Plum Sauce

Rating:
Summary: The Wonderful World of Wodehouse
Review: Anyone who has stumbled on the numerous Wodehouse collections edited by Richard Usborne knows that their topics range widely, from golf to crime, "dumb chums" like Joffrey the cat to Drones Club regulars, the odd aunt and the odder uncle. Who better then to provide the ultimate guide to everything penned by the prolific PGW? Furthermore, this book is a necessity for the beginning novice just cracking the spine of a first Jeeves adventure as well as the veteran with a merry twinkle, the sure sign of a long addiction to Wodehouse's "laughing gas." If laughter is the best medicine, Dr. Usborne's prescription herein is guaranteed to extend, if not the days in your life, at least the life in your days. But how can such a delightful pleasure be passed off as essential for all and sundry desiring to delve into the wonderful world of Wodehouse?

Even the casual reader in pursuit of PGW will soon discover twists and turns in the path that would make the quills stand up on the fretful porpentine. Where to start with over one hundred books? Which of the British books were published under different titles in America and vice versa? If you did want to undertake the Herculean task of reading all the Wodehouse in chronological order, where would you begin? Happily, Richard Usborne, playing Jeeves to PG's Wooster, lays all that out in a delightful and enticing manner. So put your trust in a higher power, settle down to the eggs and b. and enjoy the wonderful world of Wodehouse.

Rating:
Summary: A Loving Look at Great Comic Writing
Review: The average person will never read as many full-length books in a lifetime as P.G. Wodehouse wrote. The bulk of the books are a little hard to find in the average library or bookstore. Where should one begin?

Although I have read over a dozen Wodehouse works, I find myself wanting to know what to read next. As someone who is addicted to Bertie Wooster and Jeeves, I naturally look for those first . . . but what are all of those books anyway? With Plum Sauce, I now have a synopsis of each Wodehouse book so I can pick out which titles have Bertie and Jeeves in them.

But wait, there's more. Some of my favorite characters from the Jeeves books also show up in books without Bertie and Jeeves. Now I know which books are those. So I can go after those next.

But, just a minute, P.G. Wodehouse also wrote other comic stories about other characters who sound just as interesting as Bertie and Jeeves. I'll have to read those, too.

Golly, I just realized from this book that he also wrote golf stories. Can you imagine how funny those must be? Those are on the list now.

So just these overviews are of immense value to any Wodehouse fan.

Hold your horses, though, there's more. Mr. Usborne has also written fine essays about the backgrounds, appeal and development of Mr. Wodehouse's main characters. From these fine comments, you can deepen your appreciation of the stories. I especially liked the reference to how Bertie Wooster is the archetype of the perpetual fifteen year old, done as a nit-wit among half-wits. Mr. Wodehouse's sense of fun has obviously rubbed off on Mr. Usborne, and he makes his essays as light and funny as possible.

Stop the presses! The book is also filled with dozens of the wittiest quotes from the various books that will tickle your fancy on any gloomy day (something that never occurs in Mr. Wodehouse's perpetually sunny England).

Now listen here, me fine reader, Mr. Usborne also provides biographical details about Mr. Wodehouse that add understanding to your reading. I was especially glad that Mr. Usborne addressed Mr. Wodehouse's controversial radio broadcasts in Germany during the Nazi era.

If you want to have lots of smiles, giggle and guffaws in your life, YOU NEED THIS BOOK!!!!

Keep up the old feudal spirit.

Rating:
Summary: ESSENTIAL
Review: WOW!! This book is essential if you plan to read anything ever written by P.G. Wodehouse.

I had read the Inimitable Jeeves and seen season #1 of Jeeves and Wooster on DVD. I was hooked and wanted more.

Using the traditional Amazon search engines, you get pummeled with the books presented in an incoherent fashion, and as is so often the case, a kind fan will lay out the order of the books for you. BUT NOT THIS TIME.

You delve deeper and you see there are several series -- PSmith, Drones, Blandings Castle, ever reliable Jeeves and Bertie and others.

And then I discovered this book. And you go on to learn Wodehouse wrote well over 90 books -- and this book lays them all out for you in chronological order.

I especially loved the original cover art included for many of the books.

A LITTLE HINT -- THE BOOK INTIMATES THAT SOME OF WODEHOUSE'S EARLY BOOKS WERE A MIXED BAG -- SO IT STEERED ME TOWARDS NEXT READING "MIKE" WHICH INTRODUCES YOU TO PSMITH.

Mike is an unbelievable book and my plan is to cover the books written chronologically from there. I've shelved Jeeves and Bertie for awhile but they're coming up soon enough.

I can't thank the guy who wrote this book enough --- he really did a great service to fans and potential fans of Wodehouse.