It is no secret that I love reading since I have learned how to read first. I have written about reading and classic books I love to read before and not nearly enough as I really feel about it. There are quite a few authors where I like everything they have written. One of my favorite author is Jane Austen and I am an avid fan. There is another author I like reading is British Author P. G. Wodehouse.
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P. G. Wodehouse may not be as popular or well-known in US but some of you may have read or seen stories Jeeves, a smart and witty butler. P. G. Wodehouse’s full name is Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, was an English writer whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years, and his many writings continue to be widely read. His all novels are funny, witty and has its British humor. Wodehouse took a modest attitude to his own works. In Over Seventy (1957) he wrote: “I go in for what is known in the trade as ‘light writing’ and those who do that – humorists they are sometimes called – are looked down upon by the intelligentsia and sneered at.”
Best known today for the Jeeves and Blandings Castle novels and short stories, Wodehouse was also a playwright and lyricist who was part author and writer of 15 plays and of 250 lyrics for some 30 musical comedies.
His famous works includes;
- Blanding Castle Series: It is about the upper class inhabitants of the fictional rural Blandings Castle. Includes the eccentric Lord Emsworth, obsessed by his prize-winning pig, “Percy” to Emsworth’s unappreciative second son Freddie Threepwood.
- Psmith Stories: It is about an ingenious jack-of-all-trades with a charming, exaggeratedly refined manner. My favorite Psmith story, Leave it to Psmith, overlaps the Blandings stories in that Psmith works for Lord Emsworth.
- The Jeeves and Wooster stories: narrated by the wealthy, scatterbrained Bertie Wooster tells stories about ingenious valet Jeeves is always able to solve problems by his intelligence and one of the most famous works by P.G. Wodehouse.
- The Drones Club stories: It is about the mishaps of certain members of a raucous social club for London’s idle rich. Drones Club stories always involve unnamed club members known as “Eggs”, “Beans” and “Crumpets”, in each story, a well-informed Crumpet will endeavour to tell an Egg or Bean of the latest exploits of another Drones Club member, most frequently Freddie Widgeon or Bingo Little.
- The Ukridge stories: It is about the charming but unprincipled Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge, always looking to enlarge his income through the reluctant assistance of his friend in his schemes. Ukridge is one funny character.
- His other works series are, Mr Mulliner stories, Oldest member stories, Uncle Fred’s stories and stand alone stories.
If you read some of his work, you will see some of the stories and characters from other series seemed to overlap. However, it will not matter if you read his book in series or have not read it before as it stands and reads well on its own but surely knowing his other characters sometimes reading more fun. Being an Indian from India, I am able to understand British humor and find it funny, however some of my US friends do not always get the dry British humor as one reads Wodehouse books, I believe with time his humor and quirkiness of characters gets entertaining so try reading some of his books.
He lived his later life in America and has written and published works from 1902 until 1977. He died in 1975 at age of 93 in New York and left a legacy of funniest stories and funny characters that are larger than life with British humor and lifestyle. He has written many novels, poems, and journalist pieces so it is not possible to list all of his works here. Here are few of my favorite books by my favorite author, P. G. Wodehouse. If you have not read his books before, try checking it out today, as funny, humorous books will lift up your mood in no time.
Best P. G. Wodehouse Books:
My Man Jeeves:
If you have not read any Jeeves and Wooster stories, this book is a great book to start with, it comes with story collection of Jeeves and Wooster and also other stories by Wodehouse which are equally entertaining. If you know the ingeniousness of Jeeves, you will be able to reconnect with Jeeves again with this book, I have it in my book collection and I read it from time to time.
Right Ho Jeeves:
This book is great for someone who does not know anything about Jeeves or Wooster, it will make you a fan of P.G. Wodehouse and Jeeves. It is funny, witty and you will crack up as you read the story. Remember it is a novel and not a short stories collection like previous one but still fun to read and enjoy.
Another funny Jeeves tales, The code of the Woosters is to never let a friend down, and Bertie would do this far more often were it not for his tactful and clever gentleman’s personal gentleman, Jeeves. Bertie is a marvelous type of fellow: over-educated but under-intelligent; useless to society but wealthy beyond any need for scruple; completely numbed by the simple pleasures of an aristocratic life, but always there for his friends and family in a pinch.
This is my one of the most favorite book by Wodehouse, while not as famous as Jeeves, this story is simply has it all, romance between Psmith and Eve, mystery, mistaken identity and witty dialogue. Psmith cannot bear to be in the fish business any longer and advertises that he will do anything as long it has nothing to do with fishes. Clarence’s son, Freddie Threepwood, contacts Psmith and asks him to help with an inside-the-family theft of his aunt’s necklace and adventure begins.
P. G. Wodehouse 10 Books Collection:
This is 10 books series by P. G. Wodehouse. PG Wodehouse Collection The Clicking of Cuthbert, Summer Moonshine, Monkey for Nothing, A Damsel in Distress, The Girl in Blue, Service with a Smile, Ukridge, Full Moon, Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen, Piccadilly Jim.
These are my favorite books that I like reading again, which one of is your favorite Wodehouse books?
If you want to find out more click below:
P. G. Wodehouse Books
His Jeeves and Wooster has been made in to a Television Series starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie from House: Jeeves and Woosters TV Series. Fans of Hugh Laurie’s prickly and dark House character may not realize that Laurie started as a slapstick comedian of the most British type: Very very silly. And nowhere has Laurie been sillier, or more likeable, than as Bertie Wooster in Jeeves & Wooster, the British TV series based on the famed P.G. Wodehouse characters. Playing off Laurie is the equally splendid Stephen Fry as the arch and supremely competent valet Jeeves. The two create a winning, hilarious pair of tour guides into the world of early-20th-century upper-crust England. Bertie is kind-hearted and a soft touch, and, well, not exactly street smart and without Jeeves he will be lost in life. I wish I had my own Jeeves to help when problem arises! but until the day comes, I simply enjoy watching these 2 silly, great actors in this funny Wodehouse series.