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A Toast to Vintage P.G. Wodehouse Books

2 min read

12 tip-top vintage P.G. Wodehouse books

1. MIKE A PUBLIC SCHOOL STORY (1909)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/p-gwodehouses-mike-a-public-school-story-a-c-black-1924
A veritable hatchling in Wodehouse's canon, Mike. A Public School Story introduces us to Mike Jackson, a young chap whose aptitude for cricket outshines even the midday sun. It also marks the debut of the inimitable Psmith, who, with his monocle and idiosyncratic wit, adds a layer of debonair complexity to Wodehouse's world.

2. SOMETHING FRESH (1915)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/p-g-wodehouses-something-fresh-methuen-1931
Casting a spotlight on Blandings Castle, the idyllic realm of the befuddled Lord Emsworth and his cherished pig, the Empress, Something Fresh serves up an effervescent tonic of wit and whimsy. It's the volume where Wodehouse truly hits his farcical stride.

3. PICCADILLY JIM (1917)
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A whirlwind of transatlantic capers, Piccadilly Jim showcases the woeful entanglements of one James Crocker, a socialite with a penchant for mischief. The sparkling dialogue and twisty plot make this a Wodehouse classic of the first water.

4. LEAVE IT TO PSMITH (1923)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/pgwodehouses-leave-it-to-psmith-herbert-jenkins-c1928
Psmith, that languid lothario of the lexicon, stars centre-stage in Leave It to Psmith. He infiltrates Blandings Castle, ostensibly to purloin a diamond necklace but really to steal our hearts. Ah, the charm of it all!

5. THE INIMITABLE JEEVES (1923)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/p-g-wodehouses-the-inimitable-jeeves-herbert-jenkins-
6th-printing
Introducing that quintessentially British duo, Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves, The Inimitable Jeeves is an anthology that navigates the labyrinthine social mores of 1920s London. It's a perfect starter kit to the world of Wooster and his attendant servant savant.

6. A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS (1928)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/p-g-wodehouses-a-damsel-in-distress-star-books-1975
Jazz Age tunes mingle with ancestral splendour in A Damsel in Distress, a comedy of errors featuring neither Bertie nor Jeeves but equally rich in farcical finesse.

7. HEAVY WEATHER (1933)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/pgwodehouses-heavy-weather-1960
Returning to Blandings Castle, Heavy Weather sets Lord Emsworth against his indomitable sister Connie, with the Empress of Blandings at the porcine centre of it all. The text is as sparkling as the morning dew on an English rose.

8. RIGHT HO, JEEVES (1934)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/right-ho-jeeves-carry-on-jeeves-by-p-g-wodehouse-heron-books
Perhaps the magnum opus of the Jeeves and Wooster oeuvre, Right Ho, Jeeves includes the infamous episode of Gussie Fink-Nottle's sozzled prize-giving. It's as British as crumpets and as timeless as a well-cut tweed suit, and to make it even more topping this edition comes bundled with Carry On, Jeeves!

9. THE CODE OF THE WOOSTERS (1938)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/the-code-of-the-woosters-by-p-g-wodehouse-penguin-1954
Featuring the ghastly Roderick Spode and the delightful Aunt Dahlia, The Code of the Woosters plunges Bertie and Jeeves into a tale of cow-creamer thefts and unwelcome engagements. It's an escapade one simply mustn't miss.

10. MEET MR. MULLINER (1927)
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Mr. Mulliner, the loquacious raconteur of the Angler's Rest pub, delivers tales as tall as an Englishman's top hat in Meet Mr. Mulliner. A bevy of short stories, it offers something for every Wodehouse aficionado.

11. UNCLE FRED IN THE SPRINGTIME (1939)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/p-g-wodehouses-uncle-fred-in-the-springtime-herbert-jenkins
Uncle Fred, that irrepressible force of nature, bursts forth in Uncle Fred in the Springtime, sowing chaos and unmitigated joy at Blandings Castle. He is to stability what a fox is to a henhouse.

12. THE MATING SEASON (1949)
https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/p-g-wodehouses-the-mating-season-1957-1961-penguin
Bringing down the curtain, The Mating Season pairs Bertie Wooster with a host of faux identities and romantic imbroglios. It's Wodehouse's nod to Shakespearean comedy, with a hearty dose of the 20th-century British upper crust.

 

Summary

And there we have it, a dashing dozen of Wodehouse marvels, each a pearl in the literary necklace of vintage P.G. Wodehouse books. Enjoy, what?


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