Bertie and Jeeves in small bites
Rating:
4 / 5
This book of short stories is great for P.G. Wodehouse fans who only have time for small doses. The stories are obviously not as fully developed as the Jeeves novels, but each one is a satisfying bite. A unique feature of this book is the last short story, written with Jeeves as the narrator, because nearly all the other Jeeves stories and books are written with Bertie as the narrator. This one doesn't flow as nicely as Bertie's narrative style, which we're more used to of course, but it's interesting for dedicated Wodehouse readers.
My first Jeeves
Rating:
4 / 5
P.G. Wodehouse's CARRY ON, JEEVES, is a masterpiece of hilarity! Jeeves is Bertram (Bertie) Wooster's manservant in jolly old England. Jeeves is always there to get poor Bertie out of his farcical jams. This book was first published in 1925, but the comedy plays out just as well today. I especially love the variety of turns of phrases that pop up on every page. (Imagine being described by Bertie as: "As vague and woollen-headed a blighter as ever bit a sandwich."!) Each of the ten short chapters is another adventure, with the last adventure being told from Jeeve's own point of view. I highly recommend this book, and I can't wait to read the others in the series!
Classic Wodehousiana!
Rating:
5 / 5
Martin Jarvis' reading of Carry On, Jeeves runs circles around Jonathan Cecil's reading of anything (for more on Cecil, see Psmith: Journalist). He simply embodies the characters of Bertie Wooster, Jeeves, Biffy, Corky, and all the cast (albeit with the same typical attempt at an American accent). Carry On, Jeeves contains eight of the ten stories available in the print version (the remaining two stories appear on My Man Jeeves), so completists will want that, but for pure enjoyment, you can't go wrong with this. Even the titles Wodehouse writes are funny, my favorite being "The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy." They simply roll off the tongue. The stories here include "Jeeves Takes Charge" (chronologically the first as it tells the story of Jeeves' entry into Bertie's life). The others, namely "The Artistic Career of Corky," "Clustering Round Young Bingo," "Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest" (about a young cousin of Bertie's who goes wild under his wing), and "Jeeves and the Hard-Boiled Egg" are all classics of the Wodehousian genre and show Jeeves at his problem-solving best. This would easily appeal to the casual Wodehouse fan, and is perfect for long road trips or any other situation where a laugh is needed. Wodehouse exceeds all others in humor and, one assumes, will remain that way for centuries to come.
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