 1943 dustjacket | |
| Author | Dornford Yates |
|---|---|
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Ward Lock & Co [1] |
Publication date | 1924 [1] |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 311 [1] |
And Five Were Foolish is a 1924 collection of short stories by the English author Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer), first published in The Windsor Magazine . [2] The title is a reference to the Parable of the Ten Virgins.
The book consists of ten short stories, several of which were inspired by incidents and places known to Mercer. [3] The title of each is the name of a significant female character. [4]
The stories were written for The Windsor Magazine , whose readers had been "clamouring for more". [4]
| Chapter | Book Title | Windsor Title | Date | Volume | Issue | Pages | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Sarah | False Pretences | November 1922 | LVI | 335 | 591-684 | Henry Coller |
| II | Madeleine | Fine Linen | October 1922 | LVI | 334 | 463-473 | E G Oakdale |
| III | Katharine | Three's Company | October 1923 | LVIII | 346 | 493-506 | Norah Schlegel |
| IV | Spring | Groom Of The Chambers | November 1923 | LVIII | 347 | 587-600 | Norah Schlegel |
| V | Elizabeth | A Drink Divine | December 1923 | LIX | 348 | 3-14 | Norah Schlegel |
| VI | Jo | Private Papers | January 1924 | LIX | 349 | 115-127 | Norah Schlegel |
| VII | Athalia | A Fool's Errand | February 1924 | LIX | 350 | 233-246 | Norah Schlegel |
| VIII | Ann | Mesalliance | April 1924 | LIX | 352 | 505-523 | Norah Schlegel |
| IX | Eleanor | A Private Scandal | March 1924 | LIX | 351 | 347-359 | Norah Schlegel |
| X | Susan | Noblesse Oblige | May 1924 | LIX | 353 | 573-578 | Norah Schlegel |
The collected volume was a significant success, and was reprinted seven times before the coming of war in 1939. [5]
The original dustjacket had the following quote -
Cecil William Mercer, known by his pen name Dornford Yates, was an English writer and novelist whose novels and short stories, some humorous, some thrillers, were best-sellers during the Interwar Period.
The Brother of Daphne is a 1914 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, the first book published under the pen name he had been using for magazine pieces since 1910. This was also the first book to feature the group of characters that featured in many of his future works: Bertram ('Berry') Pleydell, his wife and cousin Daphne Pleydell, Daphne's brother Boy Pleydell, another cousin Jonathan ('Jonah') Mansel, and Jonah's younger sister Jill Mansel. The group of five - Berry, Daphne, Boy, Jonah and Jill - later came to be known collectively as 'Berry and Co'.
The Courts of Idleness is a 1920 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, his second book. Half of the tales feature his 'Berry' characters.
Berry and Co. is a 1921 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, his third book, featuring his recurring characters Bertram ('Berry') Pleydell, his wife and cousin Daphne Pleydell, Daphne's brother Boy Pleydell, another cousin Jonathan ('Jonah') Mansel, and Jonah's younger sister Jill Mansel. The group of five - Berry, Daphne, Boy, Jonah and Jill - are collectively 'Berry and Co.'
Jonah and Co. is a 1922 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters.
Adèle and Co. is a 1931 comic novel by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters. This was Yates's first full-length Berry novel, following several earlier Berry short story collections. It was the first Berry book to be published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton, and the first not to be serialised in The Windsor Magazine.
And Berry Came Too is a 1936 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters.
The Berry Scene is a 1947 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters.
Blind Corner is a 1927 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. The book was the first in his Chandos thriller series and is narrated in the first person by Richard Chandos. In addition to Chandos and his servant Bell, the novel features a cast of characters who recur in many of the later books: George Hanbury and Jonathan Mansel; their respective servants Rowley and Carson; and Tester the Sealyham terrier. Mansel's character also appears as Jonah Mansel in the author's 'Berry' series of comic books and short stories, though he is not written for comic effect in this nor the later Chandos books.
Perishable Goods is a 1928 novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the second in his Chandos thriller series and a sequel to Blind Corner. The story features the recurrent characters Richard Chandos (narrator), Jonathan Mansel and George Hanbury, with their respective servants Bell, Carson and Rowley.
Blood Royal is a 1929 novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the third in his Chandos thriller series. The story features the recurrent characters Richard Chandos (narrator) and George Hanbury, with their servants Bell and Rowley. Jonathan Mansel does not appear in this book.
Cost Price is a 1949 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the eighth and last in his 'Chandos' thriller series. It serves as a sequel to his 1932 novel Safe Custody. The book was published in the US under the title The Laughing Bacchante.
Anthony Lyveden is a 1921 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates. It was first published in monthly instalments in The Windsor Magazine. The book was Mercer's first attempt at a full-length novel, and was succeeded by Valerie French which continued the story of the main characters.
Valerie French is a 1923 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, a sequel to Anthony Lyveden. It was first published in monthly instalments in The Windsor Magazine.
As Other Men Are is a 1925 collection of short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, first published in The Windsor Magazine. The title is a reference to the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.
Maiden Stakes is a 1928 collection of short stories by the English author Dornford Yates originally written for The Windsor Magazine.
The Stolen March is a 1926 fantasy novel by the English author Dornford Yates, first serialised in The Windsor Magazine.
Period Stuff is a collection of short stories by the English author Dornford Yates. Some were written in 1939 but not published in book form until 1942. Some of the tales had originally appeared in The Windsor Magazine and others in The Strand Magazine.
Lower than Vermin is a 1950 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. It was not a commercial success, dealing as it did with a vanished pre-war world of upper class characters that held little attraction to readers of the 1950s.
Ne'er-Do-Well is a 1954 detective novel by the English author Dornford Yates, his only work of the genre. Although Richard Chandos narrates, the book is not generally classified as a 'Chandos' title.