tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post7096478570148677592..comments2024-03-26T17:38:35.264+00:00Comments on Catherine Curzon: Almackās Role in the Regency WorldCatherine Curzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05763562687608837832noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post-17162409140100144972016-10-06T10:59:57.382+01:002016-10-06T10:59:57.382+01:00That is unforgiveable. Anyone who publishes serio...That is unforgiveable. Anyone who publishes serious non-fiction should at least try to be accurate. Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03121102757759349165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post-32052333189973196352016-10-05T22:48:12.120+01:002016-10-05T22:48:12.120+01:00It is not only FICTION writers who suffer in this ...It is not only FICTION writers who suffer in this way. The study of London executions, "Tyburn: London's fatal tree" by Alan Brooke and David Brandon (Sutton, 2004) has a travesty of an illustration on its dust wrapper. The upper (and more dominant) picture is of a SINGLE BAR gallows with 2 nooses dangling from it with the heavy multiple modern knot. Anyone who knows anything about the Tyburn gallows between the late sixteenth and late eighteenth centuries should know that the Tyburn gallows was the iconic "Triple Tree", a triangular structure on three posts which could accommodate 24 felons at one hanging - although I think it only approached that number twice in 200 years. Additionally, there were never empty nooses hanging at Tyburn. The "halters" were put round the felons' necks while they were still in Newgate Prison and the slack rope wound around their waists. Once the cart was under the gallows, the rope was unwound and the loose end thrown up to as assistant who was sitting on the cross bars. There are unpteen contemporary prints and pictures from the 17th & 18th centuries which show the authentic Triple Tree at Tyburn. (The lower image, and far less dominant, is Hogarth's execution of the idle apprentice where you can just see the Triple Tree if you look hard enough.) Why a reputable publisher like Sutton used such an anachronistic image I'll never know, but it nearly cost them the sale as far as I was concerned.Mary Seymourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07920239473179360242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post-72533128649081534872016-09-27T14:48:11.701+01:002016-09-27T14:48:11.701+01:00Thank you for explaining it to me. I will try very...Thank you for explaining it to me. I will try very hard to not discriminate from now on.Sashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07116446448131614120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post-38488015335311075622016-09-22T18:01:18.537+01:002016-09-22T18:01:18.537+01:00Sasha, speaking as another author, I will tell you...Sasha, speaking as another author, I will tell you that this is why I decided to go indie, and self publish because the answer to your question is 'none whatosoever' which is why there are perfectly good and accurate Regencies showing bear chested men with BUTTONED SHIRTS of all things. I've heard enough grumbles from trad published colleagues to know that forcing travesties of covers on authors is almost universal. Trad publishers can't resist 'sexing it up' which is why I no longer look at covers as I know it's an unfair judgement on the author. Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03121102757759349165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post-6118008125185706492016-09-22T10:58:56.103+01:002016-09-22T10:58:56.103+01:00How much say do authors have in the cover making d...How much say do authors have in the cover making decisions, because the lack of accuracy on this one is offensive. The hairstyle, the earrings(!!!), the red carpet makeup, even the pouty expression is against everything any lady of worth (no matter how dodgy her character was in private) would attempt to look like. As a reader, I immediately skip these books because I feel like if they can't be accurate on the front cover the content isn't going to be any better. And who know how many good books I might've passed up, holding that prejudice? That's why i'm wondering how much license is given to authors to choose their front covers?Sashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07116446448131614120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post-83379644185727299972016-09-22T01:17:35.734+01:002016-09-22T01:17:35.734+01:00Thank you for hosting me today! It was such a plea...Thank you for hosting me today! It was such a pleasure.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02641620057577206071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post-43262276335565184552016-09-21T15:26:02.793+01:002016-09-21T15:26:02.793+01:00Willis? In 1881 Edwin Willis was next door neighb...Willis? In 1881 Edwin Willis was next door neighbour to Karl Marx, although this one was a partner in the renowned family organ building firm, the Royal Albert Hall has one. Sadly, I suppose your Willis may be another one.Demetriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17198549581667363991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-839525549786745818.post-38232909532179442562016-09-21T11:48:22.065+01:002016-09-21T11:48:22.065+01:00Do NOT believe everything Gronow wrote about Almac...Do NOT believe everything Gronow wrote about Almack's, he was writing many years on and his memory is dodgy. There are NO records of Almack's between 1767 and 1802 when reference to Willis' rooms - yes, that early - can be found. The deeper I research, the more the memes we know and love from Heyer look distinctly dodgy. However, I can't see those memes not continuing in fiction because it's part of the Regency genre, even if not all true. Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03121102757759349165noreply@blogger.com