Georgette Heyer Fans discussion

I thought a nonfiction thread might also be useful!

For language in the Regency Era

Found by Lori 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

Background info for AIA & The Spanish Bride

Found by Carol & Hana Waterloo: The True Story of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles

Found by Carol The Autobiography of Sir Harry Smith 1787-1846

Great idea!

Here’s one: In These Times: Living in Britain Through Napoleon's Wars, 1793–1815 by Jenny Uglow.

An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England

Jane Austen's England

Georgette Heyer: Biography of a Bestseller (obviously)

Georgette Heyer's Regency World (obviously)

Jane Austen and Her Times, 1775 - 1817

Beau Brummell: The Ultimate Man of Style

Costume in Detail: Women's Dress 1730-1930

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist—the Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England

Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justice (this is more Georgian era and not for the faint of heart. Lots and lots of gory details about slavery. The book is somewhat useful for understanding the world Heyer was writing about and the movie will appeal to everyone who loves a Jane Austen style romance.

Abigail wrote: "Great idea!

Here’s one: In These Times: Living in Britain Through Napoleon's Wars, 1793–1815 by Jenny Uglow."

Jenny Uglow writes really readable history, and researches her subject well.

I'll second the Jenny Uglow - that book took me weeks to finish, but oh, so worth it - gave me a half-dozen story ideas, at least!

The Bernard Cornwell, "Waterloo, Four Days" etc. I would also recommend, but less whole-heartedly - course, I was listening to the audiobook version, which I think would suffer in comparison to the print, because MAPS. They are useful. My real problem with it was that he repeated himself a bit more than I thought strictly necessary, and he jumps to a couple of conclusions that I thought were suspect, and in one case downright sexist. But for sheer readibility, particularly for the non-military historian in the crowd (ahem, moi, ahem), he does break things down rather well.

As a city girl, I learned a lot from Jane Austen's Country Life: Uncovering the rural backdrop to her life, her letters and her novels by Deirdre LeFaye.

I am reading An American in Regency England by Louis Simond at the moment. It has some very interesting descriptions of London and the countryside, and there are some things I have not read about elsewhere. This bit about dinner parties is quite interesting for instance:
"Towards the end of dinner and before the ladies retire, bowls of coloured glass full of water are placed before each person. All (women as well as men) stoop over it, sucking up some of the water, and returning it, often more than once, and with a spitting and washing sort of noise, quite charming - the operation frequently assisted by a finger elegantly thrust into the mouth!" Georgette Heyer gives us a lot of details about Regency upper class life, but not that one.

Not a recommendation but two questions:

In The Talisman Ring, my husband found the descriptions of Sir Hugh's meals at the Red Lion, especially breakfast, remarkable and wondered whether they were typical of the time, and then what and when the other meals of the day were. I remember that in Arabella, the heroine unwittingly reveals her unsophisticated background by saying at a fairly early hour that she still hasn't had dinner, but I don't know much more about the meal times and types of the era.

Then, there's the question of "posting." People set out on a journey with one team of horses, exchanged them for another team at an inn or a posting house, and continued the process until they reached their destination. But whose horses did they start with? If their own, did they eventually get them back, and how? Or did they start out with horses rented nearby?

Someone on this site probably knows both answers!

Hi, MaryC, the meal question is a huge one so I won’t work on that right now, but here’s a little about posting.

(1) Not all that many people had their own traveling coach and horses. For those who did, you’re right, they would commonly use their horses for the first stage and then get other horses poled up to their carriage. A postboy would ride on one of the horses of a pair (two if there were four horses), and when they got to the next stage, the postboy(s) would take those horses back and fresh ones would be put in the traces. And so on for each stage.

(2) But for the majority who could afford to travel post but did not have their own traveling carriage or carriage horses, they would rent a post chaise and horses. At each stage, they would get new horses and a new carriage, and the postboy(s) would take the previous carriage back to where they rented it.

Posting was very expensive, and only a minority of the gentry could afford to travel that way.

Thank you, Abigail! That explains great deal!

I know about breakfast. Tomorrow I'll tell you what I learned at the Jane Austen festival.

Came across this one lately: http://pascalbonenfant.com/18c/cant/

Someone might enjoy it.

And another for perusual:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/art...

The Prince of Pleasure by J. B.Priestly

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/92...

This is just a review. Copies are available at Amazon
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/92...

I just read 'Heyer's Heroes', a thesis written in New
Zealand, discussing their attributes and literary antecedents. I found it quite interesting.

http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/...

Thanks for that Jacquie. I've downloaded it to read. I'll read anything about Heyer!

Looks interesting - although I would dispute that she only has 2 type of heroes. She also had the sweet type Gilly, Jack Carstares & Adam. But maybe she amplifies this further on. :)

I have been reading it (taking awhile because it isn't holding my interest) and she has type II (Civilized Guy)* evolving further into the sweet type, so she is covering all of them.

I'm further along and the type I (Brute)* is also evolving into the Reformed Rake. she discusses this evolution both within one character and between characters.

*I made the names up, she just uses type I and II

The Epicure's Almanack, eating and drinking in Regency London, is a good book if you are interested in everyday life in the period. it was the first guide of its kind to London, published in 1815, and it contains details of some 650 eating establishments in London, including city chop houses, coaching inns, london's first indian restaurant, tripe shops and oyster rooms, dockyard taverns etc. it's very interesting to see the variety of foods available at that time.

Ooh, that sounds really useful, Louise! Thanks for letting us know about it!

Louise wrote: "The Epicure's Almanack, eating and drinking in Regency London, is a good book if you are interested in everyday life in the period. it was the first guide of its kind to London, published in 1815, ..."

A book that is both Regency & a food guide - how can I resist???

If you want to find out more about Crim. Cons. (mentioned in Cotillion, this was a very interesting read The Lady in Red: An Eighteenth-Century Tale of Sex, Scandal, and Divorce

If you're curious about the seamier side of London, I'm currently reading a popular history (no footnotes but written by a scholar) called The Regency Underworld. Well-written, very clear, and gives a lot of historical context.

Abigail wrote: "If you're curious about the seamier side of London, I'm currently reading a popular history (no footnotes but written by a scholar) called The Regency Underworld. Well-written, very c..."

I am now! May be my reading project for next year! (underworld of Georgian/Regency times I mean)

Abigail wrote: "If you're curious about the seamier side of London, I'm currently reading a popular history (no footnotes but written by a scholar) called The Regency Underworld. Well-written, very c..."

wow, that does sound good.

It's not very long, only about 200 pages with large type (in paperback). It's out of print but used copies available. Dunno whether there's an ebook.

I haven't read this yet but useful for understanding Faro's Daughter. Jane Austen's Card Games - 11 Classic Card Games and 3 Supper Menus from the Novels and Letters of Jane Austen

MaryC wrote: "Not a recommendation but two questions:

In The Talisman Ring, my husband found the descriptions of Sir Hugh's meals at the Red Lion, especially breakfast, remarkable and wondered whether they were..."

For this kind of background question I can heartily recommend Rachel Knowles's Regency History blog: https://www.regencyhistory.net/
If you scroll down you'll find a link to an entry on breakfast in the column at left – she's also discussed lunch and dinner. She includes footnotes for those who want to pursue the subject, too, bringing a scholarly approach to blogging.

This isn't a recommendation exactly as I haven't read the book, but this one came up on Bookbub;

https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-histo...

Unfortunately search on Goodreads isn't working for me atm - I'll link to the book on GR when it does.

Given this month's interest in place names I thought some of you might like this.

Those interested in Waterloo and the (British-side) participants might like to browse 'The Waterloo Roll Call with Biographical Notes and Anecdotes' by Charles Dalton. It's available free online at Project Gutenberg, a website which publishes older, out of copyright texts.

The Waterloo Roll Call isn't the kind of book you read from (virtual) cover to cover, but it's interesting to browse through and read some of the snapshots, backgrounds and anecdotes about various participants in the battle. It apparently also includes some obituary notices of Waterloo officers.

Project Gutenberg also has other free online copies of books of potential interest to Heyer readers e.g. the original text of 'The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson: Written by Herself' (1825) Wilson was an (in)famous Regency-era courtesan who spent time with some famous and influential men of the period. Who knows, Heyer may even have read this book herself.

Jan wrote: "Those interested in Waterloo and the (British-side) participants might like to browse 'The Waterloo Roll Call with Biographical Notes and Anecdotes' by Charles Dalton. It's available free online at..."

I'll take a note of the Harriette Wilson title - it probably says something about my character that I would prefer to read about a courtesan than a famous battle! :)

😂😂

I am totally on board with that, haha!

Ha ha yes, I get that.

The Roll Call is still a fascinating document, with many anecdotes, not all related to war, and some fascinating background info about some of the participants. It's well worth scrolling through and dipping in to read some of the interesting tidbits.

Heyer herself may well have used a copy of this text when researching for 'An Infamous Army'.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/51143...

Harriette Wilson:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/43617...

Jan wrote: "Ha ha yes, I get that.

The Roll Call is still a fascinating document, with many anecdotes, not all related to war, and some fascinating background info about some of the participants. It's well w..."

Very likely. It's sad that her research library was broken up & sold when she died.

& already found the Harriette Wilson link. Like I said, says something about me! 😉

Just received my copy of The Novels of Georgette Heyer – A Celebration by Jennifer Kloester. I am excited to get started!

Ellen wrote: "Just received my copy of The Novels of Georgette Heyer – A Celebration by Jennifer Kloester. I am excited to get started!"

Enjoy! :)

Writing Regency England: A Resource for Authors

I have a copy but haven't read it yet. I did, however, check out the online resources and archive the webpages so I know what's in the book. It's a good resource to start with. Lots of websites, blogs, maps, books etc.

Jan wrote: "Harriette Wilson:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/43617..."

I'm pretty sure one episode in Harriette's memoirs was in part the inspiration for Faro's Daughter: she had a young gentleman madly in love with her who wanted to marry her, even though she had no intention of marrying him, and his parents insisted on buying her off.
Being (view spoiler)[less high-minded than Deb (hide spoiler)] (and having no reputation to defend!), she accepted - the offer was of an annuity as long as she refrained from contacting the young man. Sadly, the parents then diddled her by getting him to write her a letter she didn't feel she could let go unanswered, and they cancelled the deal.

Jenny wrote: "I'm pretty sure one episode in Harriette's memoirs was in part the inspiration for Faro's Daughter: she ha..."

Interesting. I have lightly browsed Harriette's memoirs but didn't read the whole thing. I daresay your point is quite possible.

For the fashion-conscious among us (I wanted to post a link to my review, but somehow I've posted the whole review, hope that's OK).

Dress in the Age of Jane Austen: Regency Fashion by Hilary Davidson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The long, dark evenings before Christmas were ideal for studying this beautifully illustrated not-quite-a-tome. Like all my reference works, my copy now looks like a fretted porcupine, prickly with bookmarks . . .

The introduction errs a little on the dry, academic side, but once Davidson gets into her stride, she gives us an entertaining and highly informative read. The illustrations are well chosen and tie in beautifully with the text, which integrates episodes from Jane Austen's life and works without apparent effort.

The design and format are problematic. I like the wide margins providing plenty of room for notes, but the print is too pale and too small, especially in the captions, which almost require a magnifying glass. The hardback quarto is too heavy to hold in your hands, and yet too unwieldy and printed too small to open on your desk for comfortable study. I'll sign up for a new, folio edition in landscape format any day!



View all my reviews

MaryC wrote: "In The Talisman Ring, my husband found the descriptions of Sir Hugh's meals at the Red Lion, especially breakfast"

Here's a fun and useful book that has the answers. Although the title says "dinner", it also includes sections about breakfast and other meals.

Dinner with Mr. Darcy: Recipes Inspired By the Novels of Jane Austen by Pen Vogler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Enjoyable, informative, and practical! Beautifully illustrated, too, and attractively made. Good paper, nice size. Opens well and stays open when you place it on the kitchen counter.

My only quibble is, again, a design quibble: the book includes charming examples of the original, historical recipes on which its recipes are based, but they are printed in an oddly illegible cursive that's probably meant to look as if they were hand-written. Nice idea, but you know the problem with hand-written recipes – you alway end up ringing Granny, or Mummy, or whoever, to ask what it actually says because you can't read it!



View all my reviews

Elizabeth wrote: "For the fashion-conscious among us (I wanted to post a link to my review, but somehow I've posted the whole review, hope that's OK).



Dress in the Age of Jane Austen: Regency Fashion by Hilary ..."

Lovely review, I will definitely be bypassing it though as small print is an absolute no no for me. I struggle with print unless it's quite large and have had to miss out on some books now for this reason.

Elizabeth wrote: "Dress in the Age of Jane Austen: Regency Fashion by Hilary ...The design and format are problematic. I like the wide margins providing plenty of room for notes, but the print is too pale and too small, especially in the captions, which almost require a magnifying glass. The hardback quarto is too heavy to hold in your hands, and yet too unwieldy and ..."

I had similar problems with this book. Great content and pics, but why on earth is it printed in light grey instead of black? So hard to read.

Elizabeth wrote: "For the fashion-conscious among us (I wanted to post a link to my review, but somehow I've posted the whole review, hope that's OK).



Dress in the Age of Jane Austen: Regency Fashion by Hilary ..."

I loved this book and keep it on my reference shelf. She has a new one Jane Austen's Wardrobe I want to read.

I also have Dinner with Mr. Darcy: Recipes Inspired By the Novels of Jane Austen but it's not easy to use and I don't eat many of the dishes listed.

QNPoohBear wrote: "I also have Dinner with Mr. Darcy: Recipes Inspired By the Novels of Jane Austen but it's not easy to use."

That's interesting, QN, can you tell us where the problem lies? I've tried a couple of recipes and thought they worked really well, but then I have a Mum I can alway ring when I run into trouble.

Elizabeth wrote: "
That's interesting, QN, can you tell us where the problem lies? I've ..."


I don't remember but I tried a yeast bun recipe and it didn't work. I think the directions were a bit confusing.

I loved but haven't used The British Baking Book: The History of British Baking, Savory and Sweet
It's part history book and part cookbook. It covers all the old classic recipes Mary Berry used to have the bakers make on Great British Bake Off.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "
That's interesting, QN, can you tell us where the problem lies? I've ..."
I don't remember but I tried a yeast bun recipe and it didn't work. I think the directions were a bit ..."

How annoying for you! I hate it when that happens (when Mum's not around ;-)). Thanks for sharing the British Baking Book, looks promising!