2016 Dorothy L. Sayers Challenge

[Everyman]

Susan wrote: "I will open two threads - one spoiler and one non spoiler. I do not want to dictate the discussion too much, but perhaps we can discuss them in order - that might work better if people start readin..."

I think that works fine for novels. For short stories, we'll have to see how it goes, but I think at the least people will have to be clear about which stories they are commenting on, or whether they're making general comments on the book.

[Susan]

Yes, I think we need to take one story at a time. Let's see how it goes and, if this doesn't work, we can re-think it.

[Barbara]

I just want to say a quick thank you. I am enjoying very much all the Lord Peter books-I'm a tad a head of the book of the month because I can't put them down! So glad I found this group!!

[Barbara]

I just want to say a quick thank you. I am enjoying very much all the Lord Peter books-I'm a tad a head of the book of the month because I can't put them down! So glad I found this group!!

[Susan]

That's great to hear, Barbara :)

[Judy]

I'm still reading the Lord Peter Views the Body stories, and have just come across this interesting web page which puts all the Wimsey short stories and novels in chronological order.

http://www.leftfield.org/~rawdon/book...

I see that Wimsey is at his youngest in the story I've just read, The Vindictive Story of the Footsteps That Ran - so looks as if there isn't a story which fills in the romance with his first love Barbara.

[Betsy]

Thanks so much for the link to this website. What a lot of work has been done to give us info about LP.

[Lady Clementina]

I should be able to join in on the June and July books- these I have on my TBR

[Judy]

Biographies of Sayers have just come up in the Bellona Club thread and that reminds me... I remember reading a biography of Sayers some years back and being disappointed to find that it spent more time discussing her religious writings than her mysteries.

I'm not 100% sure which this one was (it was in pre-Goodreads days for me!), but I think it was probably Dorothy L. Sayers, a Pilgrim Soul by Nancy Marie Patterson Tischler.

Would anyone especially recommend one of the other biographies of her?

I know a lot of people like Dorothy L. Sayers: Her Life and Soul by Barbara Reynolds, but I'm also tempted by 'Such a strange lady': an introduction to Dorothy L. Sayers by Janet Hitchman, because I remember loving Hitchman's memoir of her own childhood, The King of the Barbareens, when I was a child.

[Nadine]

the Hitchan book isn't very good, Reynold's biography based on DLSs letters is far more detailed and has more information

[Judy]

Thanks, Nadine. I've ordered a copy of the Reynolds bio.

[Judy]

Just noticed that Radio 4 Extra is currently broadcasting an adaptation of The Nine Tailors starring Ian Carmichael - all the episodes broadcast so far are available on BBC iPlayer radio:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03j865z

[Susan]

Thanks, Judy. I shall take a look.

[Leslie]

Judy wrote: "Just noticed that Radio 4 Extra is currently broadcasting an adaptation of The Nine Tailors starring Ian Carmichael - all the episodes broadcast so far are available on BBC iPlayer radio:

http://w..."

Thanks Judy!

[Judy]

I've now got hold of a second-hand copy of Dorothy L. Sayers: Her Life and Soul by Barbara Reynolds - it has a photo of a very young Sayers on the cover. Looking forward to reading it as soon as I finish Strong Poison.

[Judy]

After watching the TV adaptation of Strong Poison, I wanted to listen to the radio version to find out how Ian Carmichael played the part in this story.

Unfortunately it only seems to be available to buy on old tape cassettes, but I've just noticed an old time radio website which has a lot of Wimsey radio adaptations available to stream. I think it has dramatisations of all the books we have read so far.

I've just listened to the first episode of Strong Poison there and thought I'd pass on the link:

http://www.radioechoes.com/lord-peter...

[Susan]

Just to let everyone know that the thread for "Five Red Herrings," is up. Please post all spoilers in the spoiler thread only. There is also a general thread if you have not yet read the book, or haven't read until the end just yet. All threads, for all the books, will remain open, so you can join in at any time.

[Hannah]

The first book is now waiting for me at the library! I've never read Sayers before. Hopefully I can catch up with y'all before the end of the year.

[Susan]

That's great, Hannah. I have really enjoyed re-reading the early books and now embarking on those I haven't read before. I look forward to you joining in and hearing your thoughts.

[Hannah]

Thanks! A friend has been gently recommending them in the last few years, and I'm quite certain I will enjoy them.

[Susan]

Dorothy L Sayers is certainly a giant of the Golden Age, so certainly worth trying I would suggest.

[Susan]

Next month, we have an extra book. The next in the series is, "Have His Carcase." However, I plan to also include, "Hangman's Holiday," a book of short stories (only some stories include LPW). My idea was to open the thread for "Have His Carcase," at the beginning of August, then open the discussion for "Hangman's..." in the middle of the month.

Is everyone OK with that, or do you think it is a better idea to open both threads at the beginning of the month? Thoughts please, as I would prefer to do it the way that most of you prefer.

[Jan C]

OK with me. I'm behind anyway. But I have read them all before.

[Susan]

Thanks for your thoughts, Jan C. I'm always behind with my reading, as hard as I try to catch up!!!

[Judy]

It sounds fine to me too. Susan, I don't know how you read everything you do!

[Everyman]

Susan wrote: "Next month, we have an extra book. The next in the series is, "Have His Carcase." However, I plan to also include, "Hangman's Holiday," a book of short stories (only some stories include LPW). My i..."

Suits here.

[Susan]

Fine, thanks for the input. Just to clarify then, I will open the thread for "Have his Carcase," on the first of the month, as usual; then open the book of short stories, "Hangman's Holiday," mid-August. I am away for a week then, so will probably do it before I go.

[Judy]

A few of us are starting a buddy read of a Sayers biography, Dorothy L. Sayers: Her Life and Soul by Barbara Reynolds.

Here's the thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Jan C]

I just noticed that The Nine Tailors is available as a kindle deal today in US for $1.99.

[Judy]

I suddenly wondered if there was a Wimsey or Sayers companion available. Did a bit of googling and discovered that the Dorothy L Sayers Society did indeed publish The Lord Peter Wimsey Companion but it is out of print and costs hundreds of pounds secondhand... surely worth a reprint, given the number of fans there are around?

[Nadine]

I've realy wished I coudl get that but it is ridiculously expensive...

[Jan C]

Judy wrote: "I suddenly wondered if there was a Wimsey or Sayers companion available. Did a bit of googling and discovered that the Dorothy L Sayers Society did indeed publish [book:The Lord Peter Wimsey Compan..."

Did you scroll down the reviews to, I think, Susan, who was involved in the production of the Companion? She indicated that the third (online) edition is available through the Dorothy L. Sayers Society website. Apparently you need to fill out a request form, answer a few simple question to establish that you are a person with an email address. I didn't go as far as the form. I may do that tomorrow. But it is apparently free online. They decided not to publish it a third time.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

I'm working my way slowly through my collection of paperbacks, and brought a couple of the short story volumes with me on my camping trip.
There are two things that I need to sort out firstly that neither of my editions seem to appear here on Goodreads so I'll have to sort out that when I get back to civilisation, and secondly I have two collections of Lord Peter short stories - the second one doesn't appear to be on the list for the challenge ???

[Judy]

Jan C wrote: "Did you scroll down the reviews to, I think, Susan, who was involved in the production of the Companion? She indicated that the third (online) edition is available through the Dorothy L. Sayers Society website. Apparently you need to fill out a request form,.."

Many thanks for this, Jan! I had actually looked up details of the Companion on the DLS Society website, but had only found a page for an earlier edition - it just says there that it is not available.

The link to sign up for access is not very obvious on their site, but if you scroll down on the home page there is a place to click:

https://www.sayers.org.uk/

I've now gone ahead and filled in the form to hopefully gain free access to the 3rd edition. It sounds like a great resource, so am looking forward to hearing back from them. I'll let you know if it works.

[Nadine]

Jan C wrote: "Judy wrote: "I suddenly wondered if there was a Wimsey or Sayers companion available. Did a bit of googling and discovered that the Dorothy L Sayers Society did indeed publish [book:The Lord Peter ..."
free online? can you get a permanent copy on line?

[Judy]

You get access to the Companion on their site, apparently... I think it's a section of their site rather than a download.

[Susan]

Thanks for the link, Judy. I will have a look.

[Judy]

Just to say that I've now got access to the Companion and have had an initial look. It seems to be mainly a resource which can be searched, and I think it will take a while to work out how to get around it. Thanks again for pointing this out, Jan.

The webmaster suggested that I join the society, so I'll have a think about that - I used to belong to the Allingham one and got some interesting magazines from them, but let it lapse somewhere along the line.

[Jan C]

Well, waiting to hear from you whether it is worth getting and/or joining the society.

[Judy]

Clouds of Witness is a 99p Kindle special in the UK today.

[Jan C]

Busman's Honeymoon is $1.99 in US today

[Judy]

Is anyone else having a problem with the Sayers challenge today? When I go on the group home page it says I have read 0 books (I've actually read 11) and need to enter a shelf name, but won't allow me to re-enter it!

I'm not sure if it is worth me faffing around with this any further or if it is just a Goodreads blip which will soon be sorted...

[Judy]

Just found this thread and it is clearly a general Goodreads bug - my reading challenge for the year has also gone to 0 books read! Hope they sort it out soon...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Susan]

Lots of glitches that I find on Goodreads. I agree it is best to leave it alone and let it sort itself out. Sometimes I can't even get on Goodreads, although that has happened less lately.

[Jan C]

It often shows up in a strange language. I just try to leave and start over. Or come back later.

[LindaH]

Is our next Sayers book Gaudy Night? I've been looking forward to this one. Starts nov 1, right?

[Judy]

Linda, yes, you're right Gaudy Night is next, starting from November 1. Looking forward to this one too. :)

If you want to check on the order of the books at any time, here is a link to the challenge:
https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/...

[Susan]

Yes, Gaudy Night is next. I think it is the book I have heard the most about and I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to a good discussion!

[Judy]

I've just noticed some nice new paperback editions of Sayers' books in my local Waterstones.

Published by Hodder & Stoughton over the last few months, they have pretty covers and they actually have new introductions by different people, including Jill Paton Walsh and Harriet Walter, rather than having the same one by Elizabeth George in every book!

I had a quick peek at the introduction by Laura Wilson to Whose Body, which is interesting but quite short.

I've found an article from The Bookseller about these editions - it appears that all the Wimsey books have now been published in this format. They are also available on Kindle.

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/hod...

[Susan]

It was about time they re-vamped them really. I like the covers of the old ones too, but, with Gaudy Night, I had the new version on kindle.