My Man Jeeves was published 100 years ago in May 1919. Jeeves–my man, you know–is really a most extraordinary chap. So capable. Honestly, I shouldn’t know what to do without him. On broader lines he’s like those chappies who sit … Continue reading A Centenary of My Man Jeeves
“That was Pongo Twistleton. He’s all broken up about his Uncle Fred.” “Dead?” “No such luck. Coming up to London again tomorrow. Pongo had a wire this morning.” Uncle Fred Flits By (Young Men in Spats) 26 July is Aunt … Continue reading Wodehouse quotes for every occasion: Aunt and Uncle Day
This second article in my reading guide for new Wodehouse readers offers a reading list for the Jeeves and Wooster stories. Jeeves and Wooster Reading List The Inimitable Jeeves (1923)* Carry On, Jeeves (1925)* Very Good Jeeves (1930)* Right Ho, … Continue reading P.G. Wodehouse reading list: the Jeeves and Wooster stories
N.T.P. Murphy identifies the Coal Hole in The Strand (in A Wodehouse Handbook, Volume One ) as one of four remaining London pubs mentioned in Wodehouse’s writing. It is mentioned in ‘The Debut of Battling Billson’, after long-suffering narrator James Corcoran meets Ukridge at the Gaiety Theatre. ‘Hallo, laddie!’ said Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge, genially. ‘When did you get back? I say, I want you to remember this tune, so that you can remind me of it tomorrow, when I’ll be sure to have forgotten it. This is how it goes.’ He poised himself flat-footedly in the surging tide of pedestrians … Continue reading Happy New Year: Snifters with Ukridge at the Coal Hole
Hot on the heels of the Blandings centenary in June comes the 100th anniversary of P.G. Wodehouse’s Bertie Wooster and Reginald Jeeves. The characters first appeared together in the story ‘Extricating Young Gussie’, published in September 1915 in the Saturday Evening Post. The centenary has been commemorated with a flurry of articles (try What ho! Celebrating 100 years of Bertie, Jeeves and Blandings by Aparna Narrain). But in spite of praise for Wodehouse and his beloved duo, who made their final appearance in 1974’s Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen, ‘Extricating Young Gussie’ continues to hide it’s light under a bushel. If indeed that’s what … Continue reading Jeeves & Wooster centenary: Extricating Young Gussie
I’d like to take a short break from my series exploring Wodehouse on Women to share a remarkable piece entitled 111 Male Characters Of British Literature, In Order Of Bangability by Carrie Frye, in which Ms Frye lists 111 fictional characters she finds sexually desirable enough to take to her bed. Almost as astonishing as her stamina, is the fact that she includes not one, but three Wodehouse characters in her list of male sex objects. These are, in order of appearance: – Gussie Fink Nottle (at 106) – Bertram Wooster (at 87) – Jeeves (at 65) Gussie’s inclusion in … Continue reading Wodehouse’s men: objects of desire
Plumtopia 