The Bookshelf on JKR's Website and a Request for Help

[deborahhbbrd]

No: HPFGUIDX 127711



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ebennet68" <dejjfan368 at a...> wrote:
> 
> > tinglinger:
> > I also request for comments from anyone who has read the
> > Jane Austen or Dorothy Sayers books to post their comments 
> > as to how plot elements from these books parallel the 
> > Potter series. 
>  


Oh, you rash person, you!

I can't see which Dorothy L Sayers books are on the JKR website shelf.
However...

DLS translated Dante's Inferno (and Purgatorio, and Paradiso), and did
a good job. (I take it we're all familiar with Dante, or know how to
become so.) She was a committed Christian, and a friend of people like
CS Lewis and Tolkien. Seems to have been a tweedy, hand-knit cardigan
kind of lady who never married but did have an illegitimate child at
one point! 

Apart from her translations and some Christmassy stuff for the BBC,
she's best known as one of the stars of the English detective story -
in the 30s there were several women who wrote rather cerebral,
bloodless stories all of which featured various free-lance detectives
who are able to solve cases that the police give up on! Enter DLS's
contribution to the genre: Lord Peter Wimsey. First off, the name
would clearly appeal to JKR - whimsical in the extreme, Lord Peter is.
The younger son of a Duke and a half-French woman (does that make him
a half-blood?), he served in the First World War with great gallantry
out of a sense of duty; he still sometimes gets flashbacks. Never had
to work; lived on the income from his inherited properties. And
detected, as a hobby and from a sense of duty. Very musical,
academically brilliant, extremely talented at cricket (which blows his
cover in one of the novels). Rather short; fair hair. For most of the
canon, is hopelessly in love with one Harriet Vane, an author of
detective stories who is falsely accused of murder until Lord P gets
her off; she won't consider a relationship based on condescension and
gratitude, so keeps on refusing him until finally, and at great
length, she falls. And they live happily ever after. Lord P has the
obligatory batman who saves his life in the trenches and goes on to be
his Jeevesified manservant. Can't recall the poor bloke's name, but
he's a rubber stamp anyway.

So, as far as my eyes can see, there are some obvious parallels but
many more vast differences! They're pretty dated now, but highly
literate, well written books, quite intricate and well planned plots
and no memorable villains or towering deeds of evil. Not a Moriarty in
sight. Just human weakness leading to temptation, to crime, and to
more crimes by way of covering one's tracks.

If anyone can see further into the fog than I can - highly likely, I
should think - I'll be most interested to read your suggestions.

Deborah, fond of Lord P but fonder of Jane Austen and The Little White
Horse