good fun.
Oh, And I’ve never thought The Devil’s Cub was Heyer’s best. If you can get past the age difference, I think These Old Shades (Vidal’s parents) is better.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Frederica yet—the balloon ride is so great!!
And the Reluctant Widow—dying Dukes and French spies, what a combo!
You guys are taking me on a trip down memory lane today—this is so awesome!
Alcohol is to Vidal what spinach is to Popeye!
I just spewed tea all over my keyboard. Thank you!!! That’s utterly brilliant (you know, he’s not considered dangerous until he’s broached his forth bottle of port, LOL!). I can see that my Heyer collection and I are going to have a splendid weekend together . . . I’m still so damn grateful my godmother handed my Venetia on the first day of fall break my freshman year of college (and then pointed to the two full shelves of Heyer books when I begged for more!). Of course she’s the same brilliant woman who gave me Rosemary Sutcliff when I was eight and Dorthy Dunnett and Sharon Kay Penman. I should really call her . . .
loocheeuh said on...I’d be drummed out of a job if I’d never read Heyer. My favorite has always been Frederica. Didn’t she have an Aunt Scrabster?? It was the most perfect word.
Of course I projected myself into the book as the wise oldest sister, who was too managing, with younger siblings who I sort of had to boss around.
Regency Buck. This is totally old school, but no one does it better than Heyer. Judith is the beautiful, hot headed heiress and the Earl (name forgotten) is her guardian, all dark and ironic and handsome.
I love this one too. Judith and Worth are the couple I sort of based my “old-marrieds” the Morpeths on in my series. At least they’re sort of couple I had in mind: A reformed rake and a bad girl who’ve mellowed a bit (but the ability to be naughty is right there below the surface . . .).
Must kill the italics
And love the way Worth calls Judith “Clorinda” when she won’t tell him her name!
Tania from Canada said on...My great-grandmother had quite a few Georgette Heyers in her library. Those were the first intoduction to romance I had.
The one that sticks with me most is “Devil’s Cub.”
I love the scene where Mary shoots Vidal. However my favourite character and scene is from These Old Shades and is the page/ward/whatever Leon/Leonie. I just love the end where she climbs on the table and announces how she is going up in the world :D
Suzanne said on...I read Georgette Heyer early and often, and am now spoiled for any book that can’t bring the dialogue. First introduction was The Masqueraders, which is still my favorite. Love that both Prudence and “her mountain” are calm, clear-eyed, and capable. And that they feel no need to ratchet up the obligatory romance angst-o-meter to dramaqueen11 to come together. Instead they have--wait for it!--actual conversations to acknowledge and solve problems.
My originals are crumbling back to dust - pick me!!
Svenja said on...My favourites are Devil’s Cub, Sylvester (oh, those eyebrows!), Frederica and Venetia. But I have trouble naming THE single most favourite scene - there are way too many! Among them are certainly the dinner scene where Mary Challoner tells her story to the Duke of Avon. Or Sylvester finding out that Phoebe rather runs away than marrying him...! Or Venetia dealing with a drunk Damerel ...
Mary Beth said on...I first heard about Heyer here at SBTB. Of the handful I’ve tracked down at the library, my favorite is Venetia. I would LOVE to read another, especially after reading all these great quotes and comments.
Another huge fan. In fact there’s only two on your list I haven’t read (Lady of Quality and False Colours - in case I win). I have a huge number of fave scenes. The Devil’s Cub has been mentioned many times, so I’ll restrict myself (with great effort) to three others:-
1. The swordfight between Gervase and Martin in The Quiet Gentleman
2. The reunion between Bab and Charles in An Infamous Army, and
3. The bittersweet final scene of A Civil Contract when Jenny realises that a part of Adam will always put his (rather irritating) first love on a pedestal but that he does love Jenny
Damn - can I add one more?
4. The Grand Sophy facing down the moneylender - what a girl!
Question: Which book should I start reading first of Heyer’s? I so pick up her books and then lose them.
Question: Which book should I start reading first of Heyer’s? I so pick up her books and then lose them.
It really doesn’t matter. Even the four that are related are so loosely related that you won’t miss anything earthshaking by reading them out of order. My only advice would be to start with one of the ones that you see mentioned here over and over and over (Devil’s Cub, The Grand Sophy, Arabella, and Venetia are all good first Heyer books).
Thanks, Kalen!
I second Kalen. Heyer’s different periods and genres may or may not be to your taste, but they’re all well done.
WHAT is with the italics? They just don’t seem to want to close. I broke a thread the other day with italics, and I swear that I used the button correctly.
Anyway, back to Heyer. The only people I’ve ever heard of who don’t enjoy her are people who are uncomfortable reading words of more than two or three syllables (or who read only for the sex scenes). She uses words masterfully.
I’d also say that The Nonesuch would be an excellent starting place, but I really can’t see you getting turned off no matter which book you start with--provided that you enjoy words, and you’re not looking mostly for a stroke book.
One big difference between Heyer and a lot of current authors is that, today, we’re set up to buy series by having secondary characters featured, so that we usually know who’s book is coming next. Heyer had a lot of fantabulous secondary characters, but because books were marketed differently back in her day, they stayed secondary. Her books are essentially stand-alones. There is no book of hers that you read solely to get the backstory for the next book, unlike some series I’m reading (hi there, JR Ward!).
Holy cow! I fixed it! Yay, me!
Leslie H said on...I’ve been reading Heyer since I was ten years old! I love them all, but I confess I have a special place in my heart for The Grand Sophy! Sophy’s Stepmother nearly killed me! OMG the evil fiancee!
But then, what about Avon and Leonie?!
Or the tragic villain in The Black Moth!
Or the Talisman Ring with the murder!
Or sweet dotty Freddy in Cotillion!
Or cross dressing kisses in The Corinthian!
Yowza! I just love them all!
LizC said on...Oh man this is perfect for me! I’m just getting into the Heyer so I’ve recently purchased 3 books (Cotillion-my favorite so far-The Convenient Marriage, and Frederica, which I’m reading now) and have checked out more from the library (Faro’s Daughter, The Corinthian, The Nonesuch, and The Grand Sophy) but it’s so hard to pick a favorite scene.
If you haven’t read The Grand Sophy don’t read below this point
For favorite I’ll probably have to go with the end scene of The Grand Sophy. From the moment Charles walks in the door and just totally has Sophy’s number (all “oh you’re ruined? I would’ve laid odds you’d called the Marquesa to meet you here") to the very end when she tells Charles he can’t love her and he says “I don’t. I dislike you excessively.” That bit made me a little weak in the knees.
As for just starting out with Heyer, I recommend Cotillion but that’s because it’s the first one I read. I adore Freddy so very much. One of the best romance novel heros ever (can I pick every scene Freddy’s in as a favorite scene? Because I love him like pie). Also, The Grand Sophy. It gets mentioned a lot and for good reason.
And while we’re on the subject of secondary characters (someone is anyway) can I just say that I’d kind of love if someone wrote a story about Tiffany and Laurie from The Nonesuch. If ever there were secondary characters begging for a bit of a redemption story it’s those two.
Don’t enter me; I have the whole set of Arrow reprints, mysteries and all (and went broke importing them, too, until I found free worldwide shipping). Just wanted to mention that The Spanish Bride is related to the “trilogy” through all the army characters, and I want to say The Unknown Ajax might be as well. Memory is fuzzy on that one.
I adore Heyer. I still have a few I haven’t read yet; I use the new-to-me ones to break myself out of those bad stretches where I’m disappointed in every book I try.
Venetia is still my favorite, so far. Banter through classical quotes! It just doesn’t get any better than that.
Ruth said on...Heyer is totally one of my passions--I pick up her books used or new whenever I see them (which isn’t nearly as often as I’d like), even if they’re foxed mid-century paperbacks.
I agree with all the favorite parts mentioned above and would add two:
the bit in Sophy when she runs into Sir Vincent et al in the park and there’s the line that the last time they saw her she was (approx) “arranging in the most ruthless way the affairs of a very confused family of Belgians” Foreshadowing is teh good.
and the end of Arabella the whole elopement scene, but especially the part where Arabella realizes it might be just a leetle bit awkward to ask Beaumaris for a phaeton-load of money the moment after they say “I do.” Hee, hee, hee.
Now I have to go re-read some Heyer…
I’ve only read two Heyers so far: The Masqueraders, which I loved, and These Old Shades, which I hated. I definitely need to read more—at the very least to quell my inner termoil!
I often like Nancy Pearl’s recommendations.
I only recently discovered Heyer. An Infamous Army‘s a good un, but so far my fave couples are in Cotillion (Kitty, Freddy) and The Talisman Ring (the sarcastic older couple, Sarah and Tristram).
My favorite scene is when Deb locks whatshisname in the basement in Faro’s Daughter. Although I do like it when whatshername shoots whathisname in Devil’s Cub. (No, I am on vacation nowhere near my Heyers; can you tell?)
phoebesmum said on...“Leonie - you are not the first woman I have loved!”
“Oh, Monsignor - I would so much rather be the last than be the first!”
- has probably ruined me for the lacklustre dreariness of real-life romance for all time. OH DUC D’AVON, WHERE ARE YOU WHEN i NEED YOU.
But, even so, These Old Shades isn’t my favourite Heyer. That honour goes to The Talisman Ring.
“… he is thirty-one years old, and he does not frequent gaming-hells or cockpits, and when I asked him if he would ride ventre a terre to come to my wedding, he said ‘Certainly not’!”
“This is more shocking than all the rest!” declared Miss Thane. “He must be a perfect Monster!”
- Miss Thane, at this point, has been awoken in the dead of night, in a strange hotel in the middle of nowhere, to find a runaway young lady and a wounded smuggler in the front room, and has cheerfully risen to the occasion, all while still in her dressing gown. But even Miss Thane is outclassed by her brother Hugh, who is a Justice of the Peace, and holds very strong views on the smuggling of liquor. So long as the Excisemen never find out what these views are - Hugh later spends quite some time playing dice with the smuggler in the cellar - all will be well.
Did I mention that the smuggler is young, devastatingly handsome, reckless to the point of criminal stupidity, the heir to a local country estate, and has had to flee England to escape a Crime he Did Not Commit?
And can I add that they are all outclassed by My Cousin Tristan, who may not rideventre a terre, but still somehow manages to wrangle the rest of the cast into some semblance of sanity, solve the mystery and save the day?
But even Tristan is not my favourite. My favourite is Jem, the (as it turns out) villain’s groom, who wades into a punch-up midway through the book, cheerfully on Our Hero’s side.
[Tristan] “… gave him a whistle? With the whole household looking for you, you whistled?
“Yes, why not? I knew he’d recognise it. Lord, we used to go birds’-nesting together.”
“Did young Kettering chance to remember that he is in [the villain’s] service?”
“Yes, but this was for me, my dear fellow.”
I know it is hard to choose a favourite, when there is also The Grand Sophy, and Cotillion, and False Colours, and Friday’s Child - and A Civil Contract, so different from her other romances, and Envious Casca, my favourite of the detectives - but it’s entirely possible that The Talisman Ring is the best book ever written in the entire history of the whole wide world. And then some.
Ellen Morris said
07.10.08 at 07:21 AM |