Dorothy L. Sayers: Her Life and Soul

Before reading this biography, as well as Ms. Sayers' letters which were edited by Barbara Reynolds, I could well believe that there was a good deal of Ms. Sayers in the cerebral Helen Vane character in the Lord Peter mysteries. Ms. Sayers was in the first group of women to receive a degree from Cambridge and became a well-known Christian apologist. Her mysteries contain erudite references and Latin phrases.However, Ms. Reynolds' biography establishes that Lord Peter and Ms. Sayers also share a number of characteristics, most notably exuberance. In addition to writing one of the most delectable descriptions of the male head in the English language, Ms. Sayers' developed the Lord Peter character from a one-dimensional "silly ass" (it's apparently OK to casually use that descriptive word in England) to a more serious, fully-formed individual.In addition to having the resource of being a friend of Ms. Sayers, Ms. Reynolds was also given access to a number of previously unavailable letters written by Ms. Sayers. And Ms. Sayers wrote a great many letters, in addition to a prodigious body of work. This new information forms a basis for agreeing with her only--but unacknowledged--child that she did the best she could by him. He was raised in a very loving home by one of his mother's cousins who supported herself by fostering children, and was later adopted by Ms. Sayers and her husband. Ms. Sayers worked very hard to earn enough to provide for her child's financial needs. He--John Anthony Fleming-- states that from the age of six or seven he suspected that "Cousin Dorothy" was really his mother. It must have been a great source of pain to him that she felt she could not recognize him as her biological child, but when asked about this by Ms. Reynolds shortly before his death, he had become reconciled to the situation. He appears to have been a child to be proud of--earning a scholarship to Cambridge and graduating with a First degree.I highly recommend this biography.

The story of a remarkable woman who began her career as a writer writing advertisements, progressed to mysteries (Creating Lord Peter Whimsey), concluding with religious writings and finally completing a landmark translation of Dante's "Inferno". It is the story of an amazing woman, who always insisted on the inclusion of the "L" when her name was written, took a similar firm stand on the progression of her career and her life. Frequently writers who see themselves as classic academics or gifted word smiths who have been forced to support themselves early in their careers by writing advertisements or mysteries call this work a prostitution of their gifts. Not so Sayers, er...Dorothy L. Sayers. She believed she could not reach the highlights of "The Man Who Would Be King" or the translation of Dante without the former work of creating the Guinness Toucan ad or gallant Lord Peter Whimsey. She believed the gift of creativity, the act of creation in each of us is a gift of God. Her book, Mind of the Maker, states this proposition clearly. Dorothy L. Sayers was a gifted, unique individual who sought, and I think successfully found, an understanding of her gifts and channeled those gifts into very meaningful contributions to an understanding of our relationship with God.

I have read all her mystery books and loved them. So interesting to read about her difficult and so wonderful life. Always interesting to read about the person behind the books.

This is a great biography of an extraordinary writer, one who was of the same intellectual calibre as G K Chesterton - in fact she was perhaps a better writer because she gave more thought to what she wrote rather than letting it all pour out day by day (!)Reynolds knew Sayers well in her later years, and so can give a first-hand picture of the real person. She also relies on innumerable letters from Sayers and to Sayers, and material that has been handed on through conversations with Sayers' friends.There's so much good stuff in this book that I was disappointed to find I'd come to the end (not always easy to see in advance with a Kindle version). Sayers' thinking about writing, creativity, living, and Christianity was always on the button, and plenty of it is extracted in this book. Thank goodness for Kindle highlights!

She was a fascinating woman who spoke to her times and reaches across the years to ours. I did a performance of her reading the lecture "Are Women Human" as a part of our Women's Leadership Conference and all were amazed (at her words). If you really want to see a power house woman of her times, if you know who the Inklings were, if you are interested in England of that period - get this book. Parts are an easy read and parts will keep you up late trying to digest.

Well written bio by a friend and writer who knew DLS and worked with her. But it fell just short for me in unlocking the life of DLS--can't pin down the reason. Still, well worth reading about this fascinating woman.

Absorbing reading, and recommended by others.

This is a fascinating and complete biography of Sayers, with plenty of notes on sources and thorough citation. Barbara Reynolds is an exceptionally good writer herself and had the additional advantage of knowing Sayers personally. My interest never flagged, and I learned much that I had not previously read anywhere.

well written, informative, sensible and sympathetic study of dls...but where are the photos? there are references to photos, from earliest childhood until old age, but not a one appears...what happened? it would have lovely to have seen them, especially the ones of dls in theatrical costumes, made by herself...too bad...and there are a number of small, annoying typos...are there no proofreaders anymore?on the whole, good text, a bit plodding, but earnest and dedicated...informative...i do feel sorry for the son, though...oh well....choices....regrets...

Dr Barbara Reynolds was a very close friend of the late Dorothy L Sayers, and was thus in a position to write knowingly about her. This biography combines all the thoroughness of a first-rate academic with the deep fondness for a great friend.Dorothy as a schoolgirl and an undergraduate shows us an intelligent, confident, but also at times a vulnerable young woman who was also among one of the remarkable women who took on university studies in an age when women were not educated. Her coping with the various men in her life, including her son, born out of wedlock in an age where such things were unthinkable, and a damaged and ultimately inadequate husband, her popular amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey, her considerable but accessible theological output and her monumental translation of Dante's Divine Comedy are all described fully and with in-depth understanding.Throughout this book we are shown a woman who maintains her good humour, her great enthusiasm for life, her extreme intelligence, her total and absolute responsibility for those closest to her and her professionalism which contributed to her considerable literary output. However we also see a woman maturing from an enthusiastic schoolgirl to one whose life's experiences have matured her and have informed her work and enabled her to contribute more than just entertainment to her public.This book gives great insight, and allows one to feel that Dr Reynolds has allowed us to become one of Dorothy Sayers' friends too. This is not a once-off read, but an account to be re-read periodically as different aspects of the subject's life and work become more familiar to us.

I have often wondered how much of DL Sayers'life experience went into her novels. This biography shows how similar are Harriet Vane and DL Sayers. And the emotion and background which she is able then to portray in her work is very powerful. Dr Reynolds has done us an immense service in this book, and we are able with her guidance to navigate Sayers's development to its apogee in her last two novels. I found the last chapters on her religious work less interesting, probably because I am not religious. If you like the Wimsey novels, you will be fascinated by the story behind them.

I have long been a fan of Dorothy L Sayers' detective novels and knew there was much more to her writing career, and this biography, written by someone who knew her personally, provides terrific insight into her complex gifts and personality. Really compelling reading, and highly recommended to anyone interested in any aspect of her life and work.

Enjoyable and interesting view of her life. Any fan of her detective stories will want to read this book. It gives prominence to her religious writings too. There was plenty here that was new to me about her personal life and background which gives insight into her writing. There could have been more about detection and her relationship with other Golden Age writers.