Georgette Heyer Fans discussion
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Group Reads
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The Corinthian Group Read March 2018
Getting started early because I’m traveling in March (and it means I don’t have to finish reading An Infamous Army—I really cannot stand Bab). I’ve read it at least four or five times, and currently have one of the Harlequin paperback editions with the embarrassing cover. I know some people are bored by the Heyer novels that spend a lot of time with low-class rogue characters, but I enjoy her depiction of the Regency underworld. Echoes of The Foundling here, but Pen Creed is a more interesting character than Belinda. She’d have to be, since she’s the heroine and Belinda is only a secondary character (though I do relish Belinda’s black-hole quality, sucking all the action into her own negative space).
This will be my third time reading, last time was a couple years ago, when I enjoyed it but not quite as much as my first read. I will be reading the Kindle version.
This is my 3rd time, I believe, on my kindle this time. I recall having some issues with this, or not liking it for some reason, but I cannot remember the what, why, or who! Looking forward to seeing how I feel about it after this (re)reading.
It's my first time reading Corinthian. And I'll read it on Open Library. I've found two copies that I can borrow. So, I borrowed this one because only two people are ahead of me. As for the second copy, there are five people ahead of me.
I'll be listening to the audiobook. It's definitely not my first time reading it but it sits somewhere between those I read constantly and the one's I never read.
I am probably a minority here but I love The Corinthian; it is in my top five/six Heyers. I am not sure but I think I have read it twice or three times and also listened to the audiobook twice. It is one of my favourite comfort reads.
Planning to start on this one after I finish off a couple of library books. It's one of my least favorite Heyers -- at least, the first (and only other) time I've read it, I wasn't impressed. I'll give it another go, though, and see if the (many!) intervening years give me a different perspective.
I can't remember the last time I read this. I know I first read it in '67 or '68 as Bantam was releasing paperback editions of her work. And I probably read it 2 or 3 more times after that. The madcap romp is not one of my favorite tropes from GH, so it will be interesting to see what I think of it this time around.I borrowed the Sourcebooks edition from the library. I am not a fan of the cover portrait that they used--too bland.
I will confess I have never read this one - so all new to me!
Lucky one, Hilary! I wish I could go back and read any Heyer novel for the first time.
Abigail wrote: "Lucky one, Hilary! I wish I could go back and read any Heyer novel for the first time."I think I found half a dozen I really liked and then never tried the rest (until I joined here lol)
Abigail wrote: "Lucky one, Hilary! I wish I could go back and read any Heyer novel for the first time."Yes, wouldn't it be lovely? But then, re-reads are fun as well.
Yes, I started rereading already, and was drawn right in...
This will be my second time reading it. First time in about five or six years. I remember liking it but also thinking it was pretty silly. We'll see how I feel after all this time.
I can't remember how many times I have read this one. It is a favourite, if not in the top 10. The edition I am reading is the Harlequin one with the foreward by Kasey Michaels.
It does start off nicely! You know that it will be a crazy romp from the start.
I agree, it gets a faster start than many of her books. We do have the obligatory establishing scene with the family members harassing the hero (how often have I read that?), but it quickly gets down to business, with a nice little meet-cute.
Hilary S wrote: "No open spoilers - use spoiler tags or post in the spoiler thread - we don't want to ruin a first read for anyone!So...is this anyone's first time reading this?
How many times have you read it?
W..."
This book is available in KU.
Amy wrote: "This will be my second time reading it. First time in about five or six years. I remember liking it but also thinking it was pretty silly. We'll see how I feel after all this time."Exactly how I felt second time - still lots of fun, but farcical at the same time; and I have no problem with that! I guess depends on my mood.
Abigail wrote: "I agree, it gets a faster start than many of her books. We do have the obligatory establishing scene with the family members harassing the hero (how often have I read that?), but it quickly gets do..."Thank you, you put it so succinctly!
Just started and quickly got towed along. I was happy to see that the age difference between Richard and Pen wasn't as large as I remembered--while 12 years is still a big gap, at least he's not twice her age!
Barb in Maryland wrote: Just started and quickly got towed along. I was happy to see that the age difference between Richard and Pen wasn't as large as I remembered--while 12 years is still a big gap, at least he's not twice her age! "I thought I remembered a larger age gap too. Like she was 17 and he was almost 40. Good. I find the huge age gap thing harder to swallow the older I get.
I've read this once before. It's part of the "older men with young, flighty women" group that aren't usually among my favorites of Heyer's oeuvre. I'll be reading from the Sourcebooks edition of 2009, which features a young woman in a dress, not the cross-dressing Pen described in the back cover copy...
I do like historical books with cross-dressing characters; have ever since I was a child. And GH features them in three books! Or more?
I'm a sucker for a cross-dressing plot too! That's why I especially like The Masqueraders, which is a double-header! As well as having a soft spot for this month's read.
Me three! Twelfth Night my favorite Shakespeare play for that reason.
I've lost count of the number of times I've read it. I recently read it (November?) for some brain candy to get my mind off other things and quite enjoyed it. I have a classic 1970's bantam print. I wish I could take a shot and show you the cover. The cross dressed lady on the cover somehow conveys 1960's early 1970's hair do whilst being dressed as a boy.
Here's Belinda's cover:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
That's the copy I first read--originally came out Oct 1967. I had that haircut, too! (I was a brunette, though, not a blonde with 'guinea gold' curls).
BTW, I hope my fellow early readers noticed that dear Richard has, wait for it... grey eyes!
Barb in Maryland wrote: "Here's Belinda's cover:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
That's the copy I first read--originally came out Oct 1967. I had that haircut, too! (I was a brunette, though, n..."
Thank you Barbara!
When Belinda described the cover of her edition of the book I was dying to see it because i love 60s fashions!
That haircut is so cute!
love a duck - that IS the '70's isn't it :D
Barb in Maryland wrote: "Here's Belinda's cover:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
That's the copy I first read--originally came out Oct 1967. I had that haircut, too! (I was a brunette, though, n..."
Hah! Yes, I caught that...sounds like he can barely keep them open from ennui...
Not only is that hair perfectly from the late 60s/early 70s, that girl looks like TSoM's Baroness Schraeder, not some naive teenager.
❇Critterbee wrote: "Not only is that hair perfectly from the late 60s/early 70s, that girl looks like TSoM's Baroness Schraeder, not some naive teenager."Lol!
I have an old paperback copy (from the 70s?) of this book, but I don't see it listed as one of the editions. The young lady on the cover is very elegant--she looks like she could be modeling for JCrew. Her hairstyle is a bob. If I can figure out how to do it, I'll post a photo of the cover here later. I'm not sure if I'll join in the group read of The Corinthian or not. I'm only halfway through An Infamous Army, which I feel like I will never pick up again if I don't finish it now. I've been out with some sort of cold or flu, and had to turn to my sickbed favorites (mysteries) for comfort.
Sorry you’ve been poorly, Sheila! An Infamous Army is definitely not something to read when you’re under the weather.
Sheila wrote: "I have an old paperback copy (from the 70s?) of this book, but I don't see it listed as one of the editions. The young lady on the cover is very elegant--she looks like she could be modeling for JC..."That might be mine, too, Sheila. I actually like the look a lot!
Sheila wrote: "I have an old paperback copy (from the 70s?) of this book, but I don't see it listed as one of the editions. The young lady on the cover is very elegant--she looks like she could be modeling for JC..."I just checked all 43 editions of The Corinthian on Goodreads, and didn't find mine, so maybe we have the only two known copies in the world, Sheila!
I had that one, too. It has the modern Gothic look they had, as oppose to the classic Gothic woman with a hooded cape on a wall by the sea look that was also popular. Think that copy is on my book shelf, read them to bits & had to get new copies. (Having nearly all my mom’s friends reading them did not help, I am so gentle to my books cannot tell they’ve been read, but not so other people. Came back with bent corners, cracked spines, and food stains).
Abigail wrote: "Sorry you’ve been poorly, Sheila! An Infamous Army is definitely not something to read when you’re under the weather."Thank you! I have been chuckling over some of your remarks concerning An Infamous Army. I must agree with the person who posted "I cannot warm to her [Barbara]".
Karlyne wrote: "Sheila wrote: "I have an old paperback copy (from the 70s?) of this book, but I don't see it listed as one of the editions. The young lady on the cover is very elegant--she looks like she could be ..."So do I! :)
I am interested in the versions that you have and are not shown as alternate editions. If it is no too much trouble, could you find and post the ISBNs? Maybe we could update Goodreads's records to show the versions.
❇Critterbee wrote: "I am interested in the versions that you have and are not shown as alternate editions. If it is no too much trouble, could you find and post the ISBNs? Maybe we could update Goodreads's records to ..."It's a Bantam, 7th printimg, 1970, if that's any help!
Hmm I found a photo (no pub details) of The Corinthian with a brown-haired youth sporting a Prince Valiant-style bob, dressed in men's clothes with a long yellowish-orange coat, standing in front of a chair and with one hand on a small table with a single candlestick. It looks to be an older paperback, but not a Pan paperback. Maybe it is the Bantam version? Can not find a clear photo...Oh! I have a copy at work of an old Pan version,
. I like it!
Oh! And a Bantam version, but not 1970, again with a brown-haired youth sporting a Prince Valiant-style bob, wearing riding gear, standing legs akimbo, a riding crop held horizontally in both hands, outside in front of a sprawling manor house.
❇Critterbee wrote: "Hmm I found a photo (no pub details) of The Corinthian with a brown-haired youth sporting a Prince Valiant-style bob, dressed in men's clothes with a long yellowish-orange coat, standing in front o..."That's it, Critterbee!--Prince Valiant haircut and long, yellow-orange coat, etc.
Belinda’s edition, mine also, is listed as Bantam, 1967.
Kim wrote: "Belinda’s edition, mine also, is listed as Bantam, 1967."Mine also is first printing, August, 1967, but my copy is the 1970, 7th printing one. Fairly popular, I'd say!
❇Critterbee wrote: "Oh! And a Bantam version, but not 1970, again with a brown-haired youth sporting a Prince Valiant-style bob, wearing riding gear, standing legs akimbo, a riding crop held horizontally in both hands..."I think I saw this one on the Goodreads edition thread!
Well, doing a bit of detective work, the Bantam cover with the house, Prince Valiant hair cut, riding crop, etc, lists GH as the author of Lady of Quality on said cover. LoQ came out in 1972, so this edition came out after that date. It also cost $1.25 or so--given the rise in cost of paperbacks, I'd guess mid to late '70s, but not much past 1978.(why yes, I do have pb books that old that I can easily lay my hands on... )
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Georgette Heyer Fans
Books mentioned in this topic
These Old Shades (other topics)The Corinthian (other topics)
The Corinthian (other topics)
So...is this anyone's first time reading this?
How many times have you read it?
What format are you using this time.
Happy reading!