Reading the 20th Century discussion
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P.G. Wodehouse
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Today I thought I'd curl up with one of my favourite books, Uncle Fred in the Springtime. Really, Lord Ickenham is possibly my favourite Wodehouse character. 5*s still.
Tania wrote: "Today I thought I'd curl up with one of my favourite books, Uncle Fred in the Springtime. Really, Lord Ickenham is possibly my favourite Wodehouse character. 5*s still."I love this one as well.
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Right Ho, Jeeves (1934)
It's a reread
I want to relive Gussie Fink-Nottle's memorable speech at the school prize giving. I recall crying with laughter last time.
I've already devoured nearly two thirds of it.
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I recently finished Ring for Jeeves
published in 1953. At first I was distracted by the fact that there is no Bertie - Jeeves is out on loan - but the book grew on me and I found that, as a change of pace, I liked seeing Jeeves with a different master. Now I'm reading 1954's Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit
I will grab a Wodehouse and read a chapter or two over a few weeks.. It works well as an early evening read after the news to cheer me up for the last part of the day.
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I've just experienced that part again. It still made me laugh out loud for a good few minutes. It is indeed a classic
Brian wrote: "Now I'm reading 1954's Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit"
I read that one earlier this year. I particularly enjoyed the magnificent, and very green eyed, Stilton Cheesewright
One would think Stilton would have been blue eyed.
I loved Right Ho, Jeeves. I've read a few of his books this year, including Uncle Fred in the Springtime which was great. They have proved to be a marvelous tonic for this year.
Brian wrote: "I recently finished Ring for Jeeves published in 1953. At first I was distracted by the fact that there is no Bertie - Jeeves is out on loan - but..."I'm saving Ring for Jeeves for a rainy day so good to know you enjoyed it. I love the Jeeves series and I'm also a huge Mulliner fan but I've never come to grips with Blandings, I keep trying but never seems to engage me. But sounds as if I should try again, I last picked one up after rereading the Jeeves series and that may have been part of the problem.
Alwynne, I first read Wodehouse in the late 70s and the 80s. On my second stint of reading Wodehouse in the 21st century, I've mainly stuck to Jeeves, the Oldest Member and Blandings tales. I found myself enjoying the Blandings stories much more now than I remember from 40 years ago. So maybe you'll enjoy them more when you are older. I read The World of Mr. Mulliner during my first stint of Wodehouse so his stories are a distant memory. Thus, I have his stories to look forward to, which is nice.
I hope you enjoy the Mulliner stories, I find them completely hilarious.
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Right Ho, Jeeves
Right Ho, Jeeves is another Wodehouse masterclass. A sublime comedic souffle, and one that's guranteed to put a spring in your step and a smile on your face.
Review...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
5/5
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It had been a good 15 years since I last read any of the Psmith books and my memories were very positive so I was eager to reacquaint myself and so I have been immersed in....
Psmith in the City (1910)
Review here...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4/5
Love the Psmith books. I must try to find time to pick up another of his books. The perfect antidote to these dreary days.
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The Luck of the Bodkins (1935)
I'm about halfway through and realise it is one I have not read before. Hurrah!
However I have read Heavy Weather (1933), which precedes it, and Pearls, Girls and Monty Bodkin (1972) which belatedly (in terms of publishing date) picks up the story again.
The story concerns the complicated love life of amiable young Monty Bodkin, the nephew of Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe. When Monty last appeared in Heavy Weather he was the latest in the long line of Lord Emsworth's secretaries.
Early on PGW sets the tone with...
"Into the face of the young man who sat on the terrace of the Hotel Magnifique at Cannes there had crept a look of furtive shame, the shifty, hangdog look which announces that an Englishman is about to talk French."
Needless to say it's a delight
Nigeyb wrote: "I have just waded back into Wodehouse Lake, and specifically...The Luck of the Bodkins (1935)
I'm about halfway through and realise it is one I have not read before. Hurrah! Howev..."
Lovely, this is one of my favourites. I'm sure you've learnt to spell 'inexplicable' by now :D
I loved Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit, it's put me in the mood for more Wodehouse, so I think I'll start Thank You, Jeeves later.
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There's never a bad time for more Wodehouse
I am closing in on the conclusion of The Luck of the Bodkins which is a typically joyous Wodehousian reading experience
All hail PGW
Hail PGW! I'm not sure I like that as it reminds me of the controversy around PGW's actions while a German WWII prisoner, always a mark on his reputation. I tend to cut him a break about it.In February, I read his 1959 story collection A Few Quick Ones. This is my GR review:
"This 1959 book is not a bad Wodehouse collection as it has a lot of variety in its short stories:
4 - Drones Club members (two Freddie Widgeon and two Bingo Little),
2 - golf stories (with the Oldest Member),
2 - Mr Mulliner,
1 - Jeeves and Wooster,
1 - Ukridge.
As I normally mainly read Jeeves and Blandings, it was good to spread my wings a bit and get back to Drones Club and Mulliner stories, which I haven't read since the last century. But I do like the Blandings and Jeeves better than the Drones and Mulliners so this collection, while worthy, is not quite as satisfying as those.
However, as a golf fan, I do very much enjoy the Oldest Member stories, and, as they are quite similar, are probably better suited for a variety pack format like here than as the sole source of a collection."
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I cut PGW a lot of slack. There was a BBC4 dramatisation about that story and, if accurate, shows how he was duped. He was so absorbed and preoccupied in writing stories that he was an easy mark for the duplicitous Nazis who included a supposed fellow British POW who convinced him he would be helping the Allies.
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The Luck of the Bodkins (1935)
Review here...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4/5
Not a book and may have been mentioned already but for people who have access to BBC iplayer they have the film 'A Damsel in Distress' based on Wodehouse's play and novel and starring Fred Astaire.
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Alwynne wrote: "Not a book and may have been mentioned already but for people who have access to BBC iplayer they have the film 'A Damsel in Distress' based on Wodehouse's play and novel and starring Fred Astaire."I will have to check that out, as this week I have read the novel of A Damsel in Distress by P.G. Maybe its because I've been reading such serious books as The Book of Not and The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration, and maybe it's because I had low expectations going in to it. but I really enjoyed this one. Here's my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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I enjoyed Damsel too...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Alwynne wrote: "they have the film 'A Damsel in Distress' based on Wodehouse's play and novel and starring Fred Astaire."With a young Joan Fontaine in the female lead and George Stevens directing, it looks like a quality production. Even though I didn't picture Astaire, as I seldom do for any part, they look like they fit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028757/...
They add George Burns and Gracie Allen playing characters named George and Gracie, and to add to the shenanigans, I guess. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028757/...
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Big Money (1931)
Sounds promising...
Most of the big money belongs to Torquil Paterson Frisby, the dyspeptic American millionaire - but that doesn't stop him wanting more out of it. His niece, the beautiful Ann Moon, is engaged to 'Biscuit', Lord Biskerton, who doesn't have very much of the stuff and so he has to escape to Valley Fields to hide from his creditors. Meanwhile, his old schoolfriend Berry Conway, who is working for Frisby, himself falls for Ann - just as Biscuit falls for her friend Kitchie Valentine. In this typically hilarious novel by the master of light comedy, life can sometimes become a little complicated.
Anyone read it?
Big Money (1931) by P.G. Wodehouse
I have been reading Wodehouse's Young Men in Spats a collection of 11 short stories about the Drones Club members. They are hit and miss but I am enjoying the hits - Uncle Fred is always a hit. I have taken a short pause after reading 8 of the 11 stories as I started reading Arnold Bennett's Buried Alive and am finding that it more than satisfies my light and humorous reading spot.
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Thanks for that Arnold Bennett tip. Another author I want to get back to.
Uncle Fred is great fun. Glad you brought him up and reminded me I have Uncle Dynamite waiting to be read
Lady Clementina wrote: "Uncle Fred is great fun. Glad you brought him up and reminded me I have Uncle Dynamite waiting to be read"Just yesterday, I put Uncle Dynamite and a few other Wodehouse books in my Blackwell Books and Book Depository carts for purchase at a time when I think my wife won't say "Not another book order; you just killed another tree!" as she brings the package in the front door. My birthday is coming up so I may get a brief respite.
Love Wodehouse in almost all his forms - especially Blandings and Jeeves & Wooster! And I was actually thinking of suggesting Arnold Bennett's The Card as a buddy read at some point. I loved it 40 years or so ago and would be very happy to re-read. Would anyone else be interested?
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"Love Wodehouse in almost all his forms - especially Blandings and Jeeves & Wooster!"
You and me both Sid - he's the guvnor
"I was actually thinking of suggesting Arnold Bennett's The Card as a buddy read at some point. I loved it 40 years or so ago and would be very happy to re-read. Would anyone else be interested?"
Short answer, yes
More fulsome answer over on our AB thread...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Nigeyb wrote: "High time I got back to a bit of PG, so I am poised to dive into....Big Money (1931)
Sounds promising...
I have read it, but many years ago. I was thinking of reading another of his soon so maybe I'll read this one.
I also love Uncle Fred, and think Uncle Fred in the Springtime is one of my top five PGW novels. An absolute hoot.
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I'm finding ever more pleasure in Big Money
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Nigeyb wrote: "Big Money (1931) is warming up nicely. I've got a good feeling about this one."Big Money is great fun--that's the one with Ann Moon and Kitchie Valentine, isn't it?
Tania wrote: "Nigeyb wrote: "High time I got back to a bit of PG, so I am poised to dive into....Big Money (1931)
Sounds promising...
I have read it, but many years ago. I was thinking of read..."
I love Uncle Fred in the Springtime; he also appears in Service with a Smile I remember. Though I haven't yet read any of the Uncle Fred books which are not in Blandings, so both Uncle Dynamite which is waiting on my TBR, and Cocktail Time which I want to pick up a copy of
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Big Money (1931)
Another enjoyable and amusing novel - not quite top tier P.G. Wodehouse, but not far off it
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4/5
Reading the 20th Century
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Full Moon (1947) (Blandings Castle #7)
Joy is, naturally, unconfined. Let the mirth commence.
When the moon is full at Blandings, strange ..."
Ah, my favourite (well, one of them, at any rate).