The Best Murder Mystery I've Ever Read? Strong Poison Review by Dorothy L. Sayers
Вставка
- Опубліковано 17 сер 2023
- Hello and welcome back to my channel. My name is Beatrice, and today I have a review of Dorothy L. Sayers' novel Strong Poison for you. It's fast become one of my favourite detective novels of all time, so I hope you enjoy it too if you decide to read it. Note: there are no spoilers in this video, but I allude to events in the Lord Peter Wimsey novels. If you want to go into Sayers' novels with zero prior knowledge, I'd skip this one!
Links mentioned in the video:
Nadya William’s article on Dorothy Sayers on Current:
currentpub.com/2023/06/30/ref...
Stanley Hauerwas’s essay on detective fiction McInerny Did It; Or, Should a Pacifist Read Murder Mysteries?
archive.org/details/betterhop...
Lovely to see Sayer's being rediscovered. I devoured all of her books in my 20s, and recently found a used omnibus of all her Lord Peter Wimsey novels.
So gladyouhave discovered Dorothy l sayers I love all her books 😊
Well, you got my attention with Dorothy Sayers. Really enjoyed your thoughts on my favorite mystery novelist. Looking forward to more!
Please make more videos about Dorothy Sayers. You are brilliant!
I watched UK adaptions of some of her novels, probably in the mid 80s, on US public television. I think Strong Poison was in the series. Your video is another reminder to read the novels!
Terrific! It was reading this passage from Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes story, The Copper Beeches, that convinced me detective fiction was concerned with the deepest things:
(Holmes conversing with Watson on a train to the countryside)
:
"You look at these scattered houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their isolation and of the impunity with which crime may be committed there.”
“Good heavens!” I cried. “Who would associate crime with these dear old homesteads?”
“They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.”
I haven't read this particular Sherlock Holmes story but you've made me want to!
I only know about Sayers indirectly, through reading about Chesterton and his circle, Agatha Christie, Detection Club. I also knew of her Dante translation. I really need to read her work!! Thanks.
I have the Lord Peter Wimsey books on my TBR and your description of "if Jane Austen wrote a murder mystery novel" has me sooo intrigued! Sounds amazing
Yes do give them a go! And please let me know what you think of them!
My parents always had her novels on the shelf. My father loved mysteries. Strangely, I never read any of them. I'm now curious!
I would love hearing you talk more about Sayers!! Really looking foward to read her books, my three favourite authors are Jane Austen, Agatha Christie and C.S. Lewis soo I think I already love her 😂. Thanks for the video!
Those are some fantastic favourite authors and some of my favourites as well! I bet you'll love Sayers!!
I have just discovered Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. They are wonderful!
I also read the essay you suggested and was surprised to find Sayers had a son. It is so tragic that she was forced to choose between motherhood and writing, and I am actually glad that in choosing the writer's life Sayers gave that calling her all.
I have always tried to keep my creative interests alive although I am mother to four children. I have to admit I had little time or energy left for these interests while the children were small. There was a very intense period of about 12 years when motherhood, housework, and marriage took up most of my existence and there were days when I resented this. But twelve intense years over a lifetime seem a very small sacrifice compared to what my husband and children have given me. Once my youngest was in school I could carve out space in my day to rekindle my creative spirit. And now that child is in highschool I have long hours to spend as I wish.
I tell my daughters that motherhood should be seen like Summer: intense, heated, busy, beautiful and over too quickly. In their Autumn and Winter years they will have all the time they need to follow their creative intincts. There is a season for everything.
Thank you so much for your comment - it's so special to read your experience as a mother since I'm in the early years of going through that season in my life. I've definitely found it intense and challenging a lot of time, especially since like you I've always felt the need to use my creativity, and it's harder to do so with kids. But over time, we all find a balance. It's such a shame Sayers was not able to fully participate in her son's life! I actually just got an article out today about her novels currentpub.com/2023/09/27/dying-a-good-death-living-a-good-life/
and one of the things I mention is how Harriet and Lord Peter are overjoyed to find out they're going to have a child together in the last novel Sayers wrote about them. Clearly the desire for motherhood is something that stayed with her to the end of her career...
I just received the notification about your Wimsey article! I am going to subscribe because there is so much I want to read on that site.
When my kids were small I used to sew and embroider. I'm not very good at it but I found it easier to stick a pin in my work and leave it during interruptions than I would if I had been working on a story or a painting 😂
It is good and necessary that you are making time for your passion project. Your channel is a joy!
@@annafife9094 it's a great site!
That's so lovely - I'm only just learning to sew and embroider, I'm still a total beginner but it can be so soothing.
I love mysteries but rarely read them b/c of the reasons you mentioned. Strong Poison sounds pretty good so I’ll give it a shot. I’m looking forward to more of your Sayers commentary 😊
Yes do give it a go and let me know if you like it!
@@beatrixscudeler Will do!
I had a chance to rewatch your presentation without distraction today...
Looking down on detective fiction, I think it may have been more pronounced in Britain than America? No data, just an impression. In the US, Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler were very celebrated during the 40s, 50s and 60s, across the board with the reading public, academics and the older school public intellectuals. I don't know if that has changed.
I know TS Eliot was a detective/mystery buff, and credited phrases in his poetry to descriptions in Wilkie Collins and stuff from Sherlock Holmes. Eliot is often made out to be an unreachable highbrow, but he incorporated so much popular culture of his day, especially vaudeville tunes and comedy, that he took from America, and music hall tunes and comedy routines he experienced in Britain.
Modern detective and mystery literature, though secular, seems to have some affinity to medieval mystery and morality drama. Through detective and mystery literature, a kind of purging takes place, an order of sorts is affirmed....but it's experienced subjectively, not as a medieval community affirming a divine order.
Very interesting. Thanks. Do you recommend reading the Lord Peter/Harriet novels in order? 🦋
I didn't read them in order, but I honestly wish I had! I will say that Gaudy Night works really well as a stand alone novel, but you'll appreciate it even more if you've read the previous books I reckon!