Recommended books and stories.
AWILLIS957
and Arnold Bennett for years, and I am making up for lost time very fast. At
the moment I have no intention of reading anything else but Wodehouse for quite
a while, and I would be very interested to hear peoples` suggestions of what to
read.
I got off to a poor start by buying the artificial collection "Lord Emsworth
Acts for The Best", the first story wherein is "The Custody Of The Pumpkin",
which I thought such a terrible story that I threw Wodehouse aside, seemingly
for ever. Then I saw someone say in the paper that "Lord Emsworth And The
Girlfriend" was one of Plum`s best stories, read that and then gulped down the
rest of the stories, realising I was reading a genius. Then I read "Uncle Fred
In The Springtime" and "Leave It To Smith" with unalloyed glee. However, I have
just laboured my way through "The Luck Of The Bodkins", which I found
comparatively limited, and I have now started to read "Jeeves And The Feudal
Spirit", which seems a little rushed and slack so far. In a pile beside me, I
have, waiting to be read, "The World Of Mr Mulliner", "Eggs, Beans And
Crumpets" and "Laughing Gas".
I am certainly committed to a major voyage of Wodehouse reading, and would be
grateful for advice about the best or worst books, periods, series. My
preference is for crisp, concise writing, with plenty of sharp metaphor.
I think the best story I have read so far is "Birth Of A Salesman". Does anyone
know how that relates chronologically to "Death Of A Salesman". Surely they
must be in some way related?
Love Andy.
CMOT
back! But now that I've read more Wodehouse, I'd recommend that you read "Jeeves
Takes Charge" (if not more early Jeeves short stories) before you read a full
Jeeves/Bertie novel. That way, you'll get an idea of who the characters are
(beyond the descriptions you may have read) and can appreciate the longer, more
complex works more. Of course, the plots for most of the Jeeves stories are
quite similar, but the novels just put the confusion and humor on a larger
scale.
I hope this has helped! :-)
Cheers,
CMOT
<dan...@gate.net>
Arthur Bradley
Most of us would put Code of the Woosters right up there with them.
Packy
The Mixer
> I am ridiculously new to Wodehouse, considering I have been a great fan of Saki
> and Arnold Bennett for years, and I am making up for lost time very fast. At
> the moment I have no intention of reading anything else but Wodehouse for quite
> a while, and I would be very interested to hear peoples` suggestions of what to
> read.
In addition to 'Uncle Fred in the Springtime' and 'Leave it to Psmith', two other
Blandings novels which you are certain to enjoy are 'Summer Lightning' and 'Heavy
Weather', which should be read in that order as the latter is the sequel to the
former.
One thing you should be slightly wary of as you get into Wodehouse is the habit
Plum's publishers and editors had of providing different titles for the same book
for the Commonwealth and American markets. For example, the book known as
'Summer Lightning' everywhere else in the English speaking world was christened
'Fish Preferred' in the U.S. There's nothing more annoying than cracking open a
newly purchased Wodehouse only to discover that you read the same book under a
different title six months earlier.
The Mixer
Neil Midkiff
>
> I think the best story I have read so far is "Birth Of A Salesman". Does anyone
> know how that relates chronologically to "Death Of A Salesman". Surely they
> must be in some way related?
Arthur Miller's play had its Broadway debut in 1949; Wodehouse's short
story was first published in This Week magazine, March 26, 1950, then
collected in book form in _Nothing Serious_ in 1950 (England) and 1951 (America).
I think your surmise is very likely to be true.
Nice work!
-Neil Midkiff
PS: Quite a bit of data on the original magazine and book appearances of
Wodehouse's short stories is available on my Web site at
http://home.earthlink.net/~nmidkiff/pgw/
charles stone-tolcher
reading wodehouse. i am sure there are many answers to the question.
Subjectively speaking I think you could do no better that getting hold of
copies of "The Inimitible Jeeves" (aka Jeeves) and "The Code of the
Woosters". Of the books you mentioned that you are yet to read I would not
consider "Laughting Gas " as this is not one of the best. Your quiry as to
the chronological order of "Birth of a Salesman" which appeared in "Nothing
Serious" in 1950 and is a Blandings Story. According to JHC Morris in his
wonderful book "Thank You Wodehouse"; This story is set in September 1925
and the story occurs after "Galahad at Blandings" (aka The Brinkmanship of
Galahad Threepwood") which is set (also according to Morris) in August 1925
and before "A Pelican at Blandings" (aka "No Nudes is Good Nudes") which is
set in 1926.
Pillingshot
"AWILLIS957" <awill...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010421221134...@ng-fp1.aol.com...
ian cockburn
opinion. And, as for Laughing Gas, I know it has its champions, but if you
get a queasy feeling a quarter of the way through, believe me, it DOESN'T
improve. By far my least favourite PGW novel.
My favourites (that occur to me presently):
RIGHT HO JEEVES
UNCLE FRED IN THE SPRINGTIME
THE LUCK OF THE BODKINS (ahem)
UNCLE DYNAMITE
A Gentleman of Leisure (a more serious book)
The Inimitable Jeeves, Leave it to Psmith, Quick Service, Cocktail Time
(more Uncle Fred)
Lord Emsworth and the Girlfriend (the best short story)Leave it to Psmith,
and Uncle
Fred in the Springtime is one of the best starts you could have. Luck of the
Bodkins is more romantic and charming (though still one of the funniest in
my opinion.) I like the way it all takes place on a boat, and everything
gets sorted out by the time they get to America- i have never seen the
phrase "musical comedy without music" illustrated better. And a fine cast of
characters, with Lottie Blossom standing out.
So, I'm probably not much use to you in recommending anything.
But RIGHT HO JEEVES is a MUST! a must, I tell you! Read Code of the Woosters
if you will but READ RIGHT HO JEEVES (a.k.a. "Brinkley something-or other")
FIRST because it sets up Code of The Woosters and the whole Gussie
Fink-Nottle- Madeleine Bassett storyline. (And it's the BEST book.)
With the zeal of a Donaldson's Dog-Joy salesman, I remain,
Claude "Mustard" Pott
The Mixer
> Your quiry as to
> the chronological order of "Birth of a Salesman" which appeared in "Nothing
> Serious" in 1950 and is a Blandings Story. According to JHC Morris in his
> wonderful book "Thank You Wodehouse"; This story is set in September 1925
But, my dear fellow, how could Birth of a Salesman be set in 1925 when the Hon.
Frederick Threepwood is shown singing 'Buttons and Bows', a song which didn't
appear on the Hit Parade until 1948?
And would an American blonde in 1925 name her Pekingese 'Eisenhower' a full
twenty years before a gentleman of that name became a war hero and started to
tip-toe through the even more dangerous minefields of politics?
The Mixer
Rick Rashid
published. In case of Psmith for example, start with Mike and Psmith, then
go on to Psmith in the City, Psmith Journalist, and Leave it to Psmith.
I can understand your finding Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit a little slack on
its own. However in the context of the entire Wooster saga it does not come
across that way (at least not to my mind). If you have already read Thank
You Jeves, Right Ho Jeeves, and The Code of the Woosters, Feudal Spirit does
not appear so disconnected.
Gussie's Wodehouse page has a link to a comprehensive list of Plum's books.
My advise is to take a look at it and try to read the things in the order
they were published.
Good Reading
Merolchazzar
"AWILLIS957" <awill...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010421221134...@ng-fp1.aol.com...
AWILLIS957
definitely be taking all this advice. I daresay I shall very soon clock up a
good Wodehouse mileage.
I feel I have found the author I was always spiritually looking for, as I love
the comic passages in Dickens and Collins, as well as Saki and the comic
stories of Arnold Bennett. Stephen Leacock too. I also love Chandler, and agree
with those in an earlier thread who compare him with Wodehouse. But Wodehouse
gives me the humour unadulterated by serious intention. I don`t have to pick
the cherries out of cakes any more. I can just eat whole plates of cherries.
If I can in any way repay your kind recommendations it might be by mentioning
Arnold Bennett, as he`s not as well known as he could be. Of course, much of
his stuff is serious, but, if you haven`t read it, I can recommend "The Card"
as a perfect comic novel, written in exquisite prose. And "The Grim Smile Of
The Five Towns" is a collection of subtle, humorous short story gems.
I have had the Nom de Plum "Albert Peasemarch" ratified, and hope to contribute
to this place enthusiastically under that moniker, as I make my way through the
canon. ( If a malapropism or two creeps in, just put it down to seam -lines in
the Peasemarch erudition.
It`s all to do with fate, you see.
Love Albert.
Houk
Arthur Bradley wrote:
All informed people know that The Mating Season is the best J&W novel.
And I'm rather fond of The Small Bachelor.
George Finch
James Fung
I say, not to criticize a Shropshire Psmith and a fellow Drone, but I found
Psmith Journalist to be severely lacking. Now, understand that if Leave It
To Psmith isn't my favorite book of all time, it would be an extremely close
second to Code of the Woosters.
Also, some on this list say they are revolted by R. Psmith. He is my
favorite single character in the canon. On the other hand, I've never
understood how Ukridge can be considered "endearing," so it all evens out.
My advice to you, Peasemarch, old chap, is mimic the philosopher Anatole and
take the rough with the smooth, for there will be some books that don't
reach the mark set by other Wodehouse volumes. Ignore these, and enjoy the
rest which give uniform satisfaction.
Curious how the nom Peasemarch has stayed unclaimed for so long. A
supporting character in at least two novels, what?
~An Egg
--
Say it with flower-pots!
-- "Leave it to Psmith," P.G. Wodehouse
charles stone-tolcher
I absolutely loved "Eggs Beans and Crumpets". This book has one of my
favourite Ukridge stories in it: "Buttercup Day" as well as a host of Drones
Club stories. A must have I would have thought. "Laughing Gas" is not up to
scratch it must be said but the book that seems to be the most unloved (and
rightly so) in the Wodehouse canon is "The Coming of Bill" (aka "Their
Mutual Child"). My personal favourite short story about Lord Emsworth is
"The Crime Wave at Blandings".
Pillingshot
"ian cockburn" <i...@dishes.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:9bu5m3$jt$1...@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
charles stone-tolcher
That does cause a problem to the Morris theory and he explains things so
convincingly. I read "Birth Of a Salesman" a long time before I read the
Morris book and I had forgotten such details. Of course plum himself often
gave no thought to time lines and his characters never seem to age much even
if the events around the characters
do. This is the nub of the problem. Morris also places "Aunts Aren't
Gentlemen" (1974) as being set in 1929. He writes a convincing argument, yet
in this book there is a reference to ....(opps the name has slipped my mind
but he is a well known evangelist) anyway the cove he mentioned was only a
babe in 1929. Morris maintains that Bertie was 24 at the start of the saga
and 29 years old in "Aunts"
Pillingshot
"The Mixer" <ian_m...@bc.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:3AE2F5A2...@bc.sympatico.ca...
AWILLIS957
log-windedness might annoy some. I am not knowledgeable about Wodehouse yet,
but I get the impression that Plum stopped writing about Psmith after a certain
point.
I noticed that the paragraph length in "Uncle Fred In The Spring Time" is
shorter than that in "Leave It To Psmith", reflecting the change in
novel-writing style between the early twenties and the late thirties, perhaps.
My hypothesis, which I admit I am not well-enough informed to make, is that
Wodehouse moved on from Psmith because that character's tendency to speechify
at length would not help the pace of the faster prose style the author adopted
later on.
Uncle Fred seems to inherit the mantle of Psmith for mischief-making and
pulling the farce-strings, but speaks with less circumlocution.
I would slightly prefer "Uncle Fred In The Spring Time" of these two brilliant
novels, partly for the pig, partly for Mustard Pott, and partly because the
Miss Peavey`s American slang in "Leave It To Psmith" is a little too stilted to
read without breaking the occasional tooth.
Yourfs fatefully. Albert Peasemarch.
James Fung
If you want to look it this way, Leave It To Psmith was the 2nd entry in the
Blandings saga (3rd if you count Damsel In Distress) while there were ten
(or 11) Blandings novels, along with a couple handfuls of short stories.
Psmith was in the news for only 20 years out of 70 or so.
In his preface to The World of Psmith, I recall that Plum said he stopped
writing about Psmith because a married Psmith wouldn't quite be the same.
Many of Wodehouse's characters have evolved as their details have been
filled in over time. However, since Psmith was handed to him by a cousin or
somesuch who knew some chap at school, PGW didn't create Psmith. Thus, to
imagine him married might be too far of a leap, and so he put Psmith out to
pasture. I think Bingo is the only character who survived jumping off the
dock.
Eh, what? Sorry old crumpet, I'm off to the smoking room. I hear Bingo has a
new system for beating the house, and we're going to fleece him before he
realizes his mistake. Never fails to come through for us, Bingo. Cocktails
don't pay for themselves, don't you know?
Neil Midkiff
>
> The Mixer wrote:
> > But, my dear fellow, how could Birth of a Salesman be set in 1925 when the
> > Hon. Frederick Threepwood is shown singing 'Buttons and Bows', a song which
>
> That does cause a problem to the Morris theory and he explains things so
> convincingly. I read "Birth Of a Salesman" a long time before I read the
> Morris book and I had forgotten such details. Of course plum himself often
> gave no thought to time lines and his characters never seem to age much even
> if the events around the characters
> do. This is the nub of the problem. Morris also places "Aunts Aren't
> Gentlemen" (1974) as being set in 1929. He writes a convincing argument, yet
> in this book there is a reference to ....(opps the name has slipped my mind
> but he is a well known evangelist) anyway the cove he mentioned was only a
> babe in 1929. Morris maintains that Bertie was 24 at the start of the saga
> and 29 years old in "Aunts"
>
> Pillingshot
For those of you who have come in recently, this offers me a good chance
to reiterate the only viable resolution to the Wodehouse characters'
agelessness amid a changing world.
J.H.C. Morris is indubitably correct that Bertie was 24 when Jeeves came
to him; the story "Jeeves Takes Charge" has all the internal clues
necessary. Morris makes a good argument that Bertie is not much older at
the end of the saga, and I agree with his conclusion there.
But Morris goes off the rails when he tries to pin specific stories to
specific dates Anno Domini. I can't find his references to the Wooster
chronology in my copy, but, for instance, he places 'Pig-hoo-o-o-o-ey!' in
late July of 1922, three years before Hammerstein and Kern wrote "Who?
(stole my heart away)", an essential element of the plot.
If Pillingshot correctly attributes the 1929 dating of _Aunts Aren't
Gentlemen_ to Morris, along with Bertie's then age of 29, then we have
another apparent contradiction: Bertie can't have been born later than
1886, it would seem, since "Jeeves Takes Charge" was published in the
Saturday Evening Post in 1916, telling the story of something that
happened "half a dozen years ago" when Bertie was 24. Yes, Jeeves seems
to have come to Bertie in 1910.
The only way I can find to deal with the situation is to realize that
Jeeves and Bertie live in a sort of parallel universe to our own, touching
on ours at intervals, but with a different time-scale than ours. (It's
similar to, but not quite so extreme as, the village in BRIGADOON which is
in a sort of suspended animation for all but one day of each of our
centuries.) So our own world can lurch forward with television, nuclear
bombs, and the like; Wodehouse's characters potter pleasantly forward at a
slower pace, looking in on us from time to time to remind us of the
benefits of a more relaxed approach and a less earnest attitude toward life.
-Neil Midkiff
AWILLIS957
delicate wisp of vegetation with which David Niven has for years been winning
the applause of millions."
I can`t believe David Niven was much of a film star in the twenties, if at all,
so I surmise that Wodehouse has set the book in the present - ie the 1940`s. My
guess is that he is writing about a timeless world, in which people hardly age
- a world which has little to do with any real period of history- which
liberates him to make any reference he likes without having to worry about
historical accuracy.
As far as "Eggs, Beans And Crumpets" is concerned, I was rather downhearted,
after spending good sovs on it, to hear it described as a dud. However, I have
read a few pages, and look at what has risen to the surface already!
"Bingo gulped like an ostrich swallowing a brass door-knob."
Worth the price of the book in itself, I`d say.
(I chose this volume as it is much referred to in the Penguin blurbs as being
the first Wodehouse read by Ben Elton (co-writer of "Blackadder"), who went on
to read fifty more in the next two years.)
18ck
>as well as Saki and the comic
> stories of Arnold Bennett. Stephen Leacock too.
I can imagine your bookshelf sighing contentedly under the weight of so much
splendidness (splenditude? splendidity?)
> I have had the Nom de Plum "Albert Peasemarch" ratified, and hope to
contribute
> to this place enthusiastically under that moniker, as I make my way
through the
> canon.
Welcome, Albert. I've read a few of your posts up there and, for a newcomer,
you seem to be pretty dashed perceptive. I'm thinking of cribbing all that
paragraph-structure stuff for an essay I have to do. On the other hand,
perhaps I'll just get kidnapped instead. The old ways are best.
The 18 Carat Kid.
18ck
> As far as "Eggs, Beans And Crumpets" is concerned, I was rather
downhearted,
> after spending good sovs on it, to hear it described as a dud.
I liked it. Mind you, I like Laughing Gas, which seems to mark me out as a
social leper around these parts.
18ck
Frank R.A.J. Maloney
>In "Jeeves And The Feudal Spirit" Bertie refers to his moustache as "merely
>the
>delicate wisp of vegetation with which David Niven has for years been winning
>the applause of millions."
>
>I can`t believe David Niven was much of a film star in the twenties, if at
>all,
>so I surmise that Wodehouse has set the book in the present - ie the 1940`s.
>My
>guess is that he is writing about a timeless world, in which people hardly
>age
>- a world which has little to do with any real period of history- which
>liberates him to make any reference he likes without having to worry about
>historical accuracy.
>
[deletions]
Niven made his film debut in _There Goes the Bride_ (1932) and only went to
Hollywood in 1935, where he initially played bit parts and then supporting
roles.
BTW, the IMDb lists his birth year as 1915, whilst Maltin gives it as 1909.
He served in the British Army during WWII, being one of the first stars to
enlist (1939). He only made 2 films in the war years, both of decidedly
propagandistic nature.
I agree, incidentally, that Plum's stories and characters exist quite outside
normal time. After all, Bertie aged not a day over a -- what? -- 50 year career
as a public character.
Mortimer Rackstraw, the Great Boloni
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Frank Richard Aloysius Jude Maloney
fr...@aol.com
http://hometown.aol.com/frajm/default.htm
"All over the room throats were being strained and minds broadened."
AWILLIS957
Blosson`s alligator. My life is forming a pattern of three activities: work,
reading Wodehouse, and feasting on this succulent message board.
And what a relief! I am one hundred and fifteen pages into "Laughing Gas" and
I adore it. (Phew!) Yes, having joined the leper colony that doesn`t think much
of "The Luck Of The Bodkins", I now join the leper colony that loves "Laughing
Gas"!
The conversation between Reggie and April June on the train contains some of
the most perfect dialogue I have ever read in my life. I can understand why
some might dislike the weird plot, but it reminds me of two things I love: the
more experimentally plotted plays of Alan Ayckbourn and my favourite Woody
Allen film "The Purple Rose Of Cairo". And what PACE this book has!!
My favourite line so far - after Reggie has extracted a phantom cinder from
April June`s eye: "If I had saved her from Manchurian bandits she couldn`t have
been more grateful."
Now I am wondering if Charles Schulz was influenced by the name Joey Cooley
when he thought up the "Joe Cool" alter ego for Snoopy? Or is this just a well
known American slang name used in lots of situations?
Yours Fatefully. Albert Peasemach. (Steward. B Deck.)
charles stone-tolcher
As the Bodkin would say: "There are wheels within wheels".
Pillingshot
The Mixer
> Well, the Wodehouse addiction has gripped as tenaciously as the teeth of Lotus
> Blosson`s alligator. My life is forming a pattern of three activities: work,
> reading Wodehouse, and feasting on this succulent message board.
>
> And what a relief! I am one hundred and fifteen pages into "Laughing Gas" and
> I adore it. (Phew!) Yes, having joined the leper colony that doesn`t think much
> of "The Luck Of The Bodkins", I now join the leper colony that loves "Laughing
> Gas"!
> (snip)
>
> Now I am wondering if Charles Schulz was influenced by the name Joey Cooley
> when he thought up the "Joe Cool" alter ego for Snoopy? Or is this just a well
> known American slang name used in lots of situations?
I'm glad you're among the select few to give 'Laughing Gas' two thumbs up.
Admittedly the science fiction aspect of the plot isn't everyone's cup of tea, but
the writing is prime Plum.
Incidentally I suspect when Wodehouse selected Joey Cooley as the name of his
Hollywood child star he had in mind two leading child stars of the era who shared
the initials J.C.; namely Jackie Cooper and Jackie Coogan.
The Mixer
LadyMacBec
I also like "If I were you."
so there.
defiantly,
Corky
AWILLIS957
<I'm glad you're among the select few to give 'Laughing Gas' two thumbs up.
Admittedly the science fiction aspect of the plot isn't everyone's cup of tea,
but
the writing is prime Plum.>
I have just finished it and I think it is a sensational book, all right.
I am not sure about "science fiction". There is a transformation that could
just about be described that way, but transformations like that have been going
on since the beginnings of drama, and, as a theatre nut, I sense strongly the
whiff of the theatre in "Laughing Gas". The muddling of identities is commonly
used in plays to create a sort of " Misrule" where new light is shed on the
situations and dilemmas characters find themselves in. It`s particularly common
in farce. Ayckbourn does this sort of thing too, but the critics decry this
side of his work. Perhaps the dislikers of "Laughing Gas" feel the same way?
Perhaps, also, people dislike the book for not really having the usual cast of
English aristocrats, chancers and servants. It may be that American readers
find something inaccurate in Wodehouse`s rendering of Hollywood accents and
mores.
For the first time since I have been reading Wodehouse I found myself moved in
"Laughing Gas". It is so romantic at the end I had tears in my eyes, and I am a
grown man who played rugby union and never wears pink shirts.
Sorry to keep going on. But I am in the first clutches of addiction.
It could be fate.
Albert Peasemarch. Deck Steward.
Alan Follett
<snip>
> I am one hundred and fifteen pages
> into "Laughing Gas" and I adore it.
> (Phew!) Yes, having joined the leper
> colony that doesn`t think much of "The
> Luck Of The Bodkins", I now join the
> leper colony that loves "Laughing Gas"!
What ho, mon vieux steward;
Well, there's no reason why one cannot belong simultaneously to two
leper colonies, if one can afford the subscription -- though, of course,
it does double the chances of being horsewhipped on the steps of one's
l.c.
I emerged with a much better impression of /Laughing Gas/ upon
re-reading it a couple of years ago than I recalled from my first
encounter in the Upper Palaeolithic. Then too, the book's connection
with Plum's apparently serious flirtation with Spiritualism adds a
certain soupcon of biographical interest. Perhaps you could sponsor me
before the appropriate lepers on the membership committee?
Ta
Le Vicomte de Blissac
Algy Little
in Spats. This features the charming numbskull Freddie Widgeon, who has
been described as "You stand as a cross between a flitting butterfly and
a Mormon elder." Freddie
somehow made a small fortune in (gasp!) Kenyan coffee.
If all the birds who dumped him were laid er.., placed end to end, they
would stretch from Picadilly to Hyde Park. And some were pretty tall.
Ta! algy
AWILLIS957
perfect short stories they make me want to faint with laughter and admiration.
Better than seasickness pills for righting the old constitution.
Alberto Poisambulare.
James Fung
"Goodbye All Cats" is my favorite short story as well, if only for the fact
that Freddie Widgeon 7, er... plain Widgeon, captures the Drone's
mentality/dialect so well.
Lorrill Buyens
of alt.fan.wodehouse, first realized the gravity of "James Fung"
<jgf...@mail.utexas.edu>'s pronouncements:
>Eh, what? Sorry old crumpet, I'm off to the smoking room. I hear Bingo has a
>new system for beating the house, and we're going to fleece him before he
>realizes his mistake. Never fails to come through for us, Bingo. Cocktails
>don't pay for themselves, don't you know?
Over my dead body...
>~An Egg
*Un*cordially yours,
Rosie M. Banks
--
| Rosie M. Banks |
|Author of _Mervyn Keene, Clubman_; _Only a |
|Factory Girl_; and other fine literary works|
Support the Jayne Hitchcock HELP Fund
http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/6172/helpjane.htm
Lorrill Buyens
alt.fan.wodehouse, first realized the gravity of "18ck"
<colin.lusk@SPAM_FRITTERblueyonder.co.uk>'s pronouncements:
Then we lepers shall have to band together, you and I.
>18ck
Cordially yours,
James Fung
<weak grin> Did I say gambling? No, no, must have been a trick of the
accoustics. What I meant was retire to lounge and discuss the growing
friction in the Balkans...
<pointing> Look! Isn't that your publisher dancing on bar?! <hides until
they have blown the all clear>
The Mixer
> What ho!
>
> <weak grin> Did I say gambling? No, no, must have been a trick of the
> accoustics. What I meant was retire to lounge and discuss the growing
> friction in the Balkans...
Either that or 'gamboling', something normally done while tramping through
the countryside during your holiday in the Dales or the Lake District.
(Not this year though, while the authorities are murdering livestock by the
millions.)
Swordfish
<zVZE6.1088$Wb.8...@news1.cableinet.net> :
One more social leper at your service.
I too must admit,without blushing,that I am a fan of Laughing Gas.
Pip pip,
Swordfish.
_______________________________________________
Submitted via WebNewsReader of http://www.interbulletin.com
the pink chap
allowing for great differences of tastes and opinions. The two of us have
already agreed to disagree about that incorrigible man of wrath, S.F.
Ukridge, I being a big fan of that yellow Macintosh. But now I find you
praising one of the few Wodehouse short stories I've read and don't
particularly wish to read again. "Goodbye to All Cats" made it into The Most
of P.G. Wodehouse so my opinion is probably in the minority and I admit that
it has some good lines (especially the one about the girls Freddie Widgeon
had been in love with being laid end to end), but the plot seemed so
predictable and left me flat.
the pink chap
"James Fung" wrote...
Katherine Evans
Re: Recommended Drone stories.
Group: alt.fan.wodehouse Date: Sun, Apr 29, 2001, 12:07am From:
har...@singnet.com.sg (the pink chap)
allowing for great differences of tastes and opinions. The two of us
have already agreed to disagree about that incorrigible man of wrath,
S.F. Ukridge, I being a big fan of that yellow Macintosh. But now I find
you praising one of the few Wodehouse short stories I've read and don't
particularly wish to read again. "Goodbye to All Cats" made it into The
Most of P.G. Wodehouse so my opinion is probably in the minority and I
admit that it has some good lines (especially the one about the girls
Freddie Widgeon had been in love with being laid end to end), but the
plot seemed so predictable and left me flat.
the pink chap
"Goodbye to all cats" is a non-favorite of mine too. I read and re-read
Wodehouse all the time and can not enjoy that particular one. I feel
sorry for the poor chappie. Can't help it; there it is. Same reason I
don't enjoy some of the Bertie Wooster stories when some young girl is
forcing him to her every whim through his gentlemanliness and kind
heart.
PiowaPuff
But do enjoy Ukridge quite a bit; a complete turn-around from my youth
when I found him too immoral (!!)
James Fung
I say, it doesn't seem like I'm adding to my small circle of friends. For
what it's worth, after rereading some of SFK's short stories, I no longer
find him altogether repulsive, though there are quite a few tomes ahead of
it in my list of books to add to my library.
As for Wodehouse being predictable, one could say, without malice, that many
of his plots are that way. Of course Freddie won't get the girl, but the joy
is in Plum's language.
charles stone-tolcher
But Freddy does get married, as does Oofy Prosser. What what! I hear people
say. Well, just read "Ice in the Bedroom" and all will be revealed. By the
way, I am also very fond of Ukridge.
Pillingshot
"James Fung" <jgf...@mail.utexas.edu> wrote in message
news:9chfbp$maj$1...@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
Augustus Fink-Nottle
>I say, it doesn't seem like I'm adding to my small circle of friends. For
>what it's worth, after rereading some of SFK's short stories, I no longer
>find him altogether repulsive,
Hmmm. What, or rather who, is SFK?
fogged,
Gussie
Augustus Fink-Nottle
Nevermind. You probably meant SFU. Funny how these things strike
you a minute after you pose the question.
- Gussie
James Fung
I suppose I'm at fault here. My university's library claims to have it
somewhere, but it is one of 5 Wodehouse books that are AWOL. I haven't taken
the initiative to purchase a copy.
Freddie married? Well, well, well. Fancy that!
JMG Joe
Ta,
A Young Man In Spats
c/o The Drones Club
16 Dover Street
London, W1
Algy Little
###################################### < Gads, he sounds just like that
Higgins chap.
Charles D. Cunningham
donot...@interbulletin.bogus says...
>
>"18ck" <colin.lusk@SPAM_FRITTERblueyonder.co.uk> wrote in article
><zVZE6.1088$Wb.8...@news1.cableinet.net> :
Me too. In fact, here's some of the Wodehouse novels that have been
disparaged in this newsgroup that I am quite fond of:
Bill the Conqueror
Jill the Reckless
Laughing Gas
If I Were You
Cocktail Time
The Small Bachelor
Actually, I can't say for sure that the last two have received negative
commentary here, but they have elsewhere.I think TSB is a little gem.
Charles Cunningham
Charles D. Cunningham
>don't enjoy some of the Bertie Wooster stories when some young girl is
>forcing him to her every whim through his gentlemanliness and kind
>heart.
>PiowaPuff
Yes, but don't forget,besides having a kind heart, Bertie is an idiot.
Who else would willingly go into the Heart of Darkness (e.g Totleigh Towers,
Brinkley Manor, etc.) with extreme peril looming
(Madeline/Stiffy/Spode/Cheesewright)? Prior experience should have taught him
that his efforts to "solve" situations just make them worse, but he never
learns--thank God.
Charles Cunningham
James Fung
I think The Small Bachelor is one of the Master's oft neglected gems. The
fact that my preferred nom is James Hamilton Beamish has nothing to do with
that. = )
AWILLIS957
beauty.
However, her treatment of Ambrose Wiffin exposed him to more mental torture
than one man could be expected to bear: ie forcing him to spend an afternoon in
the company of two smal, unpleasant boys. As capricious beauties go, I think I
would go so far as to prefer Stiffy Byng to the dazzling redhead.
I think, though, that Wodehouse, does give Bobby a subtle comeuppance, in
making it clear that she will one day end up alone.
Love Albert.
AWILLIS957
Oh, great. I`ve just bought it!
The worst Wodehouse I have read so far is "Jeeves And The Feudal Spirit", which
seems very loose. In fact, if I had read that one first I don`t think I would
have started on the Wodehouse trail at all. Plotwise Lord Sidcup and an
intriguing female novelist turn up, but then make no contribution and are
virtually forgotten about, which makes me feel the book is the skeleton of a
better book. Nearly all the witticisms are re-runs and it takes half the book
for the action to get going.
It is sad to read such a clumsy handling of the deaf adder joke as the
following, which is typical of this book:
"I began to understand how these birds in Holy Writ must have felt after their
session with the deaf adder. I can`t recall the details, though at my private
school I once won a prize for Scripture Knowledge, but I remember that they had
the dickens of an uphill job trying to charm it, and after they had sweated
themselves to a frazzle no business resulted. It is often this way, I believe,
with deaf adders."
This doesn`t illuminate the text, but weighs it down. He could have done the
intended job in a quarter of the words.
The effect of reading that book has been somewhat to pout me off exploring the
later work, though Donaldon says Wodehouse had an Indian summer at the end with
works such as "Ice In The Bedroom". Anything published after 1952 I now intend
to approach with caution.
Love Albert.
Dianne van Dulken
wrote:
<snip>
> Cocktail Time
> The Small Bachelor
>Actually, I can't say for sure that the last two have received negative
>commentary here, but they have elsewhere.I think TSB is a little gem.
> Charles Cunningham
Who does dare shower negative comments on the brilliantly witty
Cocktail Time? Probably some modern girl who has no taste and less
manners.
Tchah!
The Dog McIntosh
--
Dianne van Dulken
Old married woman.
http://www.dogmac.com/chaos/wedding <-- Proof
charles stone-tolcher
the first Wodehouse book I ever read and now I have the whole bally canon. I
loved it. Although, I must admit; "The Code of the Woosters" is still my
favourite along with "The Inimitable Jeeves".
Pillingshot
"AWILLIS957" <awill...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010508132254...@ng-ck1.aol.com...
James Fung
Er, my dear Albert, have you read Thank You, Jeeves? And, of course, the
other Jeeves and Wooster meet Bobby Wickham short stories too.
Shirley Fowler
awill...@aol.com (AWILLIS957) wrote:
> >I think The Small Bachelor is one of the Master's oft neglected gems>
>
> Oh, great. I`ve just bought it!
>
> The worst Wodehouse I have read so far is "Jeeves And The Feudal Spirit",
> which... Plotwise Lord Sidcup and an intriguing female novelist turn up,
> but then make no contribution and are virtually forgotten about... Nearly
> all the witticisms are re-runs and it takes half the book for the action
> to get going.
No slight intended, but many of the Wodehouse books read like
desultory half-finished conversations amongst friends. Most of us
rather like being part of a circle like that. (Take a detour
through the butler's pantry and have a brandy and soda).
> It is sad to read such a clumsy handling of the deaf adder joke as the
> following, which is typical of this book:
>
> "I began to understand how these birds in Holy Writ must have felt after
> their session with the deaf adder. I can`t recall the details, though at my
> private school I once won a prize for Scripture Knowledge, but I remember
> that they had the dickens of an uphill job trying to charm it, and after
> they had sweated themselves to a frazzle no business resulted. It is often
> this way, I believe, with deaf adders."
>
> This doesn`t illuminate the text, but weighs it down. He could have done
> the intended job in a quarter of the words.
Indeed, over a few lines, I feel that I can sometimes beat
Wodehouse; but most of his books were written by a method best
described as 'floreat' in which the words tumbled out during his
writing and were edited to something shorter (and usually better)
during the following day's revision. Most of PGW's works are
susceptible to some improvement, as shown by 'Joy in the Morning'
which benefited I believe, from no fewer than three revisions as a
consequence of Plum's changing domestic arrangements. What I can't
do, and what no author in the twentieth century (with the possible
exception of Evelyn Waugh) could do, was match PGW page for page
over even one full length work; and Plum produced 92, roughly one
for every year of his life; an achievement I would allege matched
only by the late Lord Menuhin.
See if you can find the episode where W blackmails a gentleman by
using a lady's first name, and see whether you can render that in
fewer words, and if so whether there is any improvement. Try
reading aloud the prize-giving speech (or for that matter the
lines you quoted) and think again.
IIRC on at least one of the occasions when Jeeves issues a nolle prosequi
he takes two pages to do it.
If all else fails, try the Beachcomber method; read it again in thirty
years time, or get your grandchildren to read it to you after a further
thirty.
Ben.
P.S. Most of us believe that the witticisms are not re-runs, but
simply that PGW thought them up more than once; and even if they
were, PGW would occasionally outwit critics by putting the same
old characters in the same old plots. This means that subjecting
Plum to lit. crit. is about as useful as assessing Anatole's
cooking with a bomb calorimeter, or claiming that it is bad for
the cholesterol or some such.
Shirley Fowler
awill...@aol.com (AWILLIS957) wrote:
> I loved "Leave To Psmith" but I could understand how Psmith`s arrogance
> and long-windedness might annoy some. I am not knowledgeable about
> Wodehouse yet, but I get the impression that Plum stopped writing about
> Psmith after a certain point.
Wasn't Psmith was the son of the cove that brought Gilbert and
Sullivan together, and we can perhaps forgive him a certain family
pride.
Ben.
Shirley Fowler
<ian_m...@bc.sympatico.ca> wrote:
> AWILLIS957 wrote:
>
> ... There's nothing more annoying than
> cracking open a newly purchased Wodehouse only to discover that you
> read the same book under a different title six months earlier.
There are plenty of things more annoying than that, finding
oneself unable to wear one's heliotrope pyjamas for example.
PGW is meant to be read and re-read, just read it again sure in
the knowledge that you know the characters and the plot won't
elude you.
Ben
Shirley Fowler
"charles stone-tolcher" <cstone20opyusnet.com.au> wrote:
> This topic is often discussed. after all where is athe best place to
> start reading wodehouse. i am sure there are many answers to the question.
Just start anywhere.
> Subjectively speaking I think you could do no better that getting hold of
> copies of "The Inimitible Jeeves" (aka Jeeves) and "The Code of the
> Woosters".
"The Code of the Woosters" is one of the best to start on.
Ben.
18ck
"Shirley Fowler" opined
> Indeed, over a few lines, I feel that I can sometimes beat
> Wodehouse;
<sympathetic smile>
Of course, of course. Have a cheese straw.
The Eighteen Carat Kid.
Algy Little
ctbishop
that I don't know what to bring with me. I will of course be bringing
small gifts for the hostess; more in the manner of bribes, but still.
And of course I plan on packing:
my darning needle, and file
my patented, puncture-proof h.w. bottle
something squishy
matches and paraffin*
my Alpine hat
my white mess jacket with brass buttons**
lemon colo(u)red pajamas
shoe polish *and* butter***
What else should the well-prepared house guest take with hir?
Please send info soonest-plane leaves Thur.
Gally, who wonders if my hammock will fit in the luggage
*though I am taking the solid, block-like stuff and I have the impression
that what is needed is more liquidy.
**I expect this to belong to the 2nd underfootman before my visit is done
***not willing to count on the supply at the chez
George Finch
the metrop. for them at a moment's notice.
George Finch
In article
<ctbishop-150...@pool0868.cvx21-bradley.dialup.earthlink.net>,
ctbishop says...
Ann Avery Hunter
> I'm going to be a guest for this weekend and it has just occured to me
> that I don't know what to bring with me.
If you can get your hands on one, a Luminous Rabbit! That one always
goes over well here at B.C.
The Cat Augustus
Brinkley Court
Market Snodsbury
Harish T K
be an invaluable asset.
Samthesudden
>===== Original Message From an...@erols.com =====
------------------------------------------------------------
Get your FREE web-based e-mail and newsgroup access at:
http://MailAndNews.com
Create a new mailbox, or access your existing IMAP4 or
POP3 mailbox from anywhere with just a web browser.
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LadyMacBec
kidney pie. That way you won't have to go sneaking down to the kitchen in the
middle of the night, through a mine-field of wee snapping dogs.
helpfully,
Corky
The Mixer
The Mixer
PS Don't forget an extra box of ammunition for your air-gun.
ctbishop
suggestions from the group--
>>
>>And of course I plan on packing:
>>
>> my darning needle, and file
>> my patented, puncture-proof h.w. bottle
>> something squishy
>> matches and paraffin*
>> my Alpine hat
>> my white mess jacket with brass buttons**
>> lemon colo(u)red pajamas
>> shoe polish *and* butter***
>>
And to this list I'm adding,
courtesy of George Finch nos...@newsranger.com (though this appears to be
an alias)
safe cracking tools
It did occur to me that I should probably take a supply of brown paper and
treacle as well. The treacle mines in Chicago having been shut down some
time ago.
LadyMacBec suggests
steak and kidney pie
The Mixer <ian_m...@telus.net> suggests
a mickey of brandy for my evening nightcap.
reading material-volume or two of Wodehouse would be of the essence
a rubber ducky-can be highly diverting at bath-time.
and adds---
Don't forget an extra box of ammunition for your air-gun.
Ann Avery Hunte...@erols.com chimes in with-
a Luminous Rabbit
Harish T K <hari...@MailAndNews.com> (Samthesudden) cajoles me to bring
a banjolele [they are] highly thought of
Burnt cork would also be an invaluable asset.
A fine list. Thank one and all. There is still a day left in case I've
forgotten anything. One hates to be unprepared.
Gally
CBB
Cyril Bassington-Bassington.
p.s. I also would advocate three cats, a goodish-sized fish and a top hat,
in case of Glossops.
<snip>
Chester Meredith
"ctbishop" <ctbi...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:ctbishop-150...@pool0868.cvx21-bradley.dialup.earthlink.net..
.
> I'm going to be a guest for this weekend and it has just occured to me
> that I don't know what to bring with me. I will of course be bringing
> small gifts for the hostess; more in the manner of bribes, but still.
>
Length of good strong rope. Much easier than knotting sheets if you find you
need to make a swift getaway. Check the time of the milk train just in case.
Rubber cosh. Obtainable in Seven Dials & most useful for dealing with
troublesome constables, so I'm told.
Small supply of aniseed. Essential if called upon to do a bit of
dog-napping.
Tape recorder or dictating machine. Ideal for "getting the goods" on your
fellow guests if they happen to be in the pig stealing business.
Pack of playing cards. You never know when you might find someone fool
enough to join you in a game of "Persian Monarchs" & I always find I'm more
successful at them game when I use my own pack.
Book of poetry by Tennyson. I wouldn't dream of suggesting you were the sort
of chap who would read such mush for pleasure, but if your hostess sees you,
it will create a good impression & may make her forget about the number of
cocktails you are consuming.
LadyMacBec
trapped in a rose garden with an unsuitable redhead, and on the point of
proposing (which WILL happen in rose gardens, whether you want it to or not.)
~Corky
AWILLIS957
following:
Needle and thread, in case I needed to sew important documents into my coat
pocket.
A dog, preferably called Bartholemew, who could protect my room from being
searched by imposters in my absence.
A notebook, in which to make observations on the table manners and eating
styles of the company.
A set of parts for "The Yeoman`s Wedding Song".
A good book would be essential, though "Songs Of Squalor" would not be on my
list, I must say. I would probably take Stultitia Bodwin`s "Offal", which
soundsas if it could be interesting.
As someone else would be bringing something squishy, I would probably bring a
supply of Mexican Horned Toads, in case someone`s bed or boots needed
booby-trapping.
Love Albert.
LadyMacBec
you forgot the two green beards, in case you had to do a quick "Pat and Mike"
act.
~CH
Nina Hattiangadi
container in which you can discretely conceal (for later disposal) the
corpse of, say, a cat, if you happen to be inconveniently saddled with one
during your stay. Many a fine young chap has been brought to grief by
overlooking such an essential weekend accoutrement, and subsequently being
forced to adopt the less successful "flinging the corpse off the balcony"
approach to this dilemma! Of course, I suppose if your "something squishy"
is big enough, it may address the problem for you...
-- Nina
Dianne van Dulken
"Nina Hattiangadi" <ninah...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:9dv9u0$b6fs$1...@newssvr06-en0.news.prodigy.com...
> By all means, my dear chap, don't forget a hatbox, reticule, or other
empty
> container in which you can discretely conceal (for later disposal) the
> corpse of, say, a cat, if you happen to be inconveniently saddled with one
Of course, something to kill any foul felines that happens to be cluttering
up the place is also a fine idea. I suggest a spade or something similar to
wallop them over the head with
Waggles
The Dog Mc
Nina Hattiangadi
Wodehouse section of a going-out-of-business bookstore...in the past, I
suppose, my limited means have sent me for the "tried and true," but the
combination of limited supply and giddiness-inducing discounts resulted in
me purchasing several Wodehouses with characters unknown to me. Not to
start a flap, or anything, and I'm sure this must have been discussed in the
past along with every other aspect of Plum's works....but I have to say that
"French Leave" was about the most disappointing thing I've come across yet.
Of the three sisters around whom the story revolves one is severe and
unlikable throughout, another has little personality to speak of, and the
third suddenly says "I think I'll go home" 30 pages into the novel and is
never heard from again. It reminded me of the time when Elsie Bean,
cleverly covering for Pongo, says, "He just said, 'Coo! I think I'll go to
London," and popped off." What an odd, uneven little book. I was also
somewhat surprised by his reference to a saying by A.A. Milne in the
forward...I'm sure this has been discussed in depth as well, but I thought
the animosity between these two was considerable, but the mention appeared
to be, if anything, affectionate. Did they reconcile, or is this
magnanimity made possible by having outlived the other guy?
-- Nina
"Shirley Fowler" <shi...@oakham.free-online.net> wrote in message
news:shirley-C4E944...@extra-news.free-online.net...
AWILLIS957
Friendly references to AAMilne are quite common in Wodehouse`s work and letters
after the war, and I think this is because Plum is a very forgiving and
understanding bloke, and he is not going to turn against someone over just one
episode.
The most astonishing example of this was when after the war he went out of his
way to make friends with Cassandra, the newspaper columnist and broadcaster who
had been the most savage and inaccurate about him during the war. Believe it or
not, the two of them became friends, as a result.
I believe that everything Wodehouse did was based on a code of seeing the best
in people. This would explain why during the war he persisted in taking the
Germans as he found them, which is how the broadcasts came about - because the
people he did the broadcasts with were nice chaps, whom he`d known in
Hollywood.
As a Plum loyalist I say that if everyone had taken this attitude to his
brother man at the time there would have been no war in the first place.
Love Albert.
LadyMacBec
I quite enjoy "French Leave." I own it, and have never regretted that fact.
pip pip
Corky
The Mixer
> Oh blast, I have just bought French Leave.
Have no fear, I think you'll enjoy it although, as Nina points out, the use of
three sisters in the plot is a little cumbersome and unusual for Plum. Usborne
points out in his 'Penguin Wodehouse Companion' that the three sisters originated
in a Guy Bolton film scenario which Wodehouse then adapted for the novel, no doubt
shovelling a portion of the royalties to his friend.
I think if it had been an original Plum plot the unpleasant sister would have been
an aunt and the second sister (whose only function is to provide a reason for the
heroine to be seen working as a maid in the early chapters) would have been cast as
the heroine's friend.
One of the delightful features of this novel is the way Plum treats the French
Police. 'French Leave' was published some ten years after the author had some
personal dealings with the gendarmerie following the liberation of Paris and it's
instructive to note the vim and vigour of the scenes in which the corrupt police
commissaire meets his personal Waterloo.
The Mixer
Algy Little
Lorrill Buyens
Meredith" <extr...@mreyno.demon.co.uk> raised the sword of sharpness,
slew the dragon of alt.fan.wodehouse and shouted the immortal words:
>"ctbishop" <ctbi...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
>news:ctbishop-150...@pool0868.cvx21-bradley.dialup.earthlink.net..
>.
>> I'm going to be a guest for this weekend and it has just occured to me
>> that I don't know what to bring with me. I will of course be bringing
>> small gifts for the hostess; more in the manner of bribes, but still.
>>
>> What else should the well-prepared house guest take with hir?
>Small supply of aniseed. Essential if called upon to do a bit of
>dog-napping.
A book I recently finished claimed that something called artemisia
has the same effect on most dogs as catnip has on most cats,
which would seem to make it a somewhat more vital ingredient,
*c'est vrais*?
Cordially yours,
Rosie M. Banks
--
| Rosie M. Banks |
|Author of _Mervyn Keene, Clubman_; _Only a |
|Factory Girl_; and other fine literary works|
Support the Jayne Hitchcock HELP Fund
http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/6172/helpjane.htm
Frank R.A.J. Maloney
[deletions]
>A book I recently finished claimed that something called artemisia
>has the same effect on most dogs as catnip has on most cats,
>which would seem to make it a somewhat more vital ingredient,
>*c'est vrais*?
>
[deletions]
Artemisia is the name of a botanical genus that includes wormwood, the active
ingredient in absinthe that caused the heart to grow fonder until that once
fashionable drink was outlawed, and sagebrush. Indeed, the scientific name for
wormwood is Artemisia absinthium.
Fair warning and all that.
Mortimer Rackstraw, the Great Boloni
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Frank Richard Aloysius Jude Maloney
fr...@aol.com
http://hometown.aol.com/frajm/default.htm
"All over the room throats were being strained and minds broadened."
Frank R.A.J. Maloney
wormwood and sagebrush another more reputable member of the group is the
kitchen herb tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus).
If I were a dog owner, which I ain't, I'm sure I'd prefer a canine who was
hooked the heady bouquet of tarragon rather than the bitter perfume of
wormwood.
BTW, and totally off the subject of weekend guests -- or is it? -- allow me to
point you all to photographs of the gatehouse, the chapel and other views of
Wormwood Scrubs prison, an institution mentioned not a few times in the canon,
at http://www.penlex.org.uk/pages/rcphoto2.html#ws .