P.G. Wodehouse

Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, "Plum" to his friends, was perhaps the greatest comic writer of all time. His control of plot, voice, and character are stunningly precise and seemingly effortless, always to great comic effect. If you've not discovered Wodehouse, you've a treat in store. I recommend starting with The Most of P.G. Wodehouse or The World of Jeeves.

Almost everything Wodehouse wrote works well aloud (the difficulty is reading him silently). The exceptions are mostly due to arcane British subject matter; Psmith, for example, foundered on some long descriptions of cricket games. We've especially liked the Uncle Fred stories, starting with the short story "Uncle Fred Flits By" and continuing through a number of novels, including Uncle Fred in the Springtime and Uncle Dynamite. The Mr. Mulliner stories work exceptionally well aloud, being cast as Mr. Mulliner's anecdotes to the patrons of the Angler's Rest. The Jeeves and Wooster stories are good as well.

Wodehouse in Hard Cover!

The British publisher "Everyman" has begun printing a complete hardbound edition of Wodehouse at the rate of four or so a year. There are now twelve volumes in print, with four more coming in March of 2002. These are delightful books, printed on acid-free paper. You can get them from http://amazon.co.uk. The books published so far are as follows (in order of publication):

• The Code of the Woosters

Reviews: 1 March 2001

• Ukridge

Reviews: 1 February 2001

• Pigs Have Wings

Reviews: 1 February 2001, 1 November 2002

• Right Ho, Jeeves

Reviews: 1 February 2001

• Eggs, Beans, and Crumpets

Reviews: 1 March 2002

• Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves

Reviews: 1 April 2002

• Summer Lightning

Reviews: 1 April 2002, 1 November 2002

• Psmith in the City

Reviews: 1 April 2002

• Jeeves And The Feudal Spirit

Reviews: 1 March 2002

• Heavy Weather

Reviews: 1 April 2002

• The Mating Season

Reviews: 1 April 2002, 1 February 2003

• Laughing Gas

Reviews: 1 April 2002

• The Clicking of Cuthbert

Reviews: 1 July 2002

• Joy in the Morning

Reviews: 1 August 2002

• Meet Mr. Mulliner

• Lord Emsworth and Others

Reviews: 1 July 2002

• Blandings Castle

Reviews: 1 February 2003, 1 July 2003

• Jeeves in the Offing

Reviews: 1 February 2003

• The Luck of the Bodkins

Reviews: 1 February 2003

• Young Men In Spats

Reviews: 1 February 2003

• Carry On, Jeeves

Reviews: 1 July 2003

• Summer Moonshine

Reviews: 1 August 2003

• Hot Water

Reviews: 1 August 2003

• A Gentleman of Leisure

Reviews: 1 November 2003

• Thank You, Jeeves

Reviews: 1 May 2004

• Mulliner Nights

Reviews: 1 May 2004

• Leave it Psmith

• Uncle Fred in the Springtime

Reviews: 1 July 2004

• A Damsel in Distress

Reviews: 1 June 2004

• Quick Service

Reviews: 1 July 2004

• P.G. Wodehouse In His Own Words

By Barry Day and Tony Ring. A look at Plum himself

A Smattering of Wodehouse

Omnibus Editions

• The Most of P.G. Wodehouse

An excellent starting point, if you've never before read anything by Wodehouse. It has a representative sampling of his short stories, including the wonderful "Uncle Fred Flits By", along with the short novel Quick Service. Reviews: 1 April 1997

• The World of Jeeves

All of the (many) short stories about Bertie Wooster and his resourceful valet, in canonical order. Wodehouse also wrote a number of novels about the pair, which are not included. Reviews: 1 April 1997, 1 October 1999

• The Mr. Mulliner Omnibus

The complete set of Mr. Mulliner stories. Reviews: 1 March 2002

Jeeves and Wooster

• The World of Jeeves

All of the (many) short stories about Bertie Wooster and his resourceful valet, in canonical order. Wodehouse also wrote a number of novels about the pair, which are not included. Reviews: 1 April 1997, 1 October 1999

• The Code of the Woosters

Novel. Reviews: 1 March 2001

• Right Ho, Jeeves

Novel. Reviews: 1 February 2001

• Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves

Novel. Reviews: 1 April 2002

• Jeeves And The Feudal Spirit

Novel. Reviews: 1 March 2002

• Joy in the Morning

Novel. Reviews: 1 August 2002

• The Mating Season

Novel. Reviews: 1 April 2002, 1 February 2003

• Jeeves in the Offing

Novel. Reviews: 1 February 2003

• Carry On, Jeeves

Reviews: 1 July 2003

• Enter Jeeves: Fifteen Early Stories

• Thank you, Jeeves

Reviews: 1 May 2004

The Drones Club

• Tales from the Drones Club

Reviews: 1 March 1998

• Eggs, Beans, and Crumpets

Mostly Drones Club; it also includes a Mr. Mulliner story and a couple of tales of Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge. Reviews: 1 March 2002

• Lord Emsworth and Others

A Drone or two, among others. Reviews: 1 July 2002

• The Luck of the Bodkins

Reviews: 1 February 2003

• Young Men In Spats

Mostly Drones Club, with a Mr. Mulliner story or two; includes "Uncle Fred Flits By". Reviews: 1 February 2003

Blandings Castle

• Blandings Castle

Reviews: 1 February 2003, 1 July 2003

• Pigs Have Wings

Reviews: 1 February 2001, 1 November 2002

• Life at Blandings

• Summer Lightning

Reviews: 1 April 2002, 1 November 2002

• Heavy Weather

Reviews: 1 April 2002

• Galahad at Blandings

Reviews: 1 February 2003

• Lord Emsworth and Others

Just one Emsworth; mostly Others. Reviews: 1 July 2002

• Leave it to Psmith

Reviews: 1 May 2004

Uncle Fred

• Uncle Dynamite

• Uncle Fred in the Springtime

Reviews: 1 July 2004

Miscellaneous

• Cocktail Time

Reviews: 1 March 2003

• Money for Nothing

Reviews: 1 August 1998

• The Adventures of Sally

Reviews: 1 August 1998

• Do Butlers Burgle Banks?

Reviews: 1 August 1998

• Summer Moonshine

Reviews: 1 August 2003

• Hot Water

Reviews: 1 August 2003

• A Gentleman of Leisure

Reviews: 1 November 2003

• A Damsel in Distress

Reviews: 1 June 2004

• Quick Service

Reviews: 1 July 2004