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The Private World of Georgette Heyer
by
Jane Aiken Hodge
biography in a hardcover edition that was published by The Bodley Head on January 1, 1984 and has 216 pages.
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This is a biography of Georgette Rougier née Heyer, a descendant of a Russian fur merchant — a fascinating read!
Hodge relates all the usual biography information about her parents, her marriage, and her one child. The best part, however, is relating Heyer’s thought processes, how she worked, the immense amount of information she uncovered and organized to ensure the accuracy of her stories. Pictures, sketches, and illustrations of gowns, uniforms, carriages. Files of language, manners, and historical happenings. Research on hot air balloons and factories. The real-life location of any building, school, or factory of which she wrote.
I loved the letters Hodge included giving us insight into what Heyer was thinking about various of her books. What she loved, what she hated about her books, her publishers, agents, her public . . . and the government!
And a profound interest in human nature. As several reviewers have put it . . . Heyer writes an intellectual romantic comedy.
I’ve always been impressed by Heyer’s historical romances. After reading this biography, I’m in awe. And I better understand why I’m not as excited about some of her novels.
The Cover
The cover is perfect! A warm coral background contrasts beautifully with the vertical burgundy border of scrollwork showcasing a cream oval featuring a Regency lady decked out for walking carrying a humongous muff posed next to a carved marble stand holding some sort of ornate vessel.
