Dorothy Leigh Sayers was an English writer and scholar, born at Oxford in 1893, the only child of an Anglican clergyman. She studied medieval literature at Oxford (Somerville College), being one of the first women to graduate (1915) from that university.
Here (from memory) is the start of a poem from the former volume:
"Christ walks the world again, his lute upon his back,
his red robe worn to tatters, his riches gone to rack.
The wind that wakes the morning blows his hair about his face,
and his arms and legs are ragged with the thorny briar's embrace,
for the hunt is up behind him, and his sword is at his side.
Christ the bonny outlaw walks the whole world wide,
singing: 'Lady, lady, will you come away with me,
to lie among the bracken, and eat the barley bread?
We shall see new suns arise, in golden far-off skies,
for the son of God and woman has not where to lay his head.'"
She worked for several years writing advertising copy, until she was able to support herself by the sale of her books and stories.
James Kiefer.
Prayer
Almighty God, who gave to your servant Dorothy L Sayers special gifts of grace to understand and teach the truth as it is in Christ Jesus: Grant that by this teaching we may know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
I've read and reread the Lord Peter mysteries and The Mind of the Maker, but I have not read her poetry, nor have I read Are Women Human? Reading those two will go on my to-do list.
Thanks to Ann.
Sometimes I wonder whether I became an Episcopalian in college because I thought it would enable me to meet Lord Peter.
ReplyDelete"Gaudy Night" is one of my favorite feminist writings.
I love "Gaudy Night", too. Harriet Vane is a mensch.
ReplyDeleteOh, Mimi, have you seen the two books about Lord Peter and Harriet that have been written since DLS died? I found them quite good and right in step with Sayers' books... "Thrones, Dominations" by Dorothy L. Sayers and Jill Paton Walsh followed by "A Presumption of Death" by Jill Paton Walsh.
ReplyDeleteWalsh sort of finished 'Thrones' by adding to 3 chapters written by Sayers before her death. I love them both and loan them out to people all the time.
I am so wary of others taking up the story. I've read continuations of Jane Austen's characters' stories, and they made me cringe. Not because they were bad, but because they were not Jane Austen.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd want to try to read the others writing about Sayers' characters, either.
I think you would like them, Mimi. The letters from her Mother-in-law to her friend in New York are very good. MIL's observations about the older brother's wife are hilarious!
ReplyDeleteDon't make me come down there and drag you to the bookstore!! (I got mine online!)
O, I disagree Susan, I actually did not like the "sequels", myself. I thought that they picked up the brittle style a bit too much and lost a lot of the warmth. I was a die-hard Sayers fan in my youth, and was very amused to experience Oxford "for real" as an adult having had very strong literary images of it from her books in my younger days.
ReplyDeleteI remember something Peter says in one of the books: "The worst sin passion can commit is to be joyless". I think that's a keeper.
IT
I'm in love with Lord Peter Wimsey. There, now you know all.
ReplyDeleteI also loved -Gaudy Night_. It was the first of Sayers's books I read. I love _Busman's Holiday_, too.
I'm with you about not reading the non-Sayers Sayers.
Jane, I'm in love with Lord Peter, too.
ReplyDeleteIT, that quote is great. I don't remember it, but it sounds like Peter.
Oh, thank you for this lovely post, Mimi. 'Are Women Human?' is one of my favorite books, and that's only one side of the wonderful DLS.
ReplyDeleteWell then, Mary Clara, I'm more than ever determined to read it.
ReplyDeleteThat piece of poetry by Sayers brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for posting it.
ReplyDelete