|
Posts:
6,953
From:
Mysterychick - USA
Registered:
11/20/01
|
|
(35 of 35)
Oct 3, 2008 1:05 PM
|
|
Nagio writes with so heavy a dialect that one spends so much time unraveling a sentence that it takes away from the story. The mystery is "What the heck did that character just say?" That was one of the extreme no-no's in writing rules. I thought my "garshes" were bad but that was the character's character and IMHO, at least it didn't weigh down the whole sentence where IMHO, Nagio's does. I could not finish one of NM's books.
|
|
|
Posts:
6,953
From:
Mysterychick - USA
Registered:
11/20/01
|
|
(34 of 35)
Oct 3, 2008 1:02 PM
|
|
A Christmas Journey? It seems we all like Perry for Christmas. This will give us time to obtain the book and perhaps pick an additional (for those who want) so we have two for the season?
|
|
|
Posts:
1,383
From:
Clewie
Registered:
1/4/07
|
|
(33 of 35)
Re: You lot handle the Calendar Club...
Oct 3, 2008 9:05 AM
|
Chick, I've found the quality of Ngaio Marsh's books to be very uneven. I read and enjoyed a couple many years ago, but then picked up some that I just couldn't get into at all.
My suggestion for a December mystery would be one of Ann Perry's Christmas series. The one we did last year was very good, and there are several more, including "A Christmas Journey", "A Christmas Guest", "A Christmas Visitor" and "A Christmas Secret". Plus, she'll probably come out with a new one again this year.
|
|
|
Posts:
1,400
From:
Pittsburgh PA
Registered:
9/21/05
|
|
(32 of 35)
Oct 3, 2008 9:04 AM
|
I agree totally that it would be terrible to lose the classic literature (not just mysteries) of the past because the writing and dialogue contained phrases and words not considered correct by today's standards. And I am a very "PC" supportive guy!
Regarding Dickson Carr, I assume you all know he was also Carter Dickson and I think he had one other "alias"? Poirot refers to him in the beginning of Third Girl, as he discusses his recently completed magnum opus on detective fiction.
|
|
|
Posts:
1,383
From:
Clewie
Registered:
1/4/07
|
|
(31 of 35)
Oct 3, 2008 8:54 AM
|
Marty, according to an on-line bibliography, "Black Dudley" was Allingham's 4th book and was published in 1929. To be honest, although I have several of her titles, I think I've only read one.
And good points about non-PC classic books. I find myself "gulping" a lot when reading today's violent or sexually explicit books, although I usually solve the problem by not attempting them in the first place.
|
|
|
Posts:
6,953
From:
Mysterychick - USA
Registered:
11/20/01
|
|
(30 of 35)
Oct 2, 2008 8:45 PM
|
I'm not sure if Black Dudley is an early eppy or not but I wish it appeared on film as I'd really like to see that adaptation. 
The racial slurs or non-PC stuff does stun for a moment but then we read on. As you lot have pointed out, that was before and it would be a sin to lose classics because of the PC police.
|
|
|
Posts:
1,383
From:
Clewie
Registered:
1/4/07
|
|
(29 of 35)
Re: Golden Age mysteries Jh2...
Oct 2, 2008 6:10 PM
|
lms, thanks for giving me a refresher on the schedule.
As for Carr, so far in the book I'm reading, there's no sign of chauvinism, but it's too early to tell. One thing I've learned is that you can't judge an author by one book, as they're often inconsistent and you might pick up the wrong book first and dismiss the writer unfairly. The reverse has also happened, where I thought a certain book was wonderful so went on to try others by the same author, but found them unreadable for one reason or another.
Glad you're enjoying Tey. She's definitely in the top category of mystery writers. Let me know how you're enjoying "Miss Pym" when you get to it. 
|
|
|
Posts:
1,383
From:
Clewie
Registered:
1/4/07
|
|
(28 of 35)
Oct 2, 2008 4:23 PM
|
Bravo, jh! I couldn't agree more. It would be a shame if the PC police tried to erase all of our literary history. Which authors would escape?
That was another time and another attitude. Also, every individual has his/her own sensibilities as to what is correct and what is offensive, so there's no stopping once you start.
I've acquired many old books that sometimes shock me with their out-of-date characterizations and slurs, but I take it all in stride and enjoy the story for what it is. And I often think "one day these wonderful books are going to be wiped off the face of the earth because of a single line". Thank heaven that hasn't happened so far.
|
|
|
Posts:
368
From:
Oregon
Registered:
2/3/08
|
|
(27 of 35)
Oct 2, 2008 2:39 PM
|
I always find it a little surprising too, when I run across a comment, remark or attitude that is so out of step in today's world but would hate to deny myself all of the wonderful books that are out there from past eras, as they were being ,true to themselves, for their time.
It's like seeing someone smoke on television. It's hardly done any more and always surprises. It's important to never forget our history, social, literary, economic, international etc. or as they say, we will be doomed to repeat it!
What I find odd is there seems to be a middle ground of, "the past", that we still seem to feel rather keenly, and often times try to avoid, such as the non-pc, remarks you mentioned Marty, while older historic happenings and behaviors, such as slavery, lack of human rights and assorted atrocities don't phase us.
Which ever book is selected, I look forward to reading it. I really enjoy the peek into daily life of which ever era we are reading about. I think that's why I so enjoy Anne Perry's Victorian mysteries. 
--
I care not for a man's religion, whose dog and cat are not the better for it. Abraham Lincoln
|
|
|
Posts:
94
From:
PA
Registered:
6/15/08
|
|
(26 of 35)
Oct 2, 2008 8:59 AM
|
Well, we're narrowing down the field a bit anyway. Funny you should mention Carr's chauvinism, lms, as I had bridled at that myself but was trying to overlook it (for a change). GA books can be very non-PC, with nasty remarks about Jews & foreigners or use of the n-word, as well as blatant misogynism. Usually I just gulp & concentrate on the good points of the books. I guess we could have a whole discussion on whether we should put up with that kind of thing in order to read good books--remember the brouhaha over having Huck Finn taught in schools?
I never heard of the Milne mystery but my library has it so I'll have to look it up. I did check libraries for Trickster, MC, but it's not to be found in all of the county system!
Clewie/MC, was 'Black Dudley' the first, or one of the first, Campion books?
|
|
|
Posts:
6,953
From:
Mysterychick - USA
Registered:
11/20/01
|
|
(25 of 35)
You lot handle the Calendar Club...
Oct 2, 2008 1:40 AM
|
I'll tackle taking suggestions and posting votes for November, December and January holidays. Yep, there are some for all those dates.
Sorry, but Fall - New Year's are the best holiday time of the year IMHO and I like to celebrate them to the max.
I'm not a huge Tey or Nagio fan so I will politely (borrowing that) lol sit those out if you lot decide on them.
|
|
|
Posts:
745
Registered:
9/8/99
|
|
(24 of 35)
Re: Golden Age mysteries Jh2...
Oct 1, 2008 10:38 PM
|
Whoa! Miss a few days, miss a LOT around here!
The Calendar Club does not yet have a selection for November, so we do need to come up with a "classic" something (not necessarily Fall-themed) before Snoops does the December pick. (Trickster is our October pick, scheduled to start later in the month, whenever pgh gets his book and rings the bell.)
A "locked room" mystery sounds great! However, I am surprised to find that several people like John Dickson Carr! I have one book of his (unless I finally gave it away or threw it out) that I have tried to get interested in about three times now ("The Emperor's Snuff Box", or some such title). I disliked his style and found him irritatingly chauvinistic - so I gave up. I would prefer one of the other authors suggested, but if we go with Carr I will politely sit it out.
That said, I offer this suggestion: Surprisingly, A.A. Milne's "The Red House Mystery" (penned before he created Pooh, etc.) is often credited as the most perfect locked room mystery of the Golden Age. It is relatively short and very well written. I read it several years ago and would love to revisit it, if others are interested in discussing!
Again, any of the other GA authors suggested (besides Carr) would suit me fine for November. Right now I am reading other Tey books - I was so captivated with "Brat Farrar", I just had to have more of her!!!
|
|
|
Posts:
1,383
From:
Clewie
Registered:
1/4/07
|
|
(23 of 35)
Re: Golden Age mysteries Jh2...
Oct 1, 2008 5:27 PM
|
|
Chick, I also have an unread copy of "Black Dudley". Maybe we can schedule that one for sometime in the future. Seems to me you and I mentioned that a year or so ago and no one took us up on it - Ha!
|
|
|
Posts:
6,953
From:
Mysterychick - USA
Registered:
11/20/01
|
|
(22 of 35)
Golden Age mysteries Jh2...
Oct 1, 2008 3:35 PM
|
|
I've got the Black Dudley by Margery Allingham and have been dying to discuss it with someone. That's another possibility but I am leaning toward Carr and Blake...is it?
|
|
|
Posts:
6,953
From:
Mysterychick - USA
Registered:
11/20/01
|
|
(21 of 35)
Oct 1, 2008 3:34 PM
|
|
I'm def. in for the locked room or country manor/estate mystery no matter who they are by or what they are called. lol Write me in for those two.
|
|
|
|
|
