Parson discovers and reads P. G. Wodehouse

[Parson]

Bringing this discussion over from "How do you do it?" Where my comment that I'd never heard of P. G. Wodehouse led to a lot of discussion.

Book Discussion

So far I've read a book --- at least it's said to be one, but in modern terms it might be better called a novella, or perhaps an anthology of short stories --- My Man Jeeves. This is found in the ebook The Complete Works of P.G. Wodehouse. In honesty, I've since discovered that it is FAR from what the title claims. Goodreads lists nearly 100 novels of his, and this has 33. Best P.G. Wodehouse (103 books)

To be frank, I found this book at best to be mildly humorous. On the whole, it works as pure escapist literature. I'm not sure either of the main characters bares too much resemblance to anything more than a caricature of a real person. My Man Jeeves reminds me of my high school drama days where we did one act plays, often with a bit of an English tone. The setting is early 20th century (to be expected as that is when they were written) as seen by a gentleman of leisure who is continually out of his depth in dealing with the real world and his "man" (butler I'd say) who keeps the gentleman presentable and offers solutions to his problems which are both ingenius and likely.

On the recommendation of @Alex The G and T I read The Great Sermon Handicap. As I am a retired Parson the title intrigued me. I found this a bit more fun than My Man Jeeves. But that might be because the whole idea of betting on which Sunday sermon was going to be the longest is a humorous concept. And would only be dreamed up by, as it was in this case, people who very, very bored. The Main characters are the main characters of the Jeeves series of books. A gentleman of leisure, Bertie Wooster and his hyper competentant "man" Reginald Jeeves. Personally, it made me long for the days when the Pastor's sermon on Sunday was a frequent topic of conversation.

 

[The Judge]

and his "man" (butler I'd say)

Oh, no, not a butler, Parson, though Jeeves can buttle when necessary. A butler would be in charge of the (male) staff of a large household (eg like Downton Abbey if you've caught that programme). Jeeves might be described as a valet, at least in part, since he's in charge of Bertie's clothes as well as everything else, something a butler wouldn't handle, but since he's also responsible for everything else such as cooking and shopping (also outside a butler's purview other than in matters to do with the cellar) he's properly described as a gentleman's gentleman.

 

[Parson]

Oh, no, not a butler, Parson, though Jeeves can buttle when necessary. A butler would be in charge of the (male) staff of a large household (eg like Downton Abbey if you've caught that programme). Jeeves might be described as a valet, at least in part, since he's in charge of Bertie's clothes as well as everything else, something a butler wouldn't handle, but since he's also responsible for everything else such as cooking and shopping (also outside a butler's purview other than in matters to do with the cellar) he's properly described as a gentleman's gentleman.

Well, I can see which one of us has at least had a toe in the aristocracy. But clearly you're right, Jeeves is a gentleman's gentleman.

Who had any idea that there were so many different kinds of personal servants?!

*I've never even seen one episode of Downton Abbey.

 

[Vladd67]

 

[Parson]

@Vladd67 .... I've watched the first 7+ minutes and I will definitely watch it all bye and bye. It looks really good! Thanks for posting!

 

[Randy M.]

To be frank, I found this book at best to be mildly humorous.

In high school I read 3 Wodehouse novels. Since I've read a smattering of short stories. Your summation equates to mine. I may try again one day, but given the guffaws I get from S. J. Perelman and James Thurber (and, for that matter, Dorothy Sayers and even Agatha Christie) I'm not sure it'll happen soon.

It surprises me a little because I've enjoyed a fair amount of British humor, at least some of which I'd expect to have been influenced by Wodehouse.

Randy M.

 

[Ursa major]

Approps of nothing.... The violinist featured in the theme music, Richard Studt, was the leader of the local chamber orchestra (1968-1999). We had a longer concert season back then, and IIRC, they performed 5 or 6 concerts per season (mostly, but not exclusively, playing music from the classical period, e.g. Mozart and Haydn), so I saw him playing quite a lot.

 

[Vince W]

When ever I read a Jeeves story now I always hear Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry.

@Parson, maybe Jeeves and Wooster aren't your thing, but don't give up on Wodehouse. The Blandings books might be more your liking. The first is Something Fresh which is now 105 years old. There is also a Blandings tv series.

 

[Bick]

Some thoughts:

The earlier Jeeves short stories are important historically, and very good - but for the best Jeeves work I would turn to the novels. Also, I feel the first Blandings (Something Fresh) reads less well then his later ones. Wodehouse's greatest works came in the 1930 and 1940's. Almost anything from then will be among his best work.

For novels, try the following:
The Code of the Woosters
Joy in the Morning
The Mating Season
Uncle Fred in the Springtime
Full Moon

For Short Story Collections:
Young Men in Spats
Mulliner Nights
The Clicking of Cuthbert
Ukridge

 

[Karn's Return]

Well, I can see which one of us has at least had a toe in the aristocracy. But clearly you're right, Jeeves is a gentleman's gentleman.

Who had any idea that there were so many different kinds of personal servants?!

*I've never even seen one episode of Downton Abbey.

Considering how hierarchy is everything, Parson, there very much are ranks even within servant staff of aristocratic households. It has to do with structure, order, and pride of a family that goes back in influence of some kind for many generations. The head of a household can't be expected to tell every single servant every single day their needed tasks, so yes, there is a chain of command. I didn't really know, however, how it really worked until I had seen a few episodes of Downton Abbey, I must admit.


I knew of the Page position, but that's really more of a boy servant, who's used often for activities requiring speed and movement, as children tend to have more energy and higher bouts of speed and agility as opposed to adults, particularly adults of a dignified, mature age.

 

[Finch]

P G Woodhouse was an interesting person and a skilled writer. I find his work all a bit dated , the farce has long gone . A load of silly toffs running around being silly, and the butler saves the day .The joke is almost the same one , every time.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Yes, and in an household like Bertie's—that of a young man living in a rented suite of rooms—where there is only one servant needed to do everything (except that there is probably a char woman employed to do the scrubbing, but possibly by the owner of the building, so having little contact with Bertie or Jeeves and not figuring in the stories) that would be a gentleman's gentleman as mentioned above. Part of his job is to be Bertie's valet, so when they go visiting a larger household, where there is a whole staff of servants to do everything else, then Jeeves only has to valet Bertie. That would put him above most of the staff, but not the butler, housekeeper, cook, or any valets or lady's maids attached to members of the household, or to titled visitors. This sounds like it could be quite a potential demotion for him, but actually in a large household it would still leave him quite near the top, and with the advantage of far less work to do. Except ... well, when interacting with his relatives, Bertie ends up being a lot of work, one way and another.

I agree that the books from the 30s and 40s tend to be the best.

Reading Wodehouse and learning these hierarchies, I may say, has spoiled a lot of historical fiction for me, because the writers often get the ranks and titles of the aristocracy wrong, and the precedence of the servant's hall wrong sometimes, too, which Wodehouse never does.

 

[hitmouse]

I am partial to The Small Batchelor, which is set in New York, if that helps.

 

[hitmouse]

P G Woodhouse was an interesting person and a skilled writer. I find his work all a bit dated , the farce has long gone . A load of silly toffs running around being silly, and the butler saves the day .The joke is almost the same one , every time.

Except, you see, there is never really just A Joke. There may be a mcguffin. The main thing is the wry, clever, rapier narration and dialogue. The silly story about dim people ( and the occasional manservant) is really just a vehicle for the genius prose.

 

[Extollager]

For novels, try the following:
The Code of the Woosters
Joy in the Morning
The Mating Season
Uncle Fred in the Springtime
Full Moon

For Short Story Collections:
Young Men in Spats
Mulliner Nights
The Clicking of Cuthbert
Ukridge

Thanks -- I have read a little Wodehouse, but not recently, and that should be a good guide. What I have was sometimes titled a little towards earlier work, it seems.

 

[Alex The G and T]

Well, Parson, if anyone gave you the impression that there was anything deep about these Wodehouse bits; it wasn't intentional. The plots are silly romantic misunderstandings, or ludicrous schemes, doomed to failure. The characters are vacuous, clueless idiots. (Except Jeeves.) Or downright outrageous liars, Like Mulliner.

As the Parson indicates; when comparing it to high school stage shows; yes, it's Farce. Indeed Wodehouse also wrote farcical stage plays.

Analysis and critique only serve to deflate the ambience. The joy is in the word-play. The journey is more important than the destination.

And not all stories will hold up. As previously noted, the Kindle cheapo, mega anthologies tend to be padded with a lot of public domain stuff; and there's a reason that a lot of said stuff was never reprinted, or otherwise had the copyrights maintained. Wodehouse was enormously prolific for a very long time and they are not all gems.

I'm having trouble putting together a list of my favorites. Decades of reading and re-reading and the Titles and stories tend to fade into a mishmash. Nowadys, I usually go-to a Wodehouse (Pronounced "woodhouse, BTW) when I'm out-of-sorts, or ill, and I just want to grab something undemanding, the will put a smirk on my face as I drift into the arms of Morpheus; hoping for a better day.

You're getting some good suggestions on this thread and the other, for the better stories.

The Laurie/ Fry series is exquisite and the TOC of that series ought to give you a best of the best of Jeeves titles.

 

[Parson]

Some thoughts:

The earlier Jeeves short stories are important historically, and very good - but for the best Jeeves work I would turn to the novels. Also, I feel the first Blandings (Something Fresh) reads less well then his later ones. Wodehouse's greatest works came in the 1930 and 1940's. Almost anything from then will be among his best work.

For novels, try the following:
The Code of the Woosters
Joy in the Morning
The Mating Season
Uncle Fred in the Springtime
Full Moon

For Short Story Collections:
Young Men in Spats
Mulliner Nights
The Clicking of Cuthbert
Ukridge

I'll run a check and see if I have any of those. Thanks!

 

[Bick]

Just in case its of any interest, here is my Wodehouse bookshelf:

 

[Parson]

@Vladd67 .... I watched the video and I must say it was "jolly good!" Thanks for sharing.

 

[Alex The G and T]

A handsome collection there, Bick. Uncomfortably tidy, though. Mine are all dog-eared and more crammed, than shelved.

I took a flutter into the archives last night and managed to connect a Title with a favorite story.

I got a good start into Right Ho, Jeeves (novel) and it kept me smiling and chuckling; with more than an occasional guffaw. The sort of suppressed laughter that makes me fear to waken my wife.

Bless her little heart, she claims that she finds it comforting to hear me chuckling in the night. Which didn't stop her from buying an extra large mattress, of the sort that doesn't quiver on the one side while the other side is quaking.

And I haven't even gotten to any of Anatole's rants yet. In addition to the usual twisted literary and biblical allusions, the temperamental French Chef's fractured English idioms are hilarious. And there are a host of imbecilic plot twists yet to come!

Carry on.