Georgette Heyer Fans discussion

Firstly I'm sorry I have been MIA - the roofers & all the noise left me unable to concentrate on anything. But things are relatively peaceful now, so I thought I would put this up for discussion.

This was actually Critterbee's idea. We have a very few GH titles that have never been read or only had a read in the Books Folder. Since, for the most part, they aren't GH's best work we thought it would be fun to read them - but sandwich them between reads that win a poll.

For our new members - we usually have November or December off - as a catch up month.

So it would look like this.

January - Poll
February - Penhallow
March - Poll
April - Simon the Cold Heart
May - Poll
June - Why Shoot a Butler
July - Poll
August - The Spanish Bride
September - Poll
October - The Great Roxhythe
November - Poll
December - rest month

How does everyone feel about this? I would like to do the poll for January's read next week, to allow everyone time to get hold of the book.

Edit; & I forgot to mention. All Heyer titles will be eligible for nomination, unless they were read in 2021 or 2022.

Sounds like a good plan! I am not sure I have Penhallow in me again but I remember it pretty well. I have been meaning to read The Great Roxhythe. I’ll have to look back at the list of what we read when before nominating anything. It does feel like a while since we read about Waldo’s brats, 😁 but I might have missed a read when I didn’t have time to participate.

Here’s the link to Critterbee’s handy-dandy list of what we read up through 2020: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/....

Based on that I’d like to nominate The Foundling for January.

BTW, Friday’s Child seems like a fairly neglected one, and it has also been a while since we read Arabella.

As long as we didn't read it in 2021 you are good to go! I'm scared to say it but even frequently read titles like The Unknown Ajax will be fine. We have quite a few new members who might like to explore them!

& I haven't added my edition yet, but I have managed to pick up a decent edition of The Great Roxhythe I've listed my low quality one on TradeMe. :)

😁 I noticed that about Ajax but decided to refrain. There are other books I like too!

I picked up a cut-price Kindle version of The Great Roxhythe not too long ago. Maybe a group discussion will inspire me to finish it!

I'll wait a little bit before calling for nominations - just in case we have people really unhappy with the format for next year.

I'd better add the 2021 books to that list. :)

Works for me :)

Louise Sparrow wrote: "Works for me :)"

Good to see you, Louise!

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Louise Sparrow wrote: "Works for me :)"

Good to see you, Louise!"

You too Carol!

Carol, this looks like a great idea - polls allow for revisiting old favorite books with new members, and the less read books will be a different twist for all of us - I know I haven’t read most of them, so I’m willing to give it a go!

And we may be holding off on January nominations for now, but I do love The Foundling and it’s been awhile since I’ve read it, so I second Abigail’s nomination! ;)

Susan in NC wrote: "Carol, this looks like a great idea - polls allow for revisiting old favorite books with new members, and the less read books will be a different twist for all of us - I know I haven’t read most of..."

Fear not, The Foundling nomination will be accepted. It is a favourite of mine too!

Abigail wrote: "😁 I noticed that about Ajax but decided to refrain. There are other books I like too!"

You are showing great restraint, I’m proud of you!

Margaret wrote: "I picked up a cut-price Kindle version of The Great Roxhythe not too long ago. Maybe a group discussion will inspire me to finish it!"

Glad I’m not the only one who needs a group read sometimes to get me to finish a book! ;)

Appeals to me. I've been contemplating some of those less read titles - The Great Roxhythe, Penhallow - and nearly picked up The Spanish Bride a couple of weeks back.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Carol, this looks like a great idea - polls allow for revisiting old favorite books with new members, and the less read books will be a different twist for all of us - I know I ..."

Yay!

I am excited to see what books are nominated!

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Firstly I'm sorry I have been MIA - the roofers & all the noise left me unable to concentrate on anything. But things are relatively peaceful now, so I thought I would put this up for discussion.

..."

Sorry but I couldn't read Penhallow, Simon the Coldheart, The Great Roxhythe or The Spanish Bride ever again. Not even if I was paid a million! I would be totally happy re-reading Arabella, The Reluctant Widow, Frederica, Sylvester, Faro's Daughter etc etc again. Happy to try the detective fiction (which is not my favourite Heyer genre), as I might discover my tastes have changed but not the four Historical/Regencies suggested. I'll just need to miss them out. Sorry!

Susan in Perthshire wrote: Sorry but I couldn't read Penhallow, Simon the Coldheart, The Great Roxhythe or The Spanish Bride ever again. Not even if I was paid a million!

I'm pretty much with you, Susan in Perthshire. The only one on the list I'll contemplate is Spanish Bride. So I'll miss them out as well and join in for the monthly reads.

Well, I'm fond of Simon the Coldheart, and have never read The Great Roxhythe. It's been 50 years or so since I read The Spanish Bride, so I'm willing to give it another try. However, I do agree that Penhallow is one I have no desire to re-read.

Agree with Susan in Perthshire. I'm not interested in any of the history novels. I've read all the detective novels and am not interested in rereading. We haven't read The Nonesuch in awhile have we? I feel the need for a reread.

Carolien wrote: "The only one on the list I'll contemplate is Spanish Bride."

I also have some interest in reading The Spanish Bride--for what it's worth.

Perhaps we could do a "less popular/unread" novel every 3rd month and poll for the other 7-8 months. While i feel i should read some of these less popular titles, there is a reason why they are less popular....and life is too short

Susan wrote: "Perhaps we could do a "less popular/unread" novel every 3rd month and poll for the other 7-8 months. While i feel i should read some of these less popular titles, there is a reason why they are les..."

Thanks for everyone's input. :) I'll discuss this with Critterbee. It may take a couple of days to get back to everyone because it is coming up to Thanksgiving in the States.

Susan wrote: "Perhaps we could do a "less popular/unread" novel every 3rd month and poll for the other 7-8 months. While i feel i should read some of these less popular titles, there is a reason why they are les..."

That sounds like a sensible compromise!

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Susan wrote: "Perhaps we could do a "less popular/unread" novel every 3rd month and poll for the other 7-8 months. While i feel i should read some of these less popular titles, there is a reason wh..."

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate!🦃

Ok, Critterbee & I have had a chat.

We have decided on Why Shoot as Butler? (as no one objected to that) & The Spanish Bride as there was interest in reading that one.

We would like to put up a third title & have a vote by consensus here Please just choose one. :)

Voting will close Tuesday my time

The choices are;

The Great Roxhythe
Simon the Coldheart
Penhallow

I'll get the ball rolling by voting for The Great Roxhythe. :)

OK, I will go for Simon the Coldheart!

TGR- 5
StC - 2
Penhallow-

Simon the Coldheart.

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Simon the Coldheart."

Thanks Barb

The Great Roxhythe

Lesley wrote: "The Great Roxhythe"

added. Thanks Lesley

All right, the race is on! :D

None of the above for me, thanks. I abstain from voting this time.

None of those for me - so like QNPoohBear - I’ll abstain. I’ll probably follow the discussions though! 😉

The Great Roxhythe

I want to start participating more so would enjoy reading at least some of these. I probably won't vote in the polls since I am such a moody reader, but will try to read a few this year.

The Great Roxhythe.

Martha wrote: "I want to start participating more so would enjoy reading at least some of these. I probably won't vote in the polls since I am such a moody reader, but will try to read a few this year."

Welcome Martha

& there is never any obligation to take part in a read in this group (or most other groups on GR) :)

One of the advantages to a group on GR, as opposed to some book clubs!

Thanks for your votes Abigail & Sheila. I've added them to the tally.

I haven’t read any of the three, but did read the first couple pages of Simon and Roxhythe to get a taste. Simon seemed rather moody and humorless, but Roxhythe seemed more intriguing, personally. Don’t know when we’ll get to them, or if I’ll be able to read it (currently available on Scribd, but books come and go, so I’m never sure they will be there when needed!) Also, I’m afraid I was not a huge fan of Beauvallet - feels like this might be more of the same. If I want to reread a Hundred Year’s War book, I’ll revisit Barbara Tuchman’s A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century!

So, I’ll go for Roxhythe.

Susan in NC wrote: "I haven’t read any of the three, but did read the first couple pages of Simon and Roxhythe to get a taste. Simon seemed rather moody and humorless, but Roxhythe seemed more intriguing, personally. ..."

Vote added. Thanks Susan.

It is also true of Amazon. I know when Critterbee & I started discussing this there were cheap copies of The Great Roxhythe available as kindles. For me anyway (I'm in NZ) they have vanished off Amazon.

Oh, boy, might be gone off of Scribd soon, as well, then ! Thanks Carol.

By the way, this is the kindle cover available on Scribd: .

Susan in NC wrote: "Oh, boy, might be gone off of Scribd soon, as well, then ! Thanks Carol.

By the way, this is the kindle cover available on Scribd: ."

No, won't come up for me.

I don't know if the page I get will come up for anyone other than the Kiwis.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=B086T52Y3C...

May not be licensed to sell in my country.

I got a copy of TGR from Amazon a few years ago that looked like an 8”x10” workbook. So I’m not sure who published it.
I tried several times to get into it but never could.
I finally let another GH fan borrow it.
Also I could not read Penhallow even though I tried.
I will give a thumbs up to the detective you have on the list.

Katie wrote: "I got a copy of TGR from Amazon a few years ago that looked like an 8”x10” workbook. So I’m not sure who published it.
I tried several times to get into it but never could.
I finally let another ..."

Was your copy this one by Important Books?

I was so disappointed by the quality of this one that I couldn't bring myself to read it. The pages had obviously been photocopied from another edition. I'm trying to sell it on TradeMe now, but unlike the person who sold it to me I've been honest about the book.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Oh, boy, might be gone off of Scribd soon, as well, then ! Thanks Carol.

By the way, this is the kindle cover available on Scribd: ."

No..."
Your link comes up as the same kindle cover I have.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Oh, boy, might be gone off of Scribd soon, as well, then ! Thanks Carol.

By the way, this is the kindle cover available on Scribd: ."

No..."

Doesn't come up on that link for me.
In fact on both Amazon.com and .com.au don't have TGR for kindle when I search.
I'm not able to get TGR on Scribd either.
Very frustrating as I want to read it, and have done for a long time.
I'll keep looking but will steer clear of the one you are selling on TM, Carol!

I've only just seen this post!! Didn't get any notification. I'm baffled sometimes at the way GR works.
I have actually never read any of the three in the Poll so I'll go with whatever wins.
I could also never read The Spanish Bride again.
I noticed someone above mentioned Arabella for a Poll. I'd love to read that one again. It's been too long.