The Most of P. G. Wodehouse by P. G. Wodehouse

An excellent introduction to P. G. Wodehouse via his short stories and one delightful novella.

The Most of P.G. Wodehouse by P. G. Wodehouse, Touchstone, 2000.  672 pages. 

Reading Level:  Young Adults, Ages 12-adultRecommended For: Ages 14-up

In this collection, you will find Bertie Wooster, the none-too-clever British aristocrat, and his brilliant valet, Jeeves. Encounter hapless members of The Drones Club. Sit down with Mr. Mulliner (always ready with a relevant story about some relation). Meet the enterprising Stanley Ukridge, and the eccentric Lord Emsworth of Blandings Castle. And in addition to this plethora of characters, don’t forget the golf stories. (I don’t play golf, but still remember chuckling over the stories included in this collection.) 

The Most of P. G. Wodehouse concludes with an excellent novella, Quick Service, that features many Wodehousian tropes. Joss Weatherby, an outgoing painter has been sacked and has fallen in love. The fact the object of his affection is engaged to someone else will not daunt him. He sets off to win her, descending on a country house where an American couple is trying to integrate with the local aristocracy. Meanwhile, his former employer arrives in the neighborhood to attempt a spot of art robbery, and all manner of hijinks ensue.

Laughter is good medicine, and if British humor is your cup of tea, this book will provide you with hours of entertainment. It will also provide an excellent introduction to P. G. Wodehouse. As comedies, some of these stories include social drinking and smoking. They also include occasional intoxication, usually coupled with comic and subsequently poor decisions. Readers will notice an occasional “damn” or mild profanity, but the stories themselves and their humor are clean. Because these stories were originally published between 1916-1960, you’ll notice some themes that are no longer viewed as humorous: for example Wodehouse pokes fun at overweight side-characters.

P. G. Wodehouse did not take life seriously. This fact would haunt his real life. While detained by the Nazis during WWII, he agreed to do some radio broadcasts. In response, many in his home country of England viewed him as a traitor, and Wodehouse spent the rest of his life in America. Despite this reality, his stories reflects a genuine delight in life and a willingness to laugh at its absurdity. Combining understatement and allusions (literary and biblical), slapstick humor and serious butlers, imperious aunts and impoverished aristocracy, The Most of P. G. Wodehouse should provide hours of entertainment for an Anglophile (whether 13 or 31!) in need of a humorous read.

Cautions: 

Language (Mild British cursing)

Drunkenness (see above)

Overall Value: 5 (out of 5)

Moral/worldview value: 4

Artistic value: 5

*This review was originally published in 2014 and has been updated.

Cover image from Amazon
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