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Leave It to Psmith (Psmith #4)
A debononair young Englishman, Psmith (“the p is silent, as in phthisis, psychic, and ptarmigan”) has quit the fish business, “even though there is money in fish,” and decided to support himself by doing anything that he is hired to do by anyone. Wandering in and out of romantic, suspenseful, and invariably hilarious situations, Psmith is in the great Wodehouse tradition.
Mass Market Paperback, 272 pages
Published
April 12th 2005
by Vintage
(first published June 1923)
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In trying to explain to my husband exactly why I find Wodehouse so laugh-out-loud funny, I used this passage: "One uses the verb 'descend' advisedly, for what is required is some word suggesting instantaneous activity. About Baxter's progress from the second floor to the first there was nothing halting or hesitating. He, so to speak, did it now." This is a brilliant example of Wodehouse's ability to put it just so, - how can you explain this any better? "Planting his food firmly on a golf-ball w...more
14 likes · like · see review
view all 4 comments
Nov 06, 2011
Two Bibliomaniacs
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
evan-top-101-200
Have we mentioned before that we love P.G. Wodehouse? No? Hummmm, well, our research department is woefully underfunded and we’re far too lazy to delve back into the archives ourselves... Just in case, we’ll mention it again. We love P.G. Wodehouse.
Fed up with the fish trade, eccentric good guy, Ronald Psmith is keen on a career change. To facilitate this urge, he takes out a classified add offering a rather ambitious range of services:
“Leave it to Psmith. Psmith will help you. Psmith is ready f...more
Fed up with the fish trade, eccentric good guy, Ronald Psmith is keen on a career change. To facilitate this urge, he takes out a classified add offering a rather ambitious range of services:
“Leave it to Psmith. Psmith will help you. Psmith is ready f...more
This was a delightful book, quintessential Wodehouse. The hero, Psmith ("the p is silent, as in phthisis, psychic, and ptarmigan"), is a triumph of characterization, urbane, resilient, clever, utterly unflappable, altogether unlike Bertie Wooster (perhaps somewhat closer to Jeeves, though not a valet), from the same pen. I believe that this is only one of a series of novels PFW wrote featuring Psmith, and I would love to read more.
I struggle to understand and describe what makes Wodehouse such a...more
I struggle to understand and describe what makes Wodehouse such a...more
10 likes · like · see review
Dec 26, 2008
Kornela
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorite-books-of-2008
No one does British humor better than P.G. Wodehouse. His books consistently make me laugh out loud. Best known for the Jeeves and Bertie Wooster series (which is also excellent), Wodehouse wrote over 90 books in his career as well as a few different series. One of these series were the Psmith books. In my opinion, Psmith (pronounced "Smith," with the "p" being silent but giving proper distinction)is his most eccentric, charming, and original character. Because Psmith is so original and clever a...more
This is hands down the best Wodehouse book I've read! This is saying a lot, coming from an ardent Wodehouse fan. The story has all the usual impostors, burglars and romances; the usual inanities, twists and hilarity. [return][return] The Hon. Freddie Threepwood, the second and perennially impecunious son of Lord Emsworth has come up with a magnificent scheme to raise two thousand pounds to finance his dream of becoming a bookie. With his Uncle Joe (the devoted but hen-pecked husband of Lady Cons...more
Mar 05, 2011
Bev Hankins
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classic-lit,
humor
Leave It to Psmith by P. G. Wodehouse (1923) is my second foray into the adventures at Blandings Castle. This one follows the intrepid Psmith--one-time heir to a grand estate which his father heartlessly speculated away; most recently a monger of fish; and now a man of business. What kind of business?
Why, any at all. Just read his advertisement:
LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!
Psmith Will Help You
Psmith Is Ready For Anything
DO YOU WANT
Someone To Manage Your Affairs?
Someone To Handle Your Business?
Someone To...more
Why, any at all. Just read his advertisement:
LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!
Psmith Will Help You
Psmith Is Ready For Anything
DO YOU WANT
Someone To Manage Your Affairs?
Someone To Handle Your Business?
Someone To...more
1 like · like · see review
Mar 23, 2013
Tamra
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Wodehouse fans
Recommended to Tamra by:
Colter
(2.5 stars, rounded up because I heart Wodehouse.)
I am a Wodehouse fan, but this was not my favorite. Psmith wasn't a compelling character, I didn't care about the Blandings, and I kept wondering when Jeeves and Wooster would come in and make everything funny.
I finished the book with a smile on my face, so I didn't mind the read. But I was expecting Greatness, and I didn't get it from Leave It to Psmith. I was almost 200 pages in and getting annoyed with the person who recommended this book to m...more
I am a Wodehouse fan, but this was not my favorite. Psmith wasn't a compelling character, I didn't care about the Blandings, and I kept wondering when Jeeves and Wooster would come in and make everything funny.
I finished the book with a smile on my face, so I didn't mind the read. But I was expecting Greatness, and I didn't get it from Leave It to Psmith. I was almost 200 pages in and getting annoyed with the person who recommended this book to m...more
Word goes 'round the net . . . Don loves this book!
I highly recommend this one over all of the Jeeves and Wooster novels. Psmith must have been the inspiration for Bugs Bunny, not in the sense of wacky antics, but more in his ability to talk himself into or out of any situation. Psmith's misplaced self-confidence is the perfect vehicle for Woodhouse's dry British humor. The language alone is worth experiencing.
I highly recommend this one over all of the Jeeves and Wooster novels. Psmith must have been the inspiration for Bugs Bunny, not in the sense of wacky antics, but more in his ability to talk himself into or out of any situation. Psmith's misplaced self-confidence is the perfect vehicle for Woodhouse's dry British humor. The language alone is worth experiencing.
The world of Psmith – the ‘P’ is silent, as in pshrimp – collides with the circle of Lord Emsworth and his associates at Blandings Castle. The inimitable Psmith continues to please even if his usual comrade Mike Jackson features very briefly at the beginning of this tale.
The Honourable Freddie Threepwood has finally realised that the best way to become rich through gambling on the horses is to become a bookmaker, but needs a thousand pounds to become a partner. Joseph Keeble wishes to loan his s...more
The Honourable Freddie Threepwood has finally realised that the best way to become rich through gambling on the horses is to become a bookmaker, but needs a thousand pounds to become a partner. Joseph Keeble wishes to loan his s...more
I think I'm getting hooked on Wodehouse! I generally don't read novels, unless they are on some classics reading list or if I really think I'll learn something from them (historical novels, etc.) but there is very little to learn from Wodehouse, except for life among the idle rich (and for that we already have Jane Austen. But Wodehouse is just plain fun! Great plots, wonderful characters, VERY witty dialogue, lots of laugh-out-loud moments. I've now listened to all the free ones on my library's...more
My first Blandings Castle book as well as a first-time encounter with the beloved character of Psmith. This book has imposters, penniless and hapless young men, formidable aunts, determined young ladies, some romance, a robbery and lots of funny thrills - all the critical ingredients to a Wodehousian plot.
The best element of the Blandings Castle books are the cast - The Efficient Baxter, Psmith with his monocle, putty-headed Lord Elmsworth and the harried Freddy Threepwood. Every one of these ch...more
The best element of the Blandings Castle books are the cast - The Efficient Baxter, Psmith with his monocle, putty-headed Lord Elmsworth and the harried Freddy Threepwood. Every one of these ch...more
Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!! Oh, this was so funny! This is a stand alone novel within the Wooster world. There are overlapping characters and, of course, the inimitable Drone's Club. You will love this one even if you haven't read any Bertie. You haven't read Bertie? Go away. Seriously. Just go. Back to Psmith, this book is kind of the anti-Bertie. There are the several plotlines resolving into one but with all the motives and resolutions reversed. Psmith is seeking love instead of fleeing it, seeking e...more
Wodehouse at his best--quirky, larger-than-life characters, half a dozen twists and turns, shocking facts revealed in the last sentence of a paragraph.
But one doesn't read Wodehouse for suspense. One reads Wodehouse because he is tremendously witty. And in Leave it to Psmith, he is at the top of his game.
The plot is hardly important but it is one that might be instantly recognized as similar to the one presented in The Code of the Woosters, or almost identical to the one presented in The Plot...more
But one doesn't read Wodehouse for suspense. One reads Wodehouse because he is tremendously witty. And in Leave it to Psmith, he is at the top of his game.
The plot is hardly important but it is one that might be instantly recognized as similar to the one presented in The Code of the Woosters, or almost identical to the one presented in The Plot...more
Possibly Wodehouse's most hysterical novel. The inflappable Psmith, Blandings Castles and more crossed up love affairs then anything Bertie can get into. Absolutely indispensible.
The introduction of Psmith, the dapper and amiable Marxist willing to do any job for money. Hired by Freddie Threepwood to steal his aunt's necklace, he goes to Blandings (pretending, of course, to be a poet named McTodd) and falls in love with Eve Halliday. Baxter suspects, and the next thing you know, the infamous flower-pot throwing incident has occurred.
A very funny, sharp novel in the best of the Wodehouse tradition, with fantastic plot twists admirably kept to a minimum (although two hard-...more
A very funny, sharp novel in the best of the Wodehouse tradition, with fantastic plot twists admirably kept to a minimum (although two hard-...more
This has definitely been a foray into a world of literature yet untapped by yours truly.
The plot is full of twists, convolutions, coincidences, and mayhem. Which, definitely, makes for a fascinating read. I wouldn't say I was laughing hysterically for about 97% of the time, but I was vastly entertained by such phrases as "a depressing musty scent pervaded the place, as if a cheese had recently died there in painful circumstances". Very enjoyable on the whole, and a pleasant introduction to some...more
The plot is full of twists, convolutions, coincidences, and mayhem. Which, definitely, makes for a fascinating read. I wouldn't say I was laughing hysterically for about 97% of the time, but I was vastly entertained by such phrases as "a depressing musty scent pervaded the place, as if a cheese had recently died there in painful circumstances". Very enjoyable on the whole, and a pleasant introduction to some...more
Sep 11, 2010
Rob
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Wodehouse Fans
Recommended to Rob by:
MIchael Dirda column
Shelves:
dirda-100-comic-masterpieces
Michael Dirda placed this book at the top of his list of comedic masterpieces. He wasn't necessarily saying it was the funniest book ever written, but it was top of mind for him. Either way, it's a well deserved placement.
"Leave it" is one of my favorites among the Wodehouse books. Being novel-lenghth, it carries more intricate plot lines that some of the shorter Jeeves books. (Admittedly it also carries its fair share of loose ends.) and then there is Psmith himeslf, one of the more outrageous...more
"Leave it" is one of my favorites among the Wodehouse books. Being novel-lenghth, it carries more intricate plot lines that some of the shorter Jeeves books. (Admittedly it also carries its fair share of loose ends.) and then there is Psmith himeslf, one of the more outrageous...more
This was our latest family-read-aloud book. I read, and my wife and daughter listen, comment, and (particularly with this book) giggle, chuckle, and laugh.
Psmith ("the p is silent, as in phthisis, psychic, and ptarmigan") is a debonair young gentleman who needs to support himself. Unwilling to work for his rich uncle in the fish business, he runs an advertisement in the paper offering to do anything for anyone. Before long, he finds himself impersonating a poet at Blandings Castle, home of the E...more
Psmith ("the p is silent, as in phthisis, psychic, and ptarmigan") is a debonair young gentleman who needs to support himself. Unwilling to work for his rich uncle in the fish business, he runs an advertisement in the paper offering to do anything for anyone. Before long, he finds himself impersonating a poet at Blandings Castle, home of the E...more
This book is a great introduction to Wodehouse; if you don't know where to start with the short stories or the vast array of Jeeves novels, this book is an easy place to begin. The book has the effortless humor and fast pacing Wodehouse is known for, and the plot is a typical Wodehouse affair, with plenty of attempted theft, false identities, and courtships successful and unsuccessful. But Psmith, the main character, is not a bit like the nearly interchangeable Drones Club members and associated...more
If you're looking for a humourous story on making opportunities for yourself and grabbing them when they eventually start falling into your lap, read this book. Wodehouse has a way with words that is refreshing; he is a rare writer who can reel off pages of dialogue without stating the names of the speakers, because you can actually tell who's speaking just from a word. The pacing takes some time to get used to, but the quirky characterisations make up for it. Highly recommended if you can't get...more
Love Wodehouse. Love Psmith (the P is silent).
They should have made a movie of this book back when Cary Grant was still young enough to play him. But I'm not sure any Wodehouse could ever really truly translate to film. So much of the pleasure of reading one of his books is the delightful way he puts words together. The plots are slight, even though there are many twists and turns, and the characters are just musical comedy characters. But the words, the surprising phrasing. Wonderful, fabulous...more
They should have made a movie of this book back when Cary Grant was still young enough to play him. But I'm not sure any Wodehouse could ever really truly translate to film. So much of the pleasure of reading one of his books is the delightful way he puts words together. The plots are slight, even though there are many twists and turns, and the characters are just musical comedy characters. But the words, the surprising phrasing. Wonderful, fabulous...more
Wodehouse. He is a genius.
Please know that I do understand what the word "genius" implies, and in his field, this man was a genius. Yes, he is funny. That is now far beyond scrutiny. Yes, he has some pretty clever ideas for stories. But both of these things only give a very limited vision as to the magnitude of his abilities. He knows just how to turn a phrase. A simile, a statement of fact, a single, simple description--these are things that Wodehouse knows how to convert from the mundane, ord...more
Please know that I do understand what the word "genius" implies, and in his field, this man was a genius. Yes, he is funny. That is now far beyond scrutiny. Yes, he has some pretty clever ideas for stories. But both of these things only give a very limited vision as to the magnitude of his abilities. He knows just how to turn a phrase. A simile, a statement of fact, a single, simple description--these are things that Wodehouse knows how to convert from the mundane, ord...more
This is a charming comedy of errors, told as only P.G. Wodehouse can do. I did a lot of chuckling, and had some laugh-out-loud moments as I read about the enterprising Psmith *"the 'P' is silent, as in psychic and ptarmigan"* as he carried out his plan to get out of the fish business and make something of himself. His campaign began when he placed an advert in the newspaper, offering to do anything for anyone provided it had nothing to do with fish. He is soon off to Blandings to steal a necklac...more
Oct 21, 2007
Ian Wood
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone and indeed everyone
Shelves:
p-g-wodehouse
‘Leave it to Psmith’ is the advertising motto of Psmith’s new enterprise, he is open to all offers from running a business to walking a dog all on the behalf of his customers. His only customer is Freddie Threepwood whom is keen for Psmith to come to Blandings Castle to steal his Aunts Necklace so that Uncle Joe can sell it to make enough money for Freddie’s latest scheme and for Uncle Joe’s daughter to bankroll her husband, one Mike Jackson, to set up a farm. And so the Worlds of Mike, Psmith a...more
Here's my review from Please Come Flying:
Whenever I'm in the mood to get lost in some light, rainy day reading that will guarantee a good chuckle, I invariably ask Kevin the same longing question:
Don't you have any more Wodehouse?
A couple years ago, a friend gave Kevin a small stash of novels by the British humorist P.G. Wodehouse (1881-1975), and we've been hooked ever since.
A Wodehouse novel is nearly always guaranteed to deliver at least three of my four favorite comedic elements:
1. Mistaken...more
Whenever I'm in the mood to get lost in some light, rainy day reading that will guarantee a good chuckle, I invariably ask Kevin the same longing question:
Don't you have any more Wodehouse?
A couple years ago, a friend gave Kevin a small stash of novels by the British humorist P.G. Wodehouse (1881-1975), and we've been hooked ever since.
A Wodehouse novel is nearly always guaranteed to deliver at least three of my four favorite comedic elements:
1. Mistaken...more
The famous butler Jeeves and his devoted employer Bertie Wooster are of course Wodehouse's most famous inventions, but for myself I prefer the strange inevitability of the adventures that befall R. Psmith.
Psmith (pronounced "Smith") is featured in several novels [Mike and Psmith, Psmith in the City, Psmith Journalist:] but the best of them is Leave it to Psmith.
This episode finds Psmith, weary of his job in the fish market, placing an advertisement that reads, in part:
LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!
Psmith W...more
Psmith (pronounced "Smith") is featured in several novels [Mike and Psmith, Psmith in the City, Psmith Journalist:] but the best of them is Leave it to Psmith.
This episode finds Psmith, weary of his job in the fish market, placing an advertisement that reads, in part:
LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!
Psmith W...more
Psmith (the P is silent) is quitting the fish business and looking for a new job. He advertises in the paper that he is willing to do anything as long as it does not involve fish. When he meets with a request to help Freddie Threepwood steal his Aunt Constance's diamond necklace, he is delighted: this is just the sort of thing he hoped for when he put out the advertisment. He finds the perfect opportunity to enter the household to carry out this mission (and to stay close to his love interest, E...more
One feels inadequate reviewing a book for such an accomplished writer, but I'll give it a short try. It's been a while since I read a book and actually laughed out loud while reading it; I did that numerous times with this book. It was nothing but pure fun! I'll confess that this is the first Wodehouse book I've read and will likewise confess that I have a few more on the way. If anyone is looking for a good first Wodehouse novel, this is a great place to start. I read it in less than two days.
P. G. Wodehouse had been writing professionally about 20 years before he discovered that he had an extraordinary sense of humor. In Leave It to PSmith (1924), a mad-cap romantic comedy, he leaves no humorous stop unpulled. The book reminded me of the zany black-and-white comedies of the 30's: frenetically paced plots long on mistaken identities, petty larceny, stodgy rich uncles, darling young girls, and bold young men in spats. But the real fun of the story isn't the story at all; it's the way...more
I was lucky to receive this book from a First Reads giveaway. For the most part, I found this really enjoyable. I've read several of Terry Prachett's novels, and I had often been told that these had the same feel to them. This is absolutely true: I would say that this book is Discworld meets Victorian England, and I thought it was wonderful.
There was only one sticking point that stops me from giving it a full five stars, and that is the mysterious disappearance of Miss Simmons. I fully expected...more
There was only one sticking point that stops me from giving it a full five stars, and that is the mysterious disappearance of Miss Simmons. I fully expected...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90outloud reading of Leave it to Psmith | 1 | 4 | Mar 21, 2013 07:55pm | |
| Can Psmith tell when you say his name without the "P"? | 1 | 12 | Jul 27, 2012 07:23am |
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE, was a comic writer who enjoyed enormous popular success during a career of more than seventy years and continues to be widely read over 30 years after his death. Despite the political and social upheavals that occurred during his life, much of which was spent in France and the United States, Wodehouse's main canvas remained that of prewar English upper-class so...more
More about P.G. Wodehouse...
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“Wait a minute while I think," said Miss Peavey.
There was a pause. Miss Peavey sat with knit brows.
"How would it be..." ventured Mr. Cootes.
"Cheese it!" said Miss Peavey.
Mr. Cootes cheesed it.”
—
4 people liked it
There was a pause. Miss Peavey sat with knit brows.
"How would it be..." ventured Mr. Cootes.
"Cheese it!" said Miss Peavey.
Mr. Cootes cheesed it.”
“We must always remember, however,' said Psmith gravely, 'that poets are also God's creatures.”
—
4 people liked it
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