Reading Old Mystery Novels in Time of COVID

  Like usual, these are novels i've read before. Most recently, it's been several about Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, as well as some of Sayers' other short stories.*

  This go-around, i've been more than usually impressed by the signs of the times, especially regarding: 

• quarantining and disease, usually influenza**, but also what one may call historical diseases like mumps. 
• Masking: The well-dressed person in England during WWII should not have gone out without their personal gas mask. Take a look at Wikipedia's gas mask article. There's pictures of gas masks from the entire history of gas masks, including ones for babies and for horses, and a couple in their own home wearing theirs.  They're still available today, if the cloth and disposable masks aren't enough for you.
• Like the gas mask in a carrier not 100% matched to her dress, Harriet and others of the time bring ration books with them.  Can't eat without them!  Never mind petrol and coal.
  
• Rigid social classes: Throughout the Wimsey books, there is a marked distinction between Lord Peter's aristocracy, Harriet's educated working class background, and Bunter's adventures "below stairs." In the time period covered by Jill Paton-Walsh, these are breaking down somewhat. Reactions from the protagonists are interesting: 
• His Lordship, it's about time; bring on the new world
• Harriet: it will be what it will be
• Bunter: horrified. Despite his obvious deep friendship with his master, he is thoroughly uncomfortable socializing as equals.
  

Soon i  hope to post an article about the Lord Peter books, touching on the highly=divided  pre- and post- Harriet fandom.

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*If you like the Wimsey stories, try to not miss Montague Egg. The story collections In the Teeth of Evidence and Hangman's Holiday contain between them i think all the Egg stories, as well as several Lord Peter ones and some  not featuring her "flagship dectectives.".  "The Milk Bottles," in In the Teeth of Evidence, is especially good.

** More on the 1918 Influenza pandemic: https://www.history.com/news/spanish-flu-second-wave-resurgence  Even more fascinating is this article on the effect of climate and migration of ducks on the pandemic. https://news.agu.org/press-release/unusual-climate-conditions-influenced-wwi-mortality-and-subsequent-spanish-flu-pandemic/