Has anyone read his 1873 novel “The New Magdalen?” Just took it out of the library and it looks promising. I love a thrashing good Victorian page-turner, and was wondering if any of the well-read Teeming Millions are familiar with this book . . .
—“The Woman in White”
Nope. Started “The Moonstone” as part of some research into detective stories but lost patience as soon as I had found some quotes.
H Rider Haggard, on the other hand… Those can be some ripping yarns!
—“The Prisoner of Zenda”
PS: Just picked up Project Gutenburg’s CDs of everything they have collected up to last April. You need a home computer just to save trips to the library!
No, I read The Woman in White and The Moonstone a long time ago, but no others. Please let me know if it meets expectations.
p.s. I’m still mad that you came to Seattle and didn’t even warn us. Some of us do worship you, you know!
My Willkie Collins bibliography…
What? What are you lookin’ at? Don’t YOU have a Willkie Collins bibliography on YOUR shelf? And don’t let me catch you winking at the hat-check girl, either!
…doesn’t list ANY novel entitled THE NEW MAGDALEN. Nothing published in novel form between 1870’s MAN AND WIFE and 1975’s THE LAW AND THE LADY.
There’s a short story collection, MISS OR MRS.? AND OTHER STORIES IN OUTLINE, dated 1873. Is this a longish short story?
Pluto—I was only in Seattle for one day, on my way up to the Great Northwest (B.C.). Nice town ya got, loved the lavender jam at that Farmer’s Market.
Ike—Obviously your Wilkie Collins bibliography simultaneously bites, blows and sucks. According the the jacket copy, “The New Magdalen” (290 pages) was published in 1873. It’s about Mercy Merrick, a former convict and “fallen woman” who tries to hide her past by taking the place of Grace Roseberry after Grace is felled by a shell during the Franco-Prussian War. But then one of Grace’s relatives turns up and might give away the game . . .
Yeah, I know, it’s pretty much the same plot as “East Lynne,” you’re all saying. Sounds like it might be fun, and these Pocket Classics are easy to read on the subway . . .
—“Lady Audley”
What!? Eve was in my neighbourhood, and I wasn’t informed?
I suppose you’ll tell me next that you went to Well’s Books in Victoria without calling me first (I could get you a discount!)
Were you in the Big City (Vancouver)? Although I suppose after New York, Vancouver seemed like Amish country…
Rodd—Went from Seattle up through the Cascade Mountains, then to Vancouver and Victoria (actually preferred the latter, as quainter).
The weirdest town I saw was Leavenworth, Wash., which is all done up like a Bavarian Village, with everyone dressed up in liederhosen and dirndls for the amusement of tourists. Their smiles were strained, and it’s only a matter of time till the natives snap and start killing people. STRANGE little town.
. . . I take it no one’s read “The New Magdalen.” Guess I’ll have to submit a book report when I’m through with it.
The best description I’ve ever read of Leavenworth. I think I’ll send it to their chamber of commerce so they can post it at the entrance to their fair city.
This reminds me of a roadside sign as you enter lovely Yakima, Washington (located in south central Washington, i.e, desert and scablands): “The Palm Springs of Washington”. I will bet dollars to donuts that Palm Springs doesn’t have a sign reading “The Yakima of California”!
EVE’S BOOK REPORT
I’m about 2/3 through the book and it’s turning out to be a cracking good read–if you like Victorian melodramas, rush out and find this one!
It’s got great declamatory lines like “At last I shall have my revenge—Lady Janet is afraid of me!” Also, the villainess is the heroine and the heroine is the villainess, so it DOES have some nice character shadings.
All in all, I give it an A.
Now, Ike, would you like to give your report on “Trapped?”
I’m still working on an appropriate joke about “Eve in Leavenworth.”
– Ukulele “Caged Heat” Ike
I loved The Moonstone, and I have an obvious interest in reading The New Magdalen. Hee hee. Thanks, Eve!
It’s on my handy-dandy, don’t gotta go online to find it, Project Gutenburg CD. But I got involved in “Captain Blood” first and “The New Magdelan” won’t fit on a 720k disk for my mid-80s “e-book” substitute unless I hop through more hoops than I care to lately and it’s a chick book so why would I want to read it?