The Year of the Courtesan?

There seems to be a theme running through my TBR pile and my recent purchases: courtesans, light skirts, ladies of the evening. My current read is "Nell Gwyn: Mistress to a King," by Charles Beauclerk, who is a direct descendant of Nell and Charles II. Anyone interested in the Restoration period of English history should relish this book..fans of "Forever Amber" should be lining up at their bookstore or library for a copy. Beauclerk has done his research on both his ancestress and the time in which she lived: he cites from both primary and secondary sources, gives an intimate look at Restoration theatre life, and although he is never sensational, his prose is not dry. The book includes an insert of famous paintings of the principals. If Nell Gwyn's portraits are accurate, she was a true beauty in that her appeal is evident to 21st century eyes as well as those of the 17th century.

The book whose cover graces this post is "My Lady Scandalous" by Jo Manning, who worked in the publishing industry for several years, and is the author of two Regency romances. This biography is of a late 18th century Georgian courtesan previously unknown to me: Grace Dalrymple Elliot, who had a child whose father may have been the Prince of Wales. The book received mix reviews on amazon and the cover blurbs were strictly by other romance authors, but the book looks to be quite lively and entertaining, as well as lavishly illustrated.

Another courtesan book that I recently purchased is "Perdita: The Literary, Theatrical, Scandalous Life of Mary Robinson," by Paula Byrne. This book, unlike "My Lady Scandalous," received almost uniformly positive reviews, including recommendations by The Sunday Times (London) and the Sunday Telegraph (London). Mary Robinson was another who charmed the Prince of Wales, advanced her theatrical career with patrons, but ended as a distinguished author of her day, if not well-known here in the states.

In my TBR pile are the first two books in Susan Carroll's latest series, the second of which is entitled "Courtesan." I also have books on prostitutes in the Alaskan Gold Rush, as well as another book that gives a superficial but lively examination of "The Life" in the 19th century American West.

I normally do not buy hardcover books, but I received a very generous performance award at work this year, and decided to use some of the money to splurge on these lovely hardcovers, as well as some other books I had been looking at for some time. As I finish these books I will report on them here in this forum.

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!

I will not be updating my blog until after Christmas, so I want to wish all three or four of you who regularly visit here a wonderful holiday, and that wish is extended to those who may stumble upon this blog in your wanderings through the internet. May you receive lots and lots of lovely books for Christmas!

A note about my progression through the Barnes and Noble Classics series: I end up the year adding three more books to the list I started earlier: "Persuasion," by Jane Austen; "The Magnificent Ambersons," by Boothe Tarkington (a wonderful, complex work); and "O Pioneers," by Willa Cather (a disappointment, as I am a fan of Ms Cather). I am still reading "Wives and Daughters," by Elizabeth Gaskill, not because it isn't interesting, but because I have so many other books I want to read as well, that I put it aside for several days at a time, then pick it up to read two or three chapters before going on to another book. But it isn't a race! I will need to start Dicken's "Great Expectations" soon, as the Barnes and Noble group read starts the second week in January.

Happy Birthday, Jane Austen

Jane Austen was born December 16, 1775. Today, Jane Austen societies all over the world will be celebrating the 230th anniversary of her birth (if I am doing the math correctly at 4:30 am before my first cup of coffee). I will expand on this post later today, but for now let it suffice that I raise my glass in a birthday salute to "dear Jane."

I was finally able to take some time to talk more about one of my favorite authors, Jane Austen. After 230 years, why does she still speak to us today, we who live in a time where pierced belly buttons are considered the height of fashion, "talk to the hand" has been raised to an art form, and Mr Collins has gone into politics?

Those of us who read romance novels are not surprised by the continuing popularity of Ms Austen, as on the most basic level she writes a love story, and love stories continue to be popular (romance novels are the best selling adult literature in America, for good or ill). Many of us use romance novels to distract us from the demands of work and family, and as a means of temporary escape from a complex and dangerous world. But Jane Austen's world was not simple and peaceful (we know that Napoleon did not invade England but rather ended up dying in exile, and sometimes forget what a very real threat he was to the peace and stability of Europe).

The world of Jane Austen's novels does not include the laborer nor does it, for the most part, include the very wealthy, so perhaps that is one way in which the reader is drawn in -- we can identify with the status of the protagonists of the majority of Ms Austen's works. Even though sexual permissiveness is not the order of the day in a Jane Austen novel, we can sigh when Elizabeth and Mr Darcy finally declare their love for each other, and we can feel Marianne's pain when the man in whom she has invested so much emotion snubs her in the most public of forums, in the presence of his fiance. We laugh at Mr Collins, who worships at the shrine of a rich and shallow woman instead of ministering to a worthy flock, and roll our eyes when we find that he and Charlotte Lucas have produced an heir (better her than I, we think with relief).

Ms Austen put the R in Regency! Even though publishers have currently ceased publishing the short & "sweet" category Regency novels, the period continues to be the most popular in the longer historical romances, which contain sexual scenes unheard of in the mainstream literature of Ms Austen's time. I personally think we enjoy the contrast between the mannered and formal public life of the period, and the steamy private lives of the lovers in our favorite Regency novels written by contemporary authors. Even though we frequently long for historical romances set in other periods, the Regency romance continues to be cranked out every month. And Jane Austen continues to be popular, and discovered anew by the next generation, as shown by the popularity of the Kira Knightly version of "Pride and Prejudice."

So once again I raise my glass in admiration and appreciation: "To Jane!"

My New Favorite Author

I find that the novels of Elizabeth Chadwick have become my new obsession! I reviewed a book by the author several weeks ago, and since then have purchased several more of her works. Ms Chadwick writes historical novels set in the Middle Ages of 12th and 13th century England and France. It is a coin-toss as to whether they can be considered romances or straight historicals -- if you are familiar with the works of the late Anya Seton (another favorite) you know that she was historically accurate, had romantic entanglements as part of the plot line, but stoppped at the bedroom door. Ms Chadwick books are similarly accurate, with romantic entanglements; however she opens and goes through the bedroom door. The scenes of lovemaking are emotional, but they are not sex manuals...if detailed "hot" sex is a reading requirement for you, then you need to look elsewhere.

"The Marsh King's Daughter," the cover of which is shown above, deals in a fictional manner with the still-unsolved historical mystery of what happened to the fortune in gold belonging to King John of England, which was lost when a packtrain perished in a boggy marsh, full of quicksand. The characters are appealing, the writing is literary in style, and the scholarship is impressive. There is another author named Elizabeth Chadwick, who writes category romances; this is not the same Ms Chadwick, as the author is quick to point out on her website. She is also very approachable -- I e-mailed her through her website to tell her how much I had enjoyed her novel "The Falcons of Montabard," and she responded promptly. She also indicated that her agent is in negotiations with her publisher to see if U.S. readers can have better access to her books (at present they have to be ordered from secondary U.K. sources). These books are well-worth tracking down through secondary sellers on amazon. Try one and I think you will be hooked!