"what is your favourite book by PG Wodehouse?" Topic

Picking up on a Parlour Discussion – what is your favourite book by PG Wodehouse?

If you haven't one then get one – there are no "no opinions" or "I can't read" options. No excuses now.

Here's the list. I think we should pick 5 to whittle it down and then pick one.

Psmith in the City is the finest of all, very closely followed by Uncle Fred in the Springtime.

The Pothunters
Prefect's Uncle
Gold Bat
William Tell Told Again
Head of Kay's
Love Among the Chickens
White Feather
Not George Washington
Swoop!
Mike
Gentleman of Leisure
Psmith in the City
Prince and Betty
Little Nugget
Psmith, Journalist
Something Fresh
Uneasy Money
Piccadilly Jim
Damsel in Distress
Coming of Bill
Jill the Reckless
Girl on the Boat
Leave It to Psmith
Bill the Conqueror
Sam the Sudden
Small Bachelor
Money for Nothing
Summer Lightning
Big Money
If I Were You
Doctor Sally
Hot Water
Heavy Weather
Thank You, Jeeves
Right Ho, Jeeves
Luck of the Bodkins
Laughing Gas
Summer Moonshine
Code of the Woosters
Uncle Fred in the Springtime
Quick Service
Money in the Bank
Joy in the Morning
Full Moon
Spring Fever
Uncle Dynamite
Mating Season
Old Reliable
Barmy in Wonderland
Pigs Have Wings
Ring for Jeeves
Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit
French Leave
Something Fishy
Cocktail Time
Jeeves in the Offing
Ice in the Bedroom
Service with a Smile
Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
Frozen Assets
Galahad at Blandings
Company for Henry
Do Butlers Burgle Banks
Pelican at Blandings
Girl in Blue
Much Obliged, Jeeves
Pearls, Girls and Monty Bodkin
Bachelors Anonymous
Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
Sunset at Blandings
My Man Jeeves
Psmith
Tales of St. Austin's
Man Upstairs
Man With Two Left Feet
My Man Jeeves
Indiscretions of Archie
Clicking of Cuthbert
Inimitable Jeeves
Carry On, Jeeves
Heart of a Goof
Meet Mr Mulliner
Mr Mulliner Speaking
Very Good, Jeeves
Mulliner Nights
Blandings Castle and Elsewhere
Young Men in Spats
Lord Emsworth and Others
Eggs, Beans and Crumpets
Nothing Serious
Few Quick Ones
Plum Pie 1966

They're all good. I own nearly every title listed.

The short story collections are the best.

Eggs, Beans & Crumpets: the best of the best.

If I had to choose a novel, Uncle Fred in the Springtime.

Never read any of them and no time to start now, too many other fish to fry.

too many other fish to fry.

In that case, try 'Something Fishy'.

link

Wodehouse is one of those things that I am saving for "later". Still. I'm sure that I've run into a Wodehouse without knowing what it was. But I have this deliberate decision to not start until "later". There's enough to keep me going for a while, once I start, and once I start, I won't stop. So, "later", for a time of need….

Same here, Ace. I have a small collection in the hopper. Someday. Someday.

Wodehouse was a marvel. His work has always reminded me a little of Gilbert's writing (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame), in that he had that very rare ability of being able to poke fun at society's foibles (particularly those of the English upper classes) without being reduced to sneering. Absolutely wonderful stuff. If you haven't read him yet, and one day do, you are in for a treat.

I've never read "Eggs, Beans and Crumpets", however. Might have to get cracking on that…

The Mulliner book that has the Hollywood gorilla story, can't remember which one it is.

The funniest writer of his very, very long time.

I'll nominate 'Spring Fever'. Or maybe 'Uncle Fred in the Springtime.'

Do not put off reading Wodehouse. Seize the fish immediately!

If you haven't tried Wodehouse yet then the easy option is Jeeves and Wooster.

I actually prefer the Blandings Castle books – Lord Emsworth and the Empress of Blandings being one of the great love stories of literature.

Psmith is pretty hit and miss – my least favourite Wodehouse book is Psmith Journalist, but as already stated Psmith in the City is my favourite. Uncle Fred is a top-notch character. His ability to hug girls to his chest for longer than a disinterested observer would think is strictly necessary – whilst his typically love-struck nephew looks on in envy – never fails to amuse. I'm not keen on Mulliner, but the tales of the Drones in books like Eggs, Beans and Crumpets are a delight.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the wonderful language they are easy reads – the kind of book you can knock off in an evening, but then happily revisit anytime you feel in need of a pick-me-up.

Code of the Woosters immediately springs to mind.

I have a "Jeeves Omnibus" with all of the short stories. I have read it many times.So many delightful phrases--he describes a girl with a laugh "like a troop of cavalry on a tin bridge".

I read a Penguin collection that spanned a lot. Not much else.
Very funny though.

I think it's funny that after being interned by the Germsns, he had nothing but pleasant things to say about them on his release.
It outraged some, but he didn't have an unpleasant bone in his body. I never read any of his "villains" being all that villainous. Just eccentric and at the extreme just … eccentric.

Scream For Jeeves.

OK, technically that one was written by Peter H. Cannon, but it's still the best in the series ^,^

"I was nearly down the 700 steps to the Gate of Greater Dreaming, when the telephone range and I had to go all the way back up."

link

Code of the Woosters
Jeeves and the Fuedal Spirit
Heavy Weather
and the one where Edwin the "Boy Scout with a face like a Homicidal Beefsteak" burns down "Wee Nook" within seconds of Bertie's arrival there for vacation

Is that Aunts Aren't Gentlemen ?

Ah – no : Joy In The Morning. Excellent choice!