Last updated August 31, 1999.
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From: Seth Ball
Date: 5/2/99
It's tough to choose between the Jeeves stuff and the Blandings stuff, but I'd have to go with the Blandings stuff as the all-time best. Certainly, Lord Emsworth is my favourite Wodehouse character, and then of course you also have Rupert Baxter, Uncle Fred, and even Psmith contributing to the mythos. And then there's the legion of impostors, all the pig skullduggery, and the various imbroglio-like brouhahas. Some suggestions for folks looking to move beyond Jeeves and Blandings: 'Quick Service', 'Uneasy Money', 'Mulliner Nights', 'Company For Henry', 'The Luck Of The Bodkins', and Wodehouse's wonderful body-switching fantasy, 'Laughing Gas'.
From: Marthe
Anne
Date: 4/30/99
Blandings is my favourite saga, mainly because
1. It's the only Wodehouse my family posess.
2. Lord Emsworth is my favourite character.
What does everyone else think?
From: Rajani Easwaran
Date: 4/23/99
Though my 'favourite' is all of them, Psmith has always meant a little more to me than others..
Though I did not read Psmith series necessarily in 'the' order, I just knew reading 'leave it to Psmith' in highschool that he'ld remain my reigning hero. I confirmed that opinion later with raptourous appreciation when he shoved a pair of shoes up the chiminey in 'mike and Psmith'; when he played the attentive companion while getting kidnapped in 'Psmith Journalist'; When he threw his heart into reforming Bickersdyke in 'Psmith in the city'...
From: Damien Sullivan
Date: 4/23/99
"Right-Ho, Jeeves" must be the funniest book I have ever read, and the conception of Gussie Fink-Nottle's character pure genius. The stories of the family Mulliner never fail to crack me up, especially "Portrait of a Disciplination" with the hilarious reconciliation scene in the wardrobe.
From: ravi
Date: 4/15/99
All of Wodehouse's output, though I would rank Jeeves and Wooster series a tad higher! Be it Robbie Wickham trying to mould Wooster, Wooster's cousins looking like something the cat bought in, wheels within wheels in the numerous daily chores of Wooster (of which you may or may not be aware of!) - I love every word of it!! I sincerely wish I am part of Wooster's world - atleast as a Newt - a la Fink-Nottle!! Hats off PGW - you won a place of pride which others can only shoot in vain!! (Most of the phrases here are courtesy PGW - my lemon is not capable of such dexterity!!)
From: Chana
Date: 4/10/99
I "adore" Jeeves, I think he's the greatest, and I always forget the actor's name, but he's the best! His facial expressions:-) etc.
From: Wes Long
Date: 4/7/99
I love the Blandings series and everything with Bertie and Jeeves in it.
From: Matthew Gaughan
Date: 4/5/99
My favourite has to be the Blandings Castle series, though my two favourite books of this series only mention Blandings in passing i.e. Blandings Castle & Lord Emsworth and Others. Aside from Blandings I love the Psmith books!
From: A W Lear
Date: 4/5/99
Has to be Ukridge for me, doncha know? Qu'el cad! Surely anyone who can come up with the idea of starting a cat farm with a rat farm conveniently sited next door, thus anticipating by some forty years the fashion for recycling, should be nominated for the Queen's AWard to Industry at the very least.Anyone remember the BBC series in the '60s, starring Anton Rodgers?
From: Ramkumar Natarajan
Date: 3/22/99
Although it is very difficult to pick one book out of all his gems, I think Joy in the Morning would be the one (among those that I have read). I still can't control my laughter at the terror that is unleashed by Edwin, the Boy scout in it.
From: Kate Coulson
Date: 3/22/99
As a younger reader and listener of P.G. Wodehouse my favourite stories are: Pig Hooeeyye(?),The Letter of the Law (in the Golf Omnibus), Heavy Weather and Uncle Fred in Springtime. I only wish that there were more T.V adaptions of the stories. I also wish that more people knew about them.
From: ila
Date: 3/21/99
lord emsworth and blandings rule!!
and i wish i has a valet like jeeves!!
boy! he would have been a great help in handling over my crushes:)
From: Lucian Endicott,
http://pages.prodigy.com/KRRC31A
Date: 3/17/99
My heart belongs to Mulliner, but I love the others too. Generally, I prefer short stories to novels, but I re-read all: Mulliner, Golf, Jeeves, Uncle Fred, Blandings.
From: rama
Date: 3/9/99
I totally , absolutely , completely agree with Rudyard Kipling who called 'Lord Emsworth and the Girlfriend' a perfect short story. I love the transformation in Lord Emsworth and the way he spoils his glorious speech to McAllister with a"dash it"! Two other really fav stories of mine are "Anselm Gets His Chance" and "PIG-Hooooo-ooo-ey." Icant help laughing EVERY time I read one of these stories or even remember a line -- and many people probably think i'm off my rocker -- coz they've found me smiling to myself once too often!! So with a hey-nonny -no and a hot -cha-cha, toodloo, pip pip, tinkerty tonk
From: Marc Berger
Date: 2/27/99
It has to be Jeeves and Bertie, if for no other reason than that they were my first. Late one golden afternoon I sat me down and cracked open the covers of "Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit". I arose a not inconsiderable time later as a total Wodehouse addict. That simple. And a good thing too!
From: J R
Date: 2/24/99
all!!!, but uncle Fred novels are supreme
Leave it to Psmith. I wish Bertie had made it to Blandings.
From: Gopal Rangachary
Date: 2/19/99
Choosing PGW's best is a real tough one - one is really spoiled for choice. "Uncle Fred Flits By" is a classic , as is "Bertie makes a speech" , the only Jeeves story where Jeeves writes in first person. I loved both the Blandings and Jeeves stories - my favourite parts were Clarence waking up the Duke of Dunstable in "A Pelican at Blandings", Gussie Fink Nottle's address to the Market Snodsbury Grammar School in "Right Ho, Jeeves" - Lord Tilbury meeting Gally and trying to persuade him to allow him to publish Gally's memoirs (in I think Heavy Weather) and Psmith leaving to watch Mike at Lord's in Psmith in the City . Thanks to Plum for providing me so many hours of unalloyed innocent entertainment.
From: mike
Date: 2/18/99
Ah, what can be more firmly impressed in the mind's eye than the image of Wee Nook going up in flames thanks to the efforts of Edwin the Boy Scout to do his good turn for the day?
From: gargi prasher
Date: 2/17/99
I have always thought 'Joy Comes in the Morning' is one of Plum's best books. Each and every line, every page has a funny and brilliant analogy. What a master PG was at turning a completely ordinary sentence into a hilarious one!
From: Gord Wilson
Date: 2/5/99
My favorite Plum is, of course, Jeeves, as well as the Mulliner stories, some assorted golf stories,and the Drones Club. I hope desperately to find more really great P.G.W. to read.
From: Andrea Burchi
Date: 2/3/99
Blanding's.
From: Nadia
Date: 1/20/99
I believe that the Jeeves and Wooster series is the best. They seem to show the satire more clearly, and the two main characters compliment each other so well.
From: Joan
Date: 1/14/99
My favourite saga is definitely Blandings. I love the summer days, the long drive, the Empress's sty, Beach, and of course, Clarence. Freddie is the funniest (read the story when he sells dog biscuits in "Lord Emsworth Acts For The Best"). Best novels "Leave it to Psmith", "Pigs Have Wings", "Galahad at Blandings". I wish someone would buy a castle and run it as Blandings for addicts to holiday there, strictly 1920's.
From: Guy Shuman
Date: 1/8/99
Blandings Castle, it's the best !!
From: Valarie
Date: 12/28/98
My favorite Wodehouse sagas involve Jeeves & Bertie Wooster. I can read them over and over again and they always make me laugh. Blandings does come in a close second though and I especially love when Gally tries to sneak someone in and the obsessing of Clarence with his beloved Empress.
From: neelima bhatia
Date: 12/26/98
Uncle Fred novels
From: Melissa Mabee
Date: 12/25/98
There is no question at all that the Jeeves and Wooster books are my favorites. I have a very dear friend by the name of J.D. Douglass, and if Bertie had a brain he would be J.D.! Someday I will find a Jeeves to J.D.'s Bertie, and my life's mission will be fulfilled...
From: Patrizia Luppi
Date: 12/22/98
In my opinion the saga of Wooster and Jeeves is the best: extremely amusing, clever and well written, but the Blandings one is higly remarkable too (please, excuse my English not at all worthy of the Master).
From: Julia Hitzing
Date: 12/16/98
Long ago, Bertie touched my heart in his pea-hen way and made me his own. Although, "Crime Wave at Blandings" is among heaven's own.Long live Green Swizzle Wooster!
From: Nadia
Date: 12/16/98
I am an avid reader, but the Jeeves and Wooster series is my absolute favorite. I can read them again and again and ....
From: LUCIANO CAFAGNA
Date: 12/2/98
all sagas, all set of stories
From: Neeraj
Date: 11/27/98
My favorite saga is undoubtedly the Blandings Castle. With all it's complicated characters, having different personalities, it's the best without doubt.The best part is that there's no malice in it. Everybody is jovial and having the time of his life ( except perhaps nieces who are quarantined by their aunts for falling in love with the wrong person, and Lord Emsworth who has to bear them along with their mothers! )
But most of all Gally's never-say-die spirit brightens up the whole atmosphere.
Next to Blandings, I like the Mulliners saga for their innovativeness. Esp the one about the Buck-U-Uppo & the Bishop. It had me in splits for a month.
I could go on & on just describing each of their characters. Thanks for listening to me.
From: Carlo A. Sirocchi
Date: 11/17/98
My favorite novel is Jill the reckless. It is the novel where humour and love-tendress meet and melt in real poesy. Who read it, seldom can forget the little face of Jill (little warrior in the world)when she arrive for the first time in NY, under the enormous pillars.In my opinion this and A Girl in a Boat are the masterpieces of the poet.
Sorry for my english
Carlo Sirocchi
p.s. Fans of wod. mail me!
From: Peter Williams
Date: 11/10/98
'Right Ho Jeeves' is the Master's finest book. It fizzes with laughter from start to finish and contains Gussie's immortal prize giving scene.
From: Zach Bardon, http://members.tripod.com/~ZachBardon
Date: 11/5/98
This is a real cropper. It's not often in life one must choose between rubies and diamonds, if you catch my meaning.Despite the bally confoundedness of it all, I would still claim Jeeves and Wooster as my favorite saga. I also consider the PBS series brilliant genius and an excellent interpretation, possibly with one exception (the cross-dressing scenes foreign to Wodehouse). Fry and Laurie are amazing.
From: Neil Urquhart,
http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk
Date: 11/4/98
Whilst I like all PG Wodehouse stories I think that "Psmith, Journalist" stands out from the rest. I've always felt this book has a touch of realism that the others lack. Could this be because PG Wodehouse lived extensivly in America and was indeed a journalist ?
From: jyothiprakash
Date: 11/3/98
mr. mulliner is my favourite wodehousian character.
From: sarah kirchner
Date: 10/30/98
I absolutly love Summer Lighning, a Blandings book. As for the Jeeves series, I love them all. But I'd have to say the sort story 'Without the Option' would have to be my particular favorite, it being the first Wodehouse I read after being introduced to him (through watiching an inspired one-man performance of many of his stories), and the one that insured I would be a life long Plum devotee.
From: Jamie
Date: 10/29/98
Love all the Jeeves books and the story Uncle Fred Flits By.
From: Uncle Aussie (homepage:
http://compassnet.com/aussie/logic.htm)
Date: 10/26/98
The Reverent Wooing of Archibald Mulliner is my idea of *romance* - I tried to get a beau of mine to read it once, in hopes that it would instill the right spirit. The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy also touched a chord.
In general, I think that the Mulliners are under-appreciated. A Mulliner may have a stammer, or foozle at golf, he may even be an interior decorator, but he does not allow these handicaps to stand in his way, or stay the course of true love.
From: Paul De'ath
Date: 10/25/98
I think the best story has to be the short story with Uncle Fred and the parrot down in the suburbs, but I can't think of it's bally name. A classic.[It's "Uncle Fred Flits By. -TK]
From: Wendy
Date: 10/22/98
Since we (my hubby Fred reads PGW out loud to both me & our daughter, with different voices yet) haven't had a chance to read them all, yet, I don't know which is my favorite. We have now read 3 of the Blandings stories, the last Psmith story (which is sort of a Blandings story, too), all of the Jeeves & Bertie stories (that we know of), most of the Mulliner and a few assorted stand alone stories (including the golfing stories--we especially liked The Clicking of Cuthbert). I guess the stories of Bertram Wilberforce Wooster are for the moment at the top. But everything the master wrote is so good to have to pick a favorite is so very difficult.By the way, we are in the San Diego area and are in need of finding these books in a used book store, preferably in practically mint condition. I can't justify spending close to 10 bucks at Barnes & Noble every time we want to add a new book to our collection. Anybody know of someplace that can satisfy our addiction to Plum?
From: Alberto Secades
Date: 10/22/98
My favourite saga is Bertie Wooster and Jeeves
From: suresh subramanian
Date: 10/21/98
My favorite wodehouse novel is 'Psmith in the city'. I think it is one of his classic works, sparkling with humor which does not resort to empty slapstick, like he sometimes did in his jeeves novels. Nearly every single scene in this one, be it the barge on Clapham Common or the hassling of Mr. Bickersdyke during his election speech hits the reader like a bottle of the finest champagne.
From: Linda Cantoni
Date: 10/13/98
From: Janet Xavier
Date: 9/22/98
PGW should never have died. He had absolutely no right to do so. Jeeves would have thought of a way to prevent it, I am sure. If only PGW has consulted him! And Jeeves would have approved of Psmith, too. Those immaculate trousers, the knife-like crease,...they would have got along splendidly. And Aunt Agatha would have had to admit defeat at last. Oh,well,I guess I just have to accept it as it is.
Well, tinkerty-tonk, pip-pip! and if you want me to be more formal, well, 'That will be all, sir.' Bye!
From: Elspeth Alexandra DeLeurere
Date: 9/21/98
I can't help but laugh when I read about nephew George's stuttering problem no matter how many times I read that story. I also particularly enjoyed the story of "The Wooing of Archibald." No matter how many times I read about Mr. Mulliner telling the boys at the Angler's Rest another story I can't help but laugh.
From: Mimi (homepage: http://www.angelfire.com/il/mimibailey)
Date: 9/16/98
From: Kumar Govindaswamy
Date: 9/13/98
My favourite novel would be one from the Psmith series, Jeeves series or Picaddily Jim.
From: Saumitra Joshi
Date: 8/29/98
From: Jim van Scoyoc
Date: 8/23/98
Two early Psmith books, Psmith In The City (1910) and Psmith, Journalist (1914) surpass the later work for sheer comedy, due mainly to the title character, though the endings are considerably weaker than the later typical Wodehouse wrap-up: in these early books, it is Psmith's wealthy father who saves the day by loosening his purse strings.
With regard to PBS' series is there really an instance of drag humor in Wodehouse's work? Cross dressing figured prominently in one of their stories but I can't think of a single story by Wodehouse in which it happened. Of course maybe there was a book that never made it Stateside.
From: Rebecca Young
Date: 8/22/98
From: Rosie
Date: 8/18/98
From: Heidi Logothetti
Date: 8/12/98
From: s.vidya
Date: 8/7/98
and my fav story is all ze wooster series :) cant just decide on a favourite
. they are all so absolutely wonderful
my next fav char is uncle fred and then i like bingo lils adventures
:)
corky is very cute too :)
From: maria forte
Date: 7/26/98
From: Babur Ansari
Date: 7/19/98
Cheers.
From: Rainer Gerbaulet
Date: 7/17/98
For the eye of the beholder: Jeeves (Stephen Fry) and Wooster (Hugh Laurie) are just INCREDIBLE.
My favourite short story is a golf story: The Clicking of Cuthbert.
From: Vinetha Belu
Date: 7/9/98
From: Malathi and Madhu Narayan
Date: 7/4/98
From: Elizabeth S. Hipps
Date: 6/22/98
From: marc nissenbaum
Date: 6/15/98
From: Joseph Richardson
Date: 6/7/98
From: Gordon
Date: 5/10/98
From: c. coker
Date: 5/9/98
From: Geeta N. Bhagat
Date: 5/7/98
In `Leave it to Psmith', I liked the scene where Psmith dashes out of the club with someone else's umbrella to save Phyllis's gorgeous hat from sudden rain.
Then the Lord Emsworth story where he learns to ``Pighooey''.
``Frozen Assets'' was roaring fun too. Christopher Edmund Biffen is forever biffing policemen and fears he has done it once too often and has lost his inheritance.
``If I Were You'' and ``The Girl in Blue'' too were good.
``Laughing Gas'' has always made me wish such things would happen in real life. ``Do Butlers Burgle Banks?" too would be in my list.
In ``Vintage Wodehouse'', the short story, Honeysuckle Cottage, had me in splits too. The scene where the table is upturned at the point the bachelor is about to let the atmosphere get to him and let go of his bachelor status.
Another short story called ``The Man, the Maid and the Miasma'' made my day one afternoon.
From: Sridhar Manyem
Date: 5/6/98
From: Ned Nedumaran
Date: 4/22/98
All of them!
At the moment my particular favorite is 'Trouble Down at Tudsleigh' - one of Freddie Widgeon stories. I was reading the 'Young Men in Spats' collection for the 100th time over last weekend. I was laughing all the time like a paper bag bursting until my ribs started creaking. 'Trouble' has almost all of the Master's inimitable elements: a great start (a Crumpet trying to sell a copy of Tennyson's poems), Freddie trying to impress his adored object (April Corroway) by memorizing Tennyson, a beefy rival (Captain Bradbury) who advises Freddie that "There is an excellent train in the morning at twelve-fifteen. You will catch it tomorrow", a grave kid (Prudence) who gets Freddie into trouble; except may be for the absence of Pekes and cats.
Happy reading!
From: Jim Bush
Date: 3/24/98
Ta-ta for now.
From: bahma sivasubramaniam
Date: 3/21/98
My favourite short story is "Lord Emsworth and The Girlfriend", described by Rudyard Kipling as the perfect short story. "The Clicking Of Cuthbert" is a close second. "Joy in the Morning" is my favourite novel.......I could wax lyrical about this man and it is fantastic to see that a lot of people regardless of colour, race and religion love the master as well. (it seems irreverent to call him "Plum")
From: Tom Kreitzberg
Date: 3/16/98