The publishing gods are not smiling on me.
I didn’t know this could still happen. After all, this is the 21st century (right-21st?). So I read these mystery novels by Dorothy L. Sayers, right? And they’re chock full of historical and cultural and literary and theological and poetic and governmental references which are impossible to follow for an average reader, much less a non-British reader who lacks a classical education from one of the better British Universities. I had heard there was a Companion, a set of annotated notes, to go with this mystery series and yesterday I thought I would try to buy it. My visit to Amazon was as usual, but the results weren’t. See here! What do they mean by it! Apparently the company who originally published the book went out of business and the new owners shredded everything in the backstock, making The Lord Peter Wimsey Companion in all its 700+ pages of glory a rare and pricey possession. Ironically, Lord Peter himself spends most of his vast wealth buying first folios of rare Dantes which cost him hundreds of pounds. I’m sure Dorothy Sayers would be amused and a little shocked at the irony.
But wait! Apparently the D.L. Sayers Society (and why do such societies exist but for just this sort of work) has done a reprinting!!! Ah. They sold them all and are never planning to make any more. I am so screwed.
The upshot of this whole mess is that if anyone wants to buy me a $495 (yes, that’s dollars) birthday present this year, you know exactly what I want. Until then, I shall begin compiling my own Companion to the series. I’ve already learned what the word ‘vade mecum’ means and decided I need to read more Dickens. I know, sounds like a lot of fun. Bibliophile fun.
April 24th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
Wow, that is a lot of money for a book. I checked the downey library, they don’t have it.
I try to stay away from books that require me to read another book to understand the first book.
April 24th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
You don’t need the Companion in order to understand the Wimsey novels, you need it in order to more fully and richly revel in the depth and complexity of the novels. Like taking a class in order to learn to fully enjoy an expensive wine. But, considering who I am and that I buy cheap wine, I guess I ought to settle in the area of literature as well.
April 24th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
One thing I have learned about the publishing gods… that is a self-awarded title with absolutely no truth in it regarding their competence in the publishing world. I despise the publishing gods (unless of course anyone from ABI is reading this, you are a wonderful publishing god).
April 25th, 2006 at 7:42 am
Hey! I’ve always said, if you have to take a class to enjoy an expensive wine, then you’ve paid too much for the wine and the class! I’d rather buy an expensive piece of cheese (a decent aged parmigiano reggiano) and enjoy a cheaper wine… after all, both the expensive and the cheap wine will get you drunk in the end (the difference in degree of headaches determines how cheap you should go!)
April 25th, 2006 at 8:22 am
Now I get it, THAT’S why I get bad headaches!
May 9th, 2006 at 9:25 am
You could always get “The Lord Peter Wimsey Cookbook” instead, which is also available on Amazon, for only $10.
Let me know if you ever track down a copy of the companion…I’d love to borrow it!