Phillip Marlowe

I came across Raymond Chandler’s crime novels shortly after I started to read Agatha Christie, simply because the books stood next to each other in my parent’s bookshelf. At thirteen I found the plots a bit more challenging than Christie, but I enjoyed the language and since then I have re-read them on a pretty regular basis. For a long time I thought that the books were written in the 30’s, but it’s actually only the first book, The Big sleep was published then, in 1939, the rest of them were published during the 40’s and 50’s. After some thinking I realized that I probably believe that because at the same time I first read the books there was a TV-series and that one was set in the 30’s. I remember liking that one, though it annoyed me for playing so fast and loose with the books. But when I researched this post I found that the series actually are adoptions of Chandler’s short stories that he wrote before the books. And that his used them for the books later on, two or three short stories a book.

Agatha Christie

(Picture source: http://teawithmarykate.wordpress.com/)

I couldn’t very well ignore Agatha Christie, could I? The 1940’s was part of her Golden Age; she wrote 12 novels during that time, though her whole career span over 50 years after debut in 1920. If you are familiar with her works through the very excellent TV adaptations of Poirot, with David Suchet and the visually beautiful but not quite as good adaptations of the Miss Marple mysteries, then it may surprise you to that not all the Poirot- books takes place in the 1930’s and not every Miss Marple is set in the 1950’s. And not all of her stories feature her two most famous sleuths, of the 40’s books, six are Poirot novels and two are Miss Marple.

I started to read Christie’s crime novels when I was around 12 and I still re-read them. It’s true that she often uses stereotypes instead of fully rounded characters and if you read enough of her novels you learn to recognize them, like the handsome never-do well man with just a little to close between the eyes, the vamp, and the straight-backed military man and so on- but you can never count on who is the murderer. Of course, having read them all, I know who the murdered is, but I enjoy reading them anyway. Christie had a knack for describing atmospheres and they don’t have to be spectacular to appeal. Try reading 4.50 From Paddington when you feel sick to death on household chores. I promise, when you have followed Lucy scrubbing the kitchen table, you can feel her enthusiasm. It helps that she does so looking stylish too.

Lord Peter Wimsey

A general feeling of being under the weather evolved into a nasty cold last week. Combine that with me trying to finish an 18th century ball gown until October 22 and you have the reason for the no posting. I’ll try to do better, butI may post a little more sporadically until the gown is done. I hate deadlines and try not to have them, but I have only myself to blame.

I hope you don’t mind if I fall back into a book post today. I’m currently re-reading the books about my favourite sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey. Dorothy L. Sayers wrote a number of novels and short stories about him between 1923-1940 and if you want witty and smart crime novels in an Art Deco setting, then you should read this.

Those Verney Girls

I hope you don’t think I’m too odd if I recommend you to read a girl’s book, but that is exactly what I do here. This is one of my ultimate comfort books that I always rerun to when I need a bit of cheering up. Gwendoline Courtney (1911-1996) wrote several girl’s books that I have been told are all very funny, but I have only ever read Those Verney Girls. It was translated to Swedish, but I would probably never have read it had not my Mum had a copy. It was first published in 1948 with the title Stepmother and have also been released under Elizabeth and the Garret Theatre.

A good book or two

I have two days left at work, and then my vacation starts. Though I read a lot all year round, I usually read a little more during the summer. So here are a few books that I like and that I think you may find interesting, as they are written and/or about the 1920’s-40’s. You may notice, when reading this post, that I LOVE to talk about books.

A Dark-Adapted Eye by Barbara Vine (1986) is about a middle age woman, Faith, who thinks back to her youth during the forties when she was sent to live with her two aunts in the countryside. The outset of the whole book is that one of the aunts, Vera, was committed and hanged for murder. The rest of the book is how Faith’s memories slowly reveal the events that have led up to the murder as well as what has happened to the main characters since. You also get a lot on how life in England during the war could be- for example Vera is once described to wearing a dress made of two worn out old ones.

A review on Retro Makeup: Techniques for Applying the Vintage Look

Today Retro Makeup: Techniques for Applying the Vintage Look by Lauren Rennells arrived. As it happened to be my day off this week I did not do all the household chores I had planned to do, but devoured the book instead.

The very short of it is that you need this book. If you have any interest in make-up and/or retro styles, then it is the book to have.

Here are the slightly longer reasons why:

Retro Makeup: Techniques for Applying the Vintage Look

I am pretty sure that I need this new book by Lauren Rennells. Like right now.

My book shelves

I love books and I find lending books unsatisfactory- I want to own them. Here are the books I have that has to do with the 1940’s and which I often look through for inspiration and advice. I am sure that most of these books are well known to you, but perhaps you can find a nugget. And I would be happy to get tips on other useful books.

Handbags

I'm going to deviate a little from my list when it comes to handbags. For year one I will have to aquire two of them, one brown in reptile skin and one black in suede. As it is I have a very nice handbag from the forties already, but it is green.