In which Charis and Sharon dive in to the first third of THE UNPLEASANTNESS AT THE BELLONA CLUB, the fourth Lord Peter Wimsey mystery! Join us as we talk about the book’s portrayal of generational reactions to World War I, the effect of the war on different temperaments, and unhappy marriages in the wake of the war. We also cover the many similarities between this book and UNNATURAL DEATH, insights into how Peter organizes his cases, and how Chris Evans wears really excellent sweaters in Rian Johnson’s KNIVES OUT.
This episode covers up through chapter 7 and does not spoil the whodunnit.
Download the episode transcript (prepared by Melanie Sliker)
Shownotes:
- “This is a one-sided rivalry.” Charis sent Sharon a truly wonderful holiday card:
- Sharon doesn’t mean to keep referencing BLEAK HOUSE, but she can’t help but think of its Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce subplot whenever she comes across an inheritance plot.
- Sharon also brings up Paul Fussell’s THE GREAT WAR AND MODERN MEMORY again to describe the ways that World War I informed the literary Modernist movement.
- We mention L.M. Montgomery’s RILLA OF INGLESIDE in our discussion about how the novel portrays different dispositions reacting differently to WWI.
- Read this Buzzfeed article for more about the #ThanksforTyping meme.
- The anecdote about Queen Elizabeth II’s dresser breaking in her shoes comes from THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN by Angela Kelly.
- Thanks to @epaulettes on Twitter for reminding us about Rian Johnson’s KNIVES OUT as a Golden Age-esque mystery with 21st century sensibilities on race and class! (After we struggled to name one in our listener Q&A episode.)
- Here is Sharon’s funny cover of THE UNPLEASANTNESS AT THE BELLONA CLUB, with the note about Mobil Oil Corporation sponsoring the Masterpiece Theatre presentation:
