Me Bandy, You Cissie

The Bandy Papers #4

by Donald Jack

It’s 1920 and Ottawa’s own Bartholomew Bandy is back from the War To End All Wars. Now he’s off to New York to turn his experience as a flying ace into commercial success. While starting an airline with one giant Vickers Vimy bomber, our hero falls in love with Cissie Chaffington, the beanpole daughter of the tycoon Cyrus Q. Chaffington, last seen hectoring Prime Minister Meighen in Ottawa. To add to the perils of stunt flying over and under the Brooklyn Bridge, Bandy’s life is complicated by the arrival of Dasha, escaped from Russia and eager to make a splash with his dollars.

As always our man Bandy hobnobs with the great and famous (holding his own at the Algonquin Round Table, not to mention conversing with W.C. Fields) and even comes close to being a silent movie star. But other careers lie in store for the irrepressible lad from the Ottawa Valley, who continues to disappoint his parents by refusing to go back to medical school and settle down with a nice girl. Whether that will be Cissie – who shares in some of the funniest sex scenes ever recorded – remains to be seen.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Humor, Canada, Historical, Adventure, Comedy

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Novelist, playwright, and scriptwriter. Best known for his "Bandy Papers" novels about WWI ace Bartholomew Bandy, which won Jack the Leacock award three times for volumes of the series. Also penned the first modern play performed at the Stratford Festival of Canada, and wrote numerous scripts for television and radio.

Reviews

[Books Of The Way · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished the 4th instalment of the Bandy Papers by Donald Jack. These books are honestly some of the best comedic historical fiction around in my opinion.

This book sees Bart Bandy in 1920 narrowly escaping from Communist Russia and stealing a load of Trotsky's favourite pastries in the process.

Bandy thinks he can make a living by flying commercial planes, and whilst failing spectacularly he manages to inherit a Vimy Bomber plane, giving him a huge advantage over all the tiny unreliable planes which were mostly the only ones readily available/affordable at the time.

After living a life of degenerate extravagance in "Roaring '20s" New York with a gold-digging Russian bride whom he met in Moscow, Bandy blows all of his cash. Eventually he winds up being a stunt pilot for some movies whilst a hardcore American nationalist press baron tries to smear Bandy as a "Marxist" because he was briefly in Russia (as a Prisoner).

All the while, he's developing an actual serious relationship with upper class socialite "Cissie" Chaffington, who only started sleeping with Bandy to get free flying lessons but eventually falls for his horse-faced charms.

Outrageous, sarcastic, funny and with great pacing, the Bandy Papers are truly a series for anyone who likes gallows humour and historical fiction.

Bonus note: I came across the word "pulchritudinous" in this book, which I've never heard nor read in my life. So if all else fails, at least you can credit Donald Jack with expanding your vocabulary.

[Mark Edlund · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humour series - there was a couple of laugh out loud moments for me with this one. Bandy has escaped or been banished from Russia. His parents think he is no account bum. He meets Cissie on the way home from Europe and sparks fly. He takes his flying skills to a new level after several unsuccessful other business attempts.
No pharmacy references.
Canadian references - Bandy is Canadian so too many to record.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third Bandy volume I've read and I'm still not sure what to make of them. The humour can be a bit heavy-handed, the story often takes several paragraphs, or pages, to go anywhere, and I'm never quite sure whether or not our hero is in on the joke that is himself. But obviously the subject matter appeals, and the descriptions of aerial action are often beautiful and hair-raising.

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this was my last Bandy book that I read. Although it was decent, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as previous entries in the series. Peace-time Bandy just wasn't as interesting as wartime Bandy. I don't think I made a conscious decision to stop reading the series, but stop reading it I did.

[Chris Tschirhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is that if you want a great Laugh about the ups and downs of an incompetent and lovable bumbling hero of a flyer you have to read all of "The Bandy Papers Books. I have never laughed till I couldn't breath so much in my life.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth book in Donald Jack's Bandy series of novels, following a Canadian aviator through the early parts of the 20th century.

This is the first novel not set in (or related to) The First World War, as it is set in the 1920s, and follows the trials and tribulations of its titular character upon his escape from Russia and return to America: events that see him join (and then get fired from) the postal service, and eventually become an unwitting early Hollywood star.

While it's still fitfully amusing, I have to say I didn't find this as funny as the earlier books: maybe because it is set in America, and relates to events and characters that we (in the West) are not as familiar with as our American or Canadian counter-parts.

[Scott Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donald Jack's fictional accounts of Bartholomew Bandy's World War experiences are a wonderfully funny way to experience some of the nuances of that era, as Bandy bumbles his way through various military and civilian adventures. In this fourth installment, the war is over and Bandy is forced to try and repatriate to a "normal" life which proves as impossible as experiences in the military.

[Jasmiina F · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was actually funnier than I thought it would be. But I didn't like Bandy much.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed all of Donald Jack's stories about Bandy, the confident but clunky and squeaky voiced WW I ace. Including this one. New love interest Cissie is a keeper.

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I liked the previous 3 a bit more (focusing on World War I), this one was extremely funny and entertaining.

[Scott G · Rating 4 out of 5]

great read!