The Mind of the Maker: Review

Oh, Dorothy L. Sayers, your erudition and classic university training are showing.  And showing me up!  I've been plugging away at The Mind of the Maker for four days--which is rather a long time for me for a book just over 200 pages long. But I found this one to be very slow going and way over my head, too. I usually find Sayers to be easy to understand, even when her classic university training is showing and she throws in Latin and French for good measure. I just can't grasp this one--the words go in the eyes, and just don't seem to find a foot-hold anywhere in the brain.  I'm just going to give y'all the synopsis from the book below and leave it at that.  No rating--I'm quite sure it's excellent (DLS always is), but I can't very well rate something that I can't really understand properly.  Oh, I get the analogies in their simplest forms and I get some of the illustrations she makes to prove her points while reading--but I couldn't properly explain to you right now this minute what she really said without cheating and peeking at the book.  Not if you promised me a million dollars.

Synopsis from the back of the book: This classic with a new introduction by Madeleine L'Engle, is by turns an entrancing meditation on language; a piercing commentary on the nature of art and why so much of what we read, hear, and see falls short; and a brilliant examination of the fundamental tenets of Christianity.  A mystery writer, a witty and perceptive theologian, culture critic, and playwright, Dorothy L. Sayers sheds new, unexpected light on a specific set of statements made in the Christian creeds. She examines anew such ideas as the image of God, the Trinity, free will, and evil, and in these pages a wholly revitalized understanding of them emerges. The author finds the key in the parallels between the creation of God and the human creative process. she continually refers to each in  a way that illuminates both.

The Final Lord Peter Stories

I finished up the remainder of the Lord Peter stories--using the complete Wimsey short stories collected in Lord Peter. Once the book comes in from the library, I'll finish the entire book In the Teeth of Evidence (just so I can finish all the Sayers fiction). Otherwise, I have fulfilled the intention of the As My Whimsy Takes Me Challenge--which challenged us to read all of the Wimsey stories. Here's a run-down of the remaining short stories.

"In the Teeth of Evidence": Lord Peter goes to his dentist for a filling and finds himself involved in a mystery he can really sink his teeth into. His dentist is called in to identify a man who has died in a blazing fire...only his dental records can prove his identity. And it's up to Lord Peter to help prove if it was death by accident or suicide....or even murder.

"Absolutely Elsewhere": In which Lord Peter proves that a murderer just might be able to travel at the speed of light.

"Striding Folly": This one has a bit of the mystic about it. A man has a dream which appears to be strangely prophetic about the murder of his neighbor. Except it didn't predict that he would be accused! Lord Peter comes to the rescue, of course!

"The Haunted Policeman": The story of the poor policeman who saw a house numbered thirteen where no thirteen ought to be and a murdered man where no one has been murdered. Lord Peter helps him prove that he wasn't drunk nor delusional.

"Talboys": In which, Bredon, Lord Peter's eldest, steals peaches, is punished and wrongly accused of stealing peaches a second time. While Lord Peter helps track down the rightful culprits, Miss Quirk, guest of the Wimseys and an errant amateur psychologist, finds that practicing psychology on a family of Wimsey boys may not be the best of ideas.


A delightful collection of short stories to round out the Wimsey canon. Not much mystery, but lots of great characters and insight into life in the Wimsey household after Busman's Honeymoon. Four stars.

Friday Memes

Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme sponsored by Katy at A Few More Pages. Here's what you do: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section. Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line and if you did or did not like that sentence. Link up each week at Katy's place.


Here's mine from Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers:

Harriet Vane sat at her writing-table and stared out into Mecklenburg Square. The late tulips made a brave show in the Square garden, and a quartet of early tennis-players were energetically calling the score of a rather erratic and unpractised game. But Harriet saw neither tulips nor tennis-players.




The Friday 56 is a bookish meme sponsored by Freda's Voice. It is really easy to participate. Just grab a book, any book, and turn to page 56. Find a sentence that grabs you and post it.

Here's mine from Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers:

I have the most ill-regulated memory. It does those things which it ought not to do and leaves undone the things it ought to have done. But it has not yet gone on strike altogether.

[This is actually one of my favorite quotes from Gaudy Night. I'm so pleased it appeared on page 56 of my edition!]

Teaser Tuesdays

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesdays. Anyone can play along. Just do the following:

*Grab your current read.*Open to a random page.
*Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! You don't want to ruin the book for others.

*Share the title and author too, so other TT participants can add it to their TBR lists if they like your teaser.

Here's mine from Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers (p. 50):

Harriet had long ago discovered that one could not like people any the better because they were ill, or dead--still less because one had once liked them very much. Some happy souls could go through life without making this discovery, and they were the men and women who were called "sincere."

Teaser Tuesdays

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesdays. Anyone can play along. Just do the following:

*Grab your current read.*Open to a random page.
*Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! You don't want to ruin the book for others.

*Share the title and author too, so other TT participants can add it to their TBR lists if they like your teaser.

Here's mine from Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L Sayers (p. 50):

Bredon had never in his life encountered a set of people with such active tongues and so much apparent leisure for gossip. It was a miracle that any work ever got done, though somehow it did. He was reminded of his Oxford days, when essays wrote themselves in the intervals of club-meeting and outdoor sports, and when most of the people who took firsts boasted of never having worked more than three hours of any day.

Theme Thursday: Sorry/Forgiveness

Hosted by Reading Between the Pages

Rules
*A theme will be posted each week on Thursday
*Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from your current book that features the theme
*Post it and don't forget to mention the author and title of the book
*Event is open for the whole week
*Link back to Reading Between the Pages

This week's theme is Sorry/Forgiveness.

Here I am doing Theme Thursday on Sunday. I was beginning to think I wasn't going to find anyone who was sorry for or forgiving anything.....Here's my snippet from Have His Carcase by Dorothy L Sayers (p. 151):

"I was all the more sorry about it," said Leila, "because poor darling Paul---"

"Not darling, honey."

"Of course not, Luis--only the poor thing's dead. Anyway, I was sorry because poor Paul seemed to be terribly worried about something. But he didn't confide in me, and what is a girl to do when a man won't confide in her?"

Friday Memes

Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme sponsored by Katy at A Few More Pages. Here's what you do: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section. Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line and if you did or did not like that sentence. Link up each week at Katy's place.


Here's mine from Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L Sayers:

If one lives in Galloway, one either fishes or paints. "Either" is perhaps misleading, for most of the painters are fishers also in their spare time.


The Friday 56 is a bookish meme sponsored by Freda's Voice. It is really easy to participate.

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link up at Freda's site.

Here's mine from Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L Sayers:

Mrs. Farren gave a gasp of terror that was almost a cry; but she recovered herself immediately.

Theme Thursday: Feeling

Hosted by Reading Between the Pages

Rules
*A theme will be posted each week on Thursday
*Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from your current book that features the theme
*Post it and don't forget to mention the author and title of the book
*Event is open for the whole week
*Link back to Reading Between the Pages

This week's theme is Feeling (Happiness, Sadness, Surprise, etc).

Here's mine from Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers (p 56):

"What eloquence!" said Parker, unimpressed. "Anybody would think you'd gone goopy over the girl."

"That's a damned friendly way to talk," said Wimsey, bitterly. "When you went off the deep end about my sister, I may have been unsympathetic--I daresay I was--but I swear I didn't dance on your tenderest feelings and call your manly devotion 'going goopy over a girl.' I don't know where you pick up such expressions, as the clergyman's wife said to the parrot. 'Goopy,' indeed!" I never heard anything so vulgar!"

Friday Memes

Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme sponsored by Katy at A Few More Pages. Here's what you do: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section. Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line and if you did or did not like that sentence. Link up each week at Katy's place.


Here's mine from Unnatural Death by Dorothy L Sayers:

"But if he thought the woman was being murdered--"

"My dear Charles," said the man with the monocle, "it doesn't do for people, especially doctors, to go about 'thinking' things."

The Friday 56 is a bookish meme sponsored by Freda's Voice. It is really easy to participate.

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link up at Freda's site.

Here's mine from Unnatural Death by Dorothy L Sayers:

I lay traps; I catch men. I shall let the alleged criminal convict herself.

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? (On Thursday)

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? is a meme hosted by An Adventure in Reading. And even though it's not Tuesday, she's decided to ask us where we are. The object is to tell us about the book you are reading by describing where you are fictionally. To join in, post about where you are and link up in the comments at her place.

At the moment I'm headed to Crofton, England in the company of Lord Peter Wimsey, his man Bunter, and Inspector Parker. According to Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers "Crofton is a delightful little old-world village, tucked away amid the maze of criss-cross country roads which fills the triangle of which Coventry, Warwick and Birmingham mark the angles. 'Mrs. Merdle' [Wimsey's Daimler] purred her way delicately round hedge-blinded corners and down devious lanes, her quest made no easier by the fact that the Warwick County Council had picked upon that particular week for a grand repainting of signposts and had reached the preliminary stage of laying a couple of thick coats of gleaming white paint all over the lettering."

So...maybe we'll get there...and maybe not.

Theme Thursday: Body Parts

Hosted by Reading Between the Pages

Rules
*A theme will be posted each week on Thursday
*Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from your current book that features the theme
*Post it and don't forget to mention the author and title of the book
*Event is open for the whole week
*Link back to Reading Between the Pages

This week's theme is Body Parts (Hands, feet, fingers, waist, etc.).

Here is my snippet from Unnatural Death by Dorothy L Sayers (p. 116):

No, Charles, I will not wait while you put on a Burberry. Back and side go bare, go bare, hand and foot go cold, so belly-god send us good ale enough, whether it be new or old.

Crime Fiction Alphabet: Letter S

Kerrie over at Mysteries in Paradise sponsors The Aphabet in Crime Fiction community meme. your post MUST be related to the first letter of the book's title, the first letter of the author's first name or the first letter of the author's surname. You can write a book review or a bio of an author so long as it fits the rules somehow.

This week we are featuring the Letter S. There is no way on earth that I can possibly let S go by and not use it for Sayers. Dorothy L. Sayers.

If Agatha Christie was my gateway to Vintage/Golden Age mysteries, then Dorothy L. Sayers was the reason I stayed with them. Not only was she a reknowned mystery writer, but she was a poet, playwright, essayist, translator, and a great writer of Christian apologetics. Sayers is my absolute favorite of the queens of the Golden Age mysteries. Her books are so literate and full of interesting information and quotes. It may seem like she's throwing around all kinds of obscure bits and pieces, but readers should remember that during her time a liberal arts degree acquainted one with all the classics as well as languages (particularly Latin and French) in a way that college graduates rarely seem to accomplish these days. Her use of quotations could keep you busy for years trying to place the texts quoted (or you can cheat and use the wonderful Lord Peter Wimsey Companion by Stephen Clarke).

Of course, I don't just love the erudite writing. I love her characters. From her detective Lord Peter Wimsey to Harriet Vane to Inspector Parker to the Dowager Duchess of Denver to Mr. Thipps' mother in Whose Body?--her books are sprinkled with incredible and at times incredibly funny characters. I particularly like the way she develops Wimsey's character--especially over the course of the Harriet books. I have read all the books in the Wimsey series, but her books are such that I could reread them over and over again (and have and do). I reach for Sayers when I need a pick-me-up, a soothing comfort read, good writing, great quotes, a good dose of Golden Age mystery--any or all of the above.

Whose Body? Review

With Whose Body? by Dorothy L Sayers, I went back to the very beginning of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories and fell in love with Lord Peter and Bunter and the Dowager Duchess all over again. Of course, there's nothing like the experience of discovering these delightful characters for the first time, but Sayers writes so wonderfully that it's pretty darn close. I loved every minute from the opening: "Oh, damn!" said Lord Peter Wimsey at Picadilly Circus. "Hi, driver!" to the very ending: "Bunter!" "My lord?" "The Napoleon brandy."

In this first of Lord Peter's exploits we have two mysterious circumstances. First, there is the rather odd appearance of a dead body found in an architect's bathtub...found wearing nothing but a pair of gold pince-nez. As the frontispiece says: "The stark naked body was lying in the tub. Not unusual for a proper bath, but highly irregular for murder--especially with a pair of gold pince-nez deliberately perched before sightless eyes." Then there's the disappearance of a prominent financier from his home. A financier who apparently took off in the middle of the night in nothing but his birthday suit. "...one is forced to suppose that a respectable middle-aged Hebrew financier either went mad between twelve and six a.m. and walked quietly out of his house in his birthday suit on a November night, or else was spirited away like the lady in the 'Ingoldsby Legends,' body and bones, leaving only a heap of crumpled clothes behind him." At first, the police suspect that the body in the bath must be the missing man, but this is soon proved to be wrong.

Lord Peter is called into the case on behalf of the architect who soon finds himself suspected of disposing of the man in his bath (though why he wouldn't go all the way and dispose of the body entirely never occurs to the slow-witted Inspector in charge of this one). Meanwhile, his friend, Inspector Parker, is given the task of tracking down the unclothed businessman. The two share information on their individual cases, compare notes, and even exchange missions. After interviewing everyone from an American railroad tycoon to a respectable lawyer in Salisbury to the great nerve specialist Sir Julian Freke, Lord Peter soon has all the clues at hand and it isn't long before he is able to hand Parker the solution to both mysteries on a silver platter.

Although it is always a delight to read the Lord Peter stories for his character alone, this time I was particularly taken with his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver. Her interactions with Mr. Milligan, the American tycoon, and her recital of the events of the inquest on the body in the bath are absolutely exquisite. She attends the inquest in order to support the aged, near-deaf mother of Mr. Thipps, the poor architect suspected of the murder. Here's the opening bit of her impersonation of Mrs. Thipps being interrogated by the Coroner:

" 'Did you hear anything unsual in the night?' says the little man, leaning forward and screaming at her, and so crimson in the face and his ears sticking out so--just like a cherubim in that poem of Tennyson's--or is a cherub blue?--perhaps it's a seraphim I mean--anyway, you know what I mean all eyes, with little wings on its head."

Wonderful, just wonderful. And the scene with the young medical student towards the end is also not to be missed. I'm so glad I joined up for the Wimsey Challenge giving me a valid excuse for rereading the Sayers mysteries and I definitely needed this little bit of comfort reading after the exertion of reading Lair of the White Worm. As usual, Sayers earns a full five stars.

Theme Thursday: Building

Hosted by Reading Between the Pages

Rules:

*A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday)

*Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you're reading that features the theme

*Post it and don't forget to mention the author and title of the book

*Event is open for the whole week

*Link back to Reading Between the Pages

This week's theme is Building. Here is mine from Whose Body? by Dorothy L Sayers (p. 61):

My mother--most energetic, self-sacrificin' sort of woman, don't you see, is thinkin' of gettin' up a sort of charity bazaar down at Denver this winter, in aid of the church roof, y'know. Very sad case, Mr. Milligan--fine old antique--early English windows and decorated angel roof, and all that--all tumblin' to pieces, rain pourin' in and so on--vicar catchin' rheumatism at early service, owin' to the draught blowin' in over the altar--you know the sort of thing.

Read My Review: Favorite Authors

Read My Review, Hosted by A Trillian Books is a chance for book bloggers to share new and old reviews--all related to a theme.

What to do:

*Find one of your reviews that fits this week's theme (you can be as creative as you like when choosing what fits). It can be new or old, good or bad.

*Create a post on your blog explaining your book choice and leaving a link to your review there.

*Leave your link with Mr. Linky at the bottom of her post.

*Visit some of the other reviews and leave a "quality" comment (at least a couple of sentences).

*Grab the button and let people know about Read My Review.

This weeks theme is Favorite Authors. One of my all-time favorites is Dorothy L Sayers. Her mysteries are literate, sprinkled with humor and strong characters. I love Lord Peter Wimsey. He could talk piffle to me all day. I've chosen one of her best, Strong Poison, to link up this week.

The Nine Tailors: Review

I started off the New Year and the Vintage Mystery Challenge right--with The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L Sayers. Most appropriately this novel finds Lord Peter Wimsey beginning his latest mystery on New Year's Eve. This was a re-read for me (as all Sayers mysteries are), but it was a delight for me to finally sit down and read the first edition pocket book (pictured) that I picked up at Red Cross Book Sale a few years ago. I love my pocket-size editions.

The holiday finds Lord Peter and Bunter traveling to the fen country to stay with friends of his lordship. On the way, the Daimler has a misunderstanding with a narrow, hump-backed bridge and the pair find themselves nose down in a ditch. They make for Fenchurch St. Paul and soon become acquainted with most of the main characters in the upcoming mystery. A bout of influenza has also arrived in Fenchurch St. Paul and the Rector finds himself one man short for the bell-ringing scheduled to bring in the New Year. Fortunately, Lord Peter has rung a bell or two in his time and he gallantly offers to fill the gap. This gives him the opportunity to befriend and exchange gossip with most of the central actors.

A couple of months later finds a grave being opened to bury Sir Henry Thorpe with his wife (who had succumbed to the 'flu over New Year's). The gravediggers are surprised to find an unexpected corpse--the body of an unknown man, with features disfigured, and no coffin. The Rector decides to call in Lord Peter and he assists Inspector Blundell in the unraveling of the this very complicated case. Who is the man in the grave? How and when did he get there? Does it have anything do with the emeralds that were stolen at Sir Henry's wedding many years ago?
I love the research that Sayers did into campanology and how she works the bells and bell-ringing into every aspect of the novel. We find the bells serving as clues as well as bell-ringing phrases serving as chapter headings. None of it is gratuitous--it all serves a purpose and works incredibly well. Some of the descriptions of bell-ringing is a bit much if you aren't absolutely fascinated with the subject, but not so much that you can't thoroughly enjoy the story. Sayers is my absolute favorite of the queens of the Golden Age mysteries. Her books are so literate and full of interesting information and quotes. It may seem like she's throwing around all kinds of obscure bits and pieces, but readers should remember that during her time a liberal arts degree acquainted one with all the classics as well as languages (particularly Latin and French) in a way that college graduates rarely seem to accomplish these days. Four stars out of five.

This counts for the Vintage Mystery Challenge, as well as the Outdo Yourself and 100+ Reading Challenges.

All I Want for Christmas Is... (3)

All I Want for Christmas Is... is a feature/meme sponsored by Danya at A Tapestry of Words where we choose a book each week leading up to Christmas and say why it's made it onto our wishlists. And she'd love to see what books everyone else is hoping to get! So if you want to make your own blog post about it, please link up at Danya's site.

Here's mine for this week:

Dorothy L. Sayer's Love All/Busman's Honeymoon by Alzina S Dale (ed) : (synopsis from Amazon review by "A Customer"): fans of Dorothy L Sayers' Vane-Wimsey novels will fine Love All a delightful change of pace. The companion play to the dramatic version of the novel Busman's Honeymoon in this edition, Love All takes a very different approach to male-female relations. While she creates for Harriet Vane and Lord Peter Wimsey a fulfilling personal and professional relationship in Busman's Honeymoon, Sayers suggests in Love All that women can find emotional fulfillment, financial security, and artistic challenges all on their own.

Why I want it: I love the writing of Sayers. So far, I have not found anything by her that I do not like. I've read all the Wimsey novels, including Busman's Honeymoon and I'm very curious to see/read the play version. I understand that there are some differences. I am also intrigued by the description of Love All and would like to check it out.

(No photo available for this one....which may mean that Santa will have a hard time finding it to put under my tree.....)

Strong Poison (Dorothy L Sayers)

I love Dororthy L Sayers. I can't say it any better than that. I could read her Lord Peter Wimsey novels any time and I've already read them many times (more than I can count). I reach for Sayers when I need a pick-me-up, a soothing read, good writing, great quotes and references, a good dose of golden age mystery, any or all of the above. I also reach for Sayers when the Fall Into Reading Challenge calls for me to "Re-read a book you consider an old friend." My only quibble with the Wimsey books is that I have already read them all and I have no new stories to look forward to. Oh to be in the position to pick up a Sayers for the first time--that would be bliss.

Strong Poison marks the beginning of real changes in the Wimsey character. Prior to this he comes across as a bit of a Bertie Wooster type--but with brains. Starting with this novel and his romance with Harriet Vane, Wimsey begins to develop more and more layers. I love watching Wimsey and the romance develop over the course of four books.

The story begins with Harriet Vane on trial for her life. Accused of murdering her former lover, things look mighty black for the detective novelist until Miss Climpson, "a tough, thin, elderly woman with a sound digestion and a militant High Church conscience of remarkable staying power," decides that Miss Vane did not do it and will not let the jury convict her. A new trial is called and Lord Peter, who has in the course of the trial both decided that Harriet is innocent and that he loves her, has about 30 days to find new evidence to prove her innocence.

What follows is an absolutely delightful investigation which involves everything from teaching a legal secretary how to pick locks to Miss Climpson's posing as a medium to find a missing will. The novel contains some of the best quotes and this is one of my all-time favorites from Wimsey's first visit to Miss Vane in prison:

(Harriet Vane) "But, by the way, you're bearing in mind, aren't you, that I've had a lover?"

(Lord Peter) "Oh, yes. So have I, if it comes to that. In fact, several. It's the sort of thing that might happen to anybody. I can produce quite good testimonials. I'm told I make love rather nicely--only I'm at a disadvantage at the moment. One can't be very convincing at the other end of a table with a bloke looking in at the door."

I could write pages and pages...but not nearly as well as Miss Sayers. I'll just leave it at this: If you enjoy good prose by an intelligent writer then you'll want to read this series. Start with Whose Body? and work your way through to get the full effect of Lord Peter's development. Five out five stars.