Fiction_L Archives early mystery writers Dates: 1/25/01,2:37 PM  through  1/30/01,4:01 PM  (20 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to January 2001 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Margaret Dunn" <[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 2:37 PM

One of the other librarians is doing a booktalk on gentle
cozy mysteries at our local senior's club. She is looking for Agatha
Christie era gentle cozy writers to use. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you in advance

Donna
[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca

FROM: Kathleen Stipek <[removed]@exchange.acld.lib.fl.us>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 2:44 PM

There's Mary Roberts Rinehart. And Chesterson's Father Brown stories might
help.

........................................................................
.....................
Kathleen Stipek, Adult Services/Interlibrary Loans, Alachua County
Library District (FMG), 401 E. University AV, Gainesville FL 32601
[removed]@exchange.acld.lib.fl.us)
352-334-3938 (v) 352-334-3948 (f)

"Non, merci."--Cyrano de Bergerac


-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Dunn [[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca]
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 6:25 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: early mystery writers


One of the other librarians is doing a booktalk on gentle
cozy mysteries at our local senior's club. She is looking for Agatha
Christie era gentle cozy writers to use. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you in advance

Donna
[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca

FROM: Mary Van Dyke <[removed]@CLSN3046.glenview.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 2:58 PM

Try Ngio Marsh, Patricia Wentworth, Margery Allingham, and Dorothy
Sayers.

Mary Van Dyke
Glenview (IL) Public Library

On Thu, 25 Jan 2001, Margaret Dunn wrote:

> One of the other librarians is doing a booktalk on gentle
> cozy mysteries at our local senior's club. She is looking for Agatha
> Christie era gentle cozy writers to use. Any suggestions would be greatly
> appreciated.
> Thank you in advance
>
> Donna
> [removed]@caledon.library.on.ca
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>

FROM: Dennis Lien <[removed]@tc.umn.edu>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 3:11 PM

At 02:59 PM 1/25/01 -0600, you wrote:
> Try Ngio Marsh, Patricia Wentworth, Margery Allingham, and Dorothy
> Sayers <snip

And Elizabeth Daly, since Christie somewhere cites as her own favorite
mystery writer. And scads of people listed under "Followers of Mary
Roberts Rinehart" or under "The Golden Age: Intuitionist School" at

http://members.aol.com/MG4273/classics.htm

(but I think he's extremely unfair to Clayton Rawson)

Dennis Lien / U of Minnesota Libraries // [removed]@tc.umn.edu

FROM: "Gena Zelenka" <[removed]@park-ridge.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 3:30 PM

How about Sherlock Holmes?

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Margaret Dunn
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 5:25 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: early mystery writers


One of the other librarians is doing a booktalk on gentle
cozy mysteries at our local senior's club. She is looking for Agatha
Christie era gentle cozy writers to use. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you in advance

Donna
[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca

FROM: "Marsha Valance " <[removed]@mpl.org>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 3:44 PM

I recommend Louisa Revell, who wrote in the 1950s. 2 titles are THE KINDEST USE A KNIFE and A PARTY FOR THE SHOOTING.


Marsha Valance
Regional Librarian
Wisconsin Regional Library f/t Blind & Physically Handicapped
813 West Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53233
<[removed]@mpl.org>

>>> [removed]@caledon.library.on.ca 01/25/01 05:24PM >>>
One of the other librarians is doing a booktalk on gentle
cozy mysteries at our local senior's club. She is looking for Agatha
Christie era gentle cozy writers to use. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you in advance

Donna
[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca

FROM: "Mary Rindfleisch" <[removed]@biblio.org>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 5:07 PM

Josephine Tey, Georgette Heyer, Christianna Brand, Margery Allingham, John
Creasy (the "Toff" books), Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy L. Sayers, Patricia
Wentworth (Miss Silver series) all come to mind. There are dozens of
slightly later authors (i.e. 1950s-70s) authors who write similar style
mysteries, but these are the real Golden Age names that come to mind.

Mary Rindfleisch
Adult Services/Readers' Advisory Librarian
Ridgefield Library
472 Main St.
Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone: 203-438-2282
e-mail: [removed]@biblio.org

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Margaret Dunn
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 6:25 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: early mystery writers


One of the other librarians is doing a booktalk on gentle
cozy mysteries at our local senior's club. She is looking for Agatha
Christie era gentle cozy writers to use. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you in advance

Donna
[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 1/26/01, 12:52 AM

In a message dated 1/25/2001 3:36:30 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca writes:

<<
One of the other librarians is doing a booktalk on gentle
cozy mysteries at our local senior's club. She is looking for Agatha
Christie era gentle cozy writers to use. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you in advance

Donna
[removed]@caledon.library.on.ca
>>

You could suggest Ellery Queen, SS Van Dine, Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe, The Thin
Man Series, Maurice Le Blanc (Arsene Lupin), the Fu Manchu series, Dorothy L.
Sayers. There are several wonderful mystery bibliographies that might be
helpful, among them Barzun and Taylor's Catalogue of Crime.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 1/26/01, 12:53 AM

How about Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Polifax?

And if you want to use contemporary examples of cozies - there are legions!

Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 1/26/01, 12:57 AM

I also like Patricia McGerr, and Hugh Pentecost's Pierre Chambrun series.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 1/26/01, 1:04 AM

In a message dated 1/25/2001 6:20:55 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@tc.umn.edu writes:

<<
At 02:59 PM 1/25/01 -0600, you wrote:
> Try Ngio Marsh, Patricia Wentworth, Margery Allingham, and Dorothy
> Sayers <snip

And Elizabeth Daly, since Christie somewhere cites as her own favorite
mystery writer. And scads of people listed under "Followers of Mary
Roberts Rinehart" or under "The Golden Age: Intuitionist School" at

http://members.aol.com/MG4273/classics.htm

(but I think he's extremely unfair to Clayton Rawson)

Dennis Lien / U of Minnesota Libraries // [removed]@tc.umn.edu
>>

I agree with Dennis. The website he notes above is an absolute treasure
trove to mystery hunters. Click on it and you may have your problem solved!

Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: Merle Jacob <[removed]@chipublib.org>
REC'D: 1/26/01, 11:19 AM

While it is wonderful to recommend the early mystery writers from the
Golden Age of mysteries, please remember that many of these writers
often have racial, religious, and ethnic stereotypes that many today
find offensive. The 1920s and 1930s were very accurately protrayed in
Agatha Christie's mysteries but she also brings out the attitudes and
prejudices of that society so be aware of this and know the audience you
are recommending them to. They are fun to read and very clean but not
always nice. Just a note from someone who often recommends these books
and has read them all. When I do readers advisory talks, I often
mention this since people have ithe impression from the PBS mystery show
that all the books are sweet. PBS Mystery has taken out the offensive
parts. Hope this helps
Merle Jacob
Director of Library Collection Development
Chicago Public Library
400 S. State St.
Chicago, Il. 60605

FROM: "Barbara Scanio" <[removed]@gwmail.plano.gov>
REC'D: 1/26/01, 5:41 PM

Margery Allingham, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh

FROM: "Barbara Scanio" <[removed]@gwmail.plano.gov>
REC'D: 1/26/01, 5:44 PM

Christianna Brand

FROM: Kelly Marszycki <[removed]@rcn.com>
REC'D: 1/29/01, 9:52 AM

I believe Merle's point re: race and class is a very valid one; however,
much research has been done on the early mysteries, particularly the
"cozies," as vehicles that either overtly or covertly promoted strong
females whether dressed in dowdy tweeds like Miss Marple or in pearls like
Sayer's Harriet Vane. I suppose it's reminding the reader(s) that literary
texts need to be taken in context of the times, etc. -- !

Kelly Marszycki

Merle Jacob wrote:

> While it is wonderful to recommend the early mystery writers from the
> Golden Age of mysteries, please remember that many of these writers
> often have racial, religious, and ethnic stereotypes that many today
> find offensive. The 1920s and 1930s were very accurately protrayed in
> Agatha Christie's mysteries but she also brings out the attitudes and
> prejudices of that society so be aware of this and know the audience you
> are recommending them to. They are fun to read and very clean but not
> always nice. Just a note from someone who often recommends these books
> and has read them all. When I do readers advisory talks, I often
> mention this since people have ithe impression from the PBS mystery show
> that all the books are sweet. PBS Mystery has taken out the offensive
> parts. Hope this helps
> Merle Jacob
> Director of Library Collection Development
> Chicago Public Library
> 400 S. State St.
> Chicago, Il. 60605
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: Dennis Lien <[removed]@tc.umn.edu>
REC'D: 1/29/01, 10:39 AM

>Merle Jacob wrote:
>
>> While it is wonderful to recommend the early mystery writers from the
>> Golden Age of mysteries, please remember that many of these writers
>> often have racial, religious, and ethnic stereotypes that many today
>> find offensive. <snip>

True, of course, but equally true of the works of Shakespeare, Homer,
Chaucer, Dickens, etc. down through the anonymous authors of nursery
rhymes and jokes. It's only in recent Enlightened times that we have
achieved the noble state of producing literature which is absolutely
incapable of offending anyone under any circumstances (heavy sarcasm
alert). I don't see that Golden Age mysteries average any more
offensive than any other literature of their period (or of earlier or
later periods) to the extent of requiring special warnings....

Dennis Lien / U of Minnesota Libraries // [removed]@tc.umn.edu

FROM: "Laura McCaffery" <[removed]@acpl.lib.in.us>
REC'D: 1/29/01, 10:39 AM

Thank you, Dennis. I certainly agree. I have oft wondered how we
can ever hope to understand anything and/or anyone through its
literature or historical writings if it is sanitized, bowdlerized and run
through a nanny filter. Perhaps we could call it bubbleized lit?
Does anyone else recall the wonderful Stan Freeberg jab at
censorship (radio then) through the rendition of OLD MAN RIVER,
ahem, make that ELDERLY MAN RIVER. Does anyone else
remember Stan Freeberg? lmc >
> >Merle Jacob wrote:
> >
> >> While it is wonderful to recommend the early mystery writers from
> >> the Golden Age of mysteries, please remember that many of these
> >> writers often have racial, religious, and ethnic stereotypes that
> >> many today find offensive. <snip>
>
> True, of course, but equally true of the works of Shakespeare, Homer,
> Chaucer, Dickens, etc. down through the anonymous authors of nursery
> rhymes and jokes. It's only in recent Enlightened times that we have
> achieved the noble state of producing literature which is absolutely
> incapable of offending anyone under any circumstances (heavy sarcasm
> alert). I don't see that Golden Age mysteries average any more
> offensive than any other literature of their period (or of earlier or
> later periods) to the extent of requiring special warnings....
>
> Dennis Lien / U of Minnesota Libraries // [removed]@tc.umn.edu
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives? Everything
> Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Laura Hibbets McCaffery
Readers Services
Allen County Public Library
Fort Wayne, Indiana
"All opinions are mine alone. Others are
free to agree..or disagree."
"...all things are to to be examined and called into question. There
are no limits set to thought." Edith Hamilton, THE GREEK WAY.

FROM: Merle Jacob <[removed]@chipublib.org>
REC'D: 1/29/01, 5:31 PM

I didn't mean to say that we should sanitize these mysteries, only that we
need to remember that they can offend people today. I remember when I first
read Dorothy Sayers years ago and was very upset at her antisemitic
attitudes. As I read more about her I could put her in context, but it still
hurt. Since people are more aware of stereotypes today, sometimes just being
aware of what's in them can be helpful to some recommending them
Merle Jacob
Director of Library Collection Development
Chicago Public Library

Laura McCaffery wrote:

> Thank you, Dennis. I certainly agree. I have oft wondered how we
> can ever hope to understand anything and/or anyone through its
> literature or historical writings if it is sanitized, bowdlerized and run
> through a nanny filter. Perhaps we could call it bubbleized lit?
> Does anyone else recall the wonderful Stan Freeberg jab at
> censorship (radio then) through the rendition of OLD MAN RIVER,
> ahem, make that ELDERLY MAN RIVER. Does anyone else
> remember Stan Freeberg? lmc >
> > >Merle Jacob wrote:
> > >
> > >> While it is wonderful to recommend the early mystery writers from
> > >> the Golden Age of mysteries, please remember that many of these
> > >> writers often have racial, religious, and ethnic stereotypes that
> > >> many today find offensive. <snip>
> >
> > True, of course, but equally true of the works of Shakespeare, Homer,
> > Chaucer, Dickens, etc. down through the anonymous authors of nursery
> > rhymes and jokes. It's only in recent Enlightened times that we have
> > achieved the noble state of producing literature which is absolutely
> > incapable of offending anyone under any circumstances (heavy sarcasm
> > alert). I don't see that Golden Age mysteries average any more
> > offensive than any other literature of their period (or of earlier or
> > later periods) to the extent of requiring special warnings....
> >
> > Dennis Lien / U of Minnesota Libraries // [removed]@tc.umn.edu
> >
> > ......................................................................
> > Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives? Everything
> > Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Laura Hibbets McCaffery
> Readers Services
> Allen County Public Library
> Fort Wayne, Indiana
> "All opinions are mine alone. Others are
> free to agree..or disagree."
> "...all things are to to be examined and called into question. There
> are no limits set to thought." Edith Hamilton, THE GREEK WAY.
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: "Sarah Stein" <[removed]@denver.lib.co.us>
REC'D: 1/30/01, 12:15 PM

I agree with Dennis. As a Jew I certainly noticed the anti-Semitic portrayals of Jews in Agatha Christie's books (and in Shakespeare for that matter) but I enjoyed them anyway-- and I realized they were an accurate portrayal of their times.
And such beliefs didn't end in the 30's either.

Sarah

Sarah Stein
Senior Special Collections Librarian
Denver Public Library
Denver, Colorado, USA
[removed]@denver.lib.co.us

>>> [removed]@tc.umn.edu 01/29/01 09:27AM >>>

>Merle Jacob wrote:
>
>> While it is wonderful to recommend the early mystery writers from the
>> Golden Age of mysteries, please remember that many of these writers
>> often have racial, religious, and ethnic stereotypes that many today
>> find offensive. <snip>

True, of course, but equally true of the works of Shakespeare, Homer,
Chaucer, Dickens, etc. down through the anonymous authors of nursery
rhymes and jokes. It's only in recent Enlightened times that we have
achieved the noble state of producing literature which is absolutely
incapable of offending anyone under any circumstances (heavy sarcasm
alert). I don't see that Golden Age mysteries average any more
offensive than any other literature of their period (or of earlier or
later periods) to the extent of requiring special warnings....

Dennis Lien / U of Minnesota Libraries // [removed]@tc.umn.edu

FROM: Jeanne Etling <[removed]@ccs.nsls.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 1/30/01, 4:01 PM

Years ago I reread all of the Nancy Drew books I had loved as a kid. I
had found several of the first volumes in their original printings and
they have been updated several times - in many cases understandably - and
these were written specifically for young girls. There were scenes where
Carson Drew was in a car chase and shooting a gun. Some ethnic groups
were portrayed as society thought back then. As I read, I looked at the
publication dates to see what society, or a portion of it, was thinking
back then. It was an interesting study.

Jeanne Etling
Dundee (IL) Township Public Library District

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