(no subject)

[erastes]

Aww! Standish is now available in THREE libraries in the USA. Topeka, Kansas; Emeryville, California and Santa Fe! It gives me goosebumps. I'm takin' over ur wurld, wun libri at a time. (plus Chesterfield in the UK, kthnx)

I think I've worked out why I don't like Heyer. It's because, as far as I'm concerned (please don't flame me if you like her, there's really no point) she's the Tellytubby speak of the Regency world. Rather than "Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La La, Po" (although I'm QUITE certain you could find all four of those names in her books) you get "Fimble-Famble, Mifty, 'pon rep, bosom-bow" - Slang aside (and I'd really like to find her sources for her extra-ordinary language, I've just finished "The Charity Girl" which not only was dull but the peculiar slang was universally spoken - that's what annoyed me so much. From an ingenue girl still in the schoolroom, to a refined lady of impeccable manners, to a man of the best society, to a reprobate card sharp, to an Earl, to a inn-keeper in Harrogate and various underlings such as staff. It's just not credible - life was particularly insular specially before railways and dialects are still very much a part of english life - look at the difference in Mary's speech in A Secret Garden to the servants who live on the moors. There's no variation in voice in Heyer, slang aside, and add in the slang, the stories are as incomprehensible as listening to idiot children's programmes going on about BIG HUGS and Tubby Custard.

/rant.

Comments

[anderyn.livejournal.com]

Do tell me more. I am v. interested in your take on Heyer's language -- I had been told that she made up some of her slang, but haven't been able to find out what was made up and what was real.

What I like about her best books (my favorite three are: Venetia, The Unknown Ajax, and Sprig Muslin) is twofold -- the humor, which does not seem forced, but comes out of the characters as they live and react to each other; and the fact that her characters seem distinct (I mean, Damerel is the ur-Duke of Slut/rake character that you see in every other Regency, but I can believe that he does indeed love Venetia and that they will make a decent marriage together, which I do not believe of any of the umpteen thousand imitations).

[zehavit-lamasu.livejournal.com]

I actually agree with your assesment of Heyer... not that I stop being a fan of hers. It is just that I have a terrible habit of loving some books for their faults ... OK... and the Tellytubby reference had me spitting coffee through my nose . ^_^

I will never again be able to read Heyer without seeing tinky Winky fopping around regency ballrooms, Dipsy lounging languidly by a card table and Lala and Po flatter their fans exchanging regency insults XD.

[adventurat.livejournal.com]

I so wanted to love Heyer's stories, but found myself getting tangled up in the slang, and not in a good way. It seemed so gimmicky, and annoyed me. She does tone herself down sometimes, but the slang is overdone - everyone at every stratum uses the same words - and does nothing to define character or setting, only author.

That said, I do still read Heyers. But not with anything like as much regularity and affection as my Austen.

[semioticwarrior.livejournal.com]

BIG HUGS!

=)

[lilian-cho.livejournal.com]

Yep, overuse of made-up slang = annoying.

I also don't like made-up words that are quite important to the storyline yet remain unexplained for...three books in the running now D:

[madrigalist.livejournal.com]

I thought about the library loop...

I'd bee too tempted to keep going in to see who 'checked me out'

[mzcalypso.livejournal.com]

I like Heyer as a 'popcorn book.' I can read her stuff in the tub, or before going to sleep, without any chance of staying up fussing over it. Her stuff has the sense of not taking itself too seriously--it's like watching "Are You Being Served" as opposed to "The World at War." And compared to the absolute rubbish prancing around in Regency dress in modern "historicals," her literacy is refreshing. Maybe books in the UK are still edited, but a lot of romances in the US seem to be edited and proofed (and written!) by the borderline illiterate.

[zamaxfield.livejournal.com]

Congrats! I'm wondering if my tiny suburban library is ready... Perhaps an anonymous donation... hm... can't give up my copy... what to do? If I didn't thought they'd actually put it on the shelves I'd order one in a heart beat... I'm going to feel out the process and get back to you. How do libraries acquire books?

[zamaxfield.livejournal.com]

Um.. stupidity issues not literacy issues... If I thought they would put it on the shelves...

[annebrooke.livejournal.com]

Well done on the library takeover!

:))

A
xxx

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

I've just been in contact with a regional GLBT library, and they're tickled at the thought of donations. Most libraries' budgets are suffering right now, so just call up and ask if they'd like your book. Be sure to stipulate that you want to donate to the collection, though, not just a general donation, or it might wind up in a used-book sale. Which it may anyway, if it's not checked out. But that's still worthwhile, if the buyer wants the rest of your books.

[tharain.livejournal.com]

Go EMERYVILLE!

That's five miles from me.

[thistlerose.livejournal.com]

That's awesome about the libraries! Yay infiltration!

I think I forgot to tell you this. A while ago, Amazon.com sent me an email telling me that if I liked your book (which I did!) I ought to buy rwday's, because I'd probably enjoy it too. (I already had, and did!)

[fiona-glass.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the infiltration, long may it continue. :)

Some of Heyer's books are much worse than others for cod-Regency stuff. I seem to remember getting really *cross* with one called The Toll Gate, which was chock-full of the most terrible Georgian Country Bumpkin stuff. Aargh. But I still have favourites which I re-read regularly. One of the best, I think, is These Old Shades, which has a mystery sub-plot (and even a blink-and-you-miss-it slash reference!!)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I have a lot of problems with her authenticity, I've searched for her sources but simply haven't found many - havey-cavey I know, and a few others but according to her this slang was universal no matter where her heroes and heroines GO, from Bath to Harrogate to Brighton to London and all points between. Surely if this slang was SO well known, Austen would have (at least) put a caricature in one of her books, in the way she lampooned other things like the Gothic novel and bosom friends.

I did enjoy The Black Sheep I have to say because it surprised me, and I will continue to read them, if only because I don't think one should critique anyone without study.

(As far as I can find out sprigged muslin itself is a Heyerism!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I shall continue to read her in spots, I couldn't bear more than one a month or so.

I actually wrote two paragraphs of LaLa in her garden pulling leaves off a daisy and wondering whether Tinky Winky was going to be her tenant-for-life and ran away screaming.

Vile enabler, you.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Nod nod. I will continue to read them. I'd like to say that at least I've read them all - but I won't buy them.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

EY-O!!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Oh I agree with you there. I also hate foreign words used in stories which are supposed to be based in foreign lands and used by foreign people. E.g. "Bonjourno said Angelo"

[erastes.livejournal.com]

ooo - can you do that???? How plz?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Oh I agree, very much - I've only read two, but I do take them in the same vein as Christie, something to help turn the mind off. And yes, you can't fault her in a lot of ways. Much better than "I say, Chesney, are you OK?"

:D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Well, all you need to do is ask the library to stock it - that's what my friend in Chesterfield did. I'm going to ask the Norfolk libraries to get hold of a copy too. They have to buy it if a client insists, apparently!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Go thee into your local library and ask for it!! I'm quite prepared to do the same for ADM

and I get five pence per borrowing!

[zamaxfield.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. Growing horns. I wonder if suburban OC is ready for my wish list...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I'll have to look into that - my Chesterfield friend just asked them to buy a copy - and they did, via Amazon - and that's what I intend to do for Norfolk, you can even fill in a form online saying which book you demand they buy for you! If I ever do a USA tour, I'll come loaded down and scatter the book like confetti...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Hee hee!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Slowly slowly infiltrate...

That's very annoying of them - fancy not knowing you'd already read Thaw!

:)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I shall definitely make an attempt to read them all, as I've heard that some are certainly better than others!

I was rather convinced that Ashley's brother (and actually another character) might have been gay in The Charity Girl. Simon was "always getting into trouble with his friends" and no mention of wooing, and the other character, can't remember his name, he was 19, had a definite crush on Ashley - hung around him all the time - and his mother said a couple of times that she was pleased he hadn't yet started to take an interest in girls...

:)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Hey - if Standish can get a toe - hold in KANSAS!! ... anything's possible!

[cerisaye.livejournal.com]

I still love Heyer's These Old Shades...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I've heard good things of that one - I'm intending to read them all, so I'll try that one next!

[madrigalist.livejournal.com]

How to see who checked out your book? Most you can do is just see how often it was removed by the date stamp, etc.. now that I think of it I bet they really can't give out names due to privacy reasons. That is something you would have to go into the library to see as you can look it up on line. How did you get into them? I could donate a copy to my local library (only after everyone I know purchased a copy of course!)

;)

[annebrooke.livejournal.com]

Good thought! We'll get more money by buying it for friends though.

:))

A
xxx

[erastes.livejournal.com]

They've stopped doing that here, no longer the old stamp in a sheet on the front - all done by computer now.

*sniffs*

[lilian-cho.livejournal.com]

If the author is known for writing ethnic stories (e.g. Amy Tan), then I'm okay with foreign words. But random foreign words and exaggerated slang in a story that doesn't need them = FAIL.

[shiawmeimei.livejournal.com]

Kewl on the libraries! I never thought to search for my only print book in a library. Evidently, the Emeryville CA library likes gay romances. The Cost of Eternity is also there! *cackle*

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Woo! Ransom's in 3 libraries, too -- in California, Washington State, and New York. Small towns, all of them. No UK or Canada yet. Still... libraries!! My natural habitat!

[fiona-glass.livejournal.com]

Now you come to mention it, there are characters like that in quite a few of the books. They're nearly always younger brothers/nephews/cousins and they nearly always get themselves into scrapes that only the dashing hero can rescue them from, or wind up with the Thoroughly Bad Lot. It's just crying out for a good slashing!