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Summary: Doesn't the Arrow Collar ad guy look like Stephen Fry?
Review:
In a world congested to overflowing with books, _Leave It to Psmith_ stands alone.
My only complaint is Sheed's introduction--how can you bash the author of the book you're introducing?? I suppose it is higher literary criticism, but its effect on me was to make me feel like I'm reading trash only consumed by the undiscriminating public. "Nobody ever struggled harder to suppress his genius in the interests of amiable tripe. . . . Wodehouse wrote first and last for money. If he finally became a sort of artist, it was only because it paid to," etc., etc. It's really too much. Couldn't Random House find someone better to introduce the book?
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Summary: The best of the Psmith series
Review: "Leave it to Psmith" concludes the evolution of the Psmith character, from Wodehouse's earliest style of writing with the "Schools" genre, to a comic character whose dialogue keeps the reader entertained throughout. This story sees Psmith enter into Blandings Castle, and though Lord Emsworth is not the dominant character he later becomes, flashes of brilliance are visible in his appearances (and in those of Lady Constance, who plays an important role in this book). "Leave it to Psmith" is packed full of witty dialogue, readily suited to Psmith's character, and the traditional Wodehouse farce for the plot (misunderstandings, a stolen necklace, and so forth). The ending is predictable, of course, but this is hardly the point. It is the use of language that makes this such an enjoyable tale. Wodehouse connoisseurs all have their own favourite phrases, or particular sections of books that strike them as humorous from the prolific collection of Wodehouse's works. Suffice to say, several of my personal favourite sections appear in this book - Psmith at the employment agency, or describing his career as a fishmonger spring to mind. Those who enjoy the Blandings or Jeeves and Wooster series would do well to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: The best of the Psmith series
Review: "Leave it to Psmith" concludes the evolution of the Psmith character, from Wodehouse's earliest style of writing with the "Schools" genre, to a comic character whose dialogue keeps the reader entertained throughout. This story sees Psmith enter into Blandings Castle, and though Lord Emsworth is not the dominant character he later becomes, flashes of brilliance are visible in his appearances (and in those of Lady Constance, who plays an important role in this book). "Leave it to Psmith" is packed full of witty dialogue, readily suited to Psmith's character, and the traditional Wodehouse farce for the plot (misunderstandings, a stolen necklace, and so forth). The ending is predictable, of course, but this is hardly the point. It is the use of language that makes this such an enjoyable tale. Wodehouse connoisseurs all have their own favourite phrases, or particular sections of books that strike them as humorous from the prolific collection of Wodehouse's works. Suffice to say, several of my personal favourite sections appear in this book - Psmith at the employment agency, or describing his career as a fishmonger spring to mind. Those who enjoy the Blandings or Jeeves and Wooster series would do well to read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Very nice, but ........
Review: I love just about anything written by Wodehouse - i'm a big fan. But i can't bring myself to give this book five stars. Why ? Well, Lord Emsworth is a favourite character of mine, and Blandings is the setting for many a well-loved tale. The introduction of Psmith, another big favourite, raised my expectations, perhaps a bit too much. Basically, even though it was a light, breezy read, it didn't make me laugh aloud too many times, which is unusual for a Wodehouse novel. If you're new to Wodehouse or Emsworth/Psmith, i'd suggest you try 'Summer Lightning' for an introduction to Lord Emsworth (and the great 'Uncle Fred'), and 'Psmith in the city' for Psmith. If you're a fan, chances are you'll lap this up anyways ......
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Summary: Another world of prose.
Review: If you like Wodehouse you will probably enjoy Saki too. The forward in the book was of interest, especially after just finishing Byron who Sheed claims created an anti-artist movement in England due the general disfavor Byron had among much of the public. Gilbert and Sulivan as well as Wodehouse, among others, are the resultant anti-artist artists. School Masters throughout England were on guard to make sure they did not produce another Shelly or Byron, drowning would be pretenders to the thrown in ridicule and derision. The likes of Wodehouse, not Flauberts, were the result according to Sheed, who introduced the book. I laughed hardily some four times, chuckled some six times, felt soporific inducement twice, phantom retching feelings thrice. The plot's believability qualifies for the realm of sci-fi. Wodehouse creates a world of unique language and sophomoric hijinks, his anti-hero has a manner of speaking to everyone as if they were an affable child, without condescension, but with a co-conspirital flavor that is approving and jocund -- possibly Wodehouse's greatest quality. The book could be shorter, by some 50 pages, some jokes and jovial flavors of feeling were wrung out for everything they were worth.
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Summary: Unlike olives, Psmith is not an acquired taste!
Review: If you own 10 Wodehouse books, this should be one of them. For years I have been a huge fan of the farcical Bertie & Jeeves stories. This book also throws some romance and a touch of mystery into the brew. Be careful that you are not in public or that you are not in the middle of having a drink when you reach page 198, because I am warning you - you will erupt into a fit of freakish laughter which probably won't subside for another 5 or 10 minutes, with intermittent relapses thereafter. The eccentric and congenially self-absorbed Wodehousian hero of this novel is Psmith - pronounced with a silent P as in Ptarmigan (he finds that his birth name, Smith, is just too boring). Although he holds a membership to London's six most exclusive clubs and never a wrinkle or misplaced crease did find its way into his impeccable attire, he finds himself in dire financial straits. To make it worse, while lounging in the smoking-room window of the Drones Club, he instantly falls in love with a passing young dainty - but he has no idea how to introduce himself into her society. Yet there might be a solution to his problems through the ad for work-wanted that he recently placed in the Morning Globe. In the caption he expresses the sentiment that he will take on any job whatever (including assassinating Aunts) except for anything relating to fish. You have a problem? "Leave it to Psmith!" He ends up impersonating a well-known Canadian poet in order to introduce himself onto the guest list at beloved Blandings Castle, presided over by the eminent Lord Emsworth. While there he must steal a diamond necklace from under the tireless eye of The Efficient One - Emsworth's flower-pot-wielding secretary Baxter. Enjoy!
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Summary: The best of 'em all....
Review: It's real hard to actually say whether a particular Wodehousian novel is better than any other, but this one really takes the cake (and eats it too!) A marvellous story of the mayhem, chaos and utter confusion wreaked by the suave, amiable Psmith, this book leaves you gasping for more (even if you don't smoke a gasper). For Wodehousian fans, if you haven't read this one, well, what on earth have you been doing all these years!?! And for people who have no idea who or what or when a Wodehouse is, there's no better place to start than this bundle of craziness.
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Summary: The First Potty Doings at Blandings Castle
Review: Leave It to Psmith (pronounced "Smith") is the first P.G. Wodehouse novel about Blandings Castle and its inmates, Clarence, ninth earl of Emsworth, his daunting sister, Lady Constance Keeble and Beach, the butler. Fans of later Blandings Castle tales will be a little puzzled by this one. Clarence is obsessed with flowers and gardening rather than pigs. The Empress of Blandings is nowhere in sight. And the main plot catalyst is Psmith, that remarkable public school character from the early Wodehouse novels, rather than Galahad Threepwood or Uncle Fred.
Although this is not the best of the Blandings Castle tales, it has one of the best plots and does an effective job of introducing the ongoing characters and jokes. The interrelationships of the characters in the past and present are remarkable for their complexity and present lots of deja vu scenes.
Psmith and Clarence are two of Wodehouse's finest creations and the central joy of this book is found in their extended interactions.
As usual, love and money are at the bottom of the plot. Psmith cannot bear to be in the fish business any longer and advertises that he will do anything -- even commit a crime -- to get a change of pace. Clarence's son, Freddie Threepwood, contacts Psmith and asks him to help with an inside-the-family theft of his aunt's necklace. Although his uncle is rolling in the stuff, Lady Constance keeps him on a short leash. Freddie's uncle will give her another necklace like the one that's "stolen" and use the money to help Freddie and his uncle's step-daughter Phyllis. Freddie needs the money to attract a bride and Phyllis needs to help her new husband get a start on life.
Like the other Blandings Castle stories, the castle is full of imposters. Psmith himself is posing as a poet, but is constantly being unmasked by those who choose to keep his secret for a time.
Complications come when Psmith finds himself falling in love with a young woman whom he spies outside the Drones Club needing an umbrella. The young woman turns out to be on her way to Blandings Castle as well. It also turns out that Freddie has been proposing to her, but hasn't worn her down yet. Who will win the fair maiden?
The book has some of the funniest scenes in it that you can imagine involving flower pots. It's an inspired beginning to the many jokes that follow in later books about potty people residing at Blandings Castle.
Capital. Capital. Capital.
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Summary: PRINT TOO SMALL
Review: Psmith and Lord Emsworth together. What more can a Wodehouse fan want? The novel has everything that a Wodehouse lover yearns for. Lots of hilarious impersonations, the antics of the absent minded Lord Emsworth, the suavely nonpareil Psmith with his unique way of speaking, multiple impersonators wanting to steal the same thing from Blandings castle, the plight of Baxter....everything is there. This must be the most enthralling Wodehouse book I have ever read, though it is very difficult to choose the best. I read it for the first time when I was sixteen and through the years that have followed I have reread it a dozen times cover to cover and have enjoyed it as much or even more with every reading.
And even if I don't read the whole book, whenever I hold the volume in my hand in a book shop or in a library or in someone's house, I read and re-read the place where Psmith proposes to Eve Halliday. That is simply sublime.
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Summary: Leave it to Psmith
Review: Psmith was one of Wodehouse's most popular characters. Wodehouse's last finished book was published in 1974...but he had retired Psmith by 1923, with the publication of Leave it to Psmith. Hard to believe, and a bit of a shame. On the plus side, resoundingly, this swan song for R. Psmith is pure gold. What a terrific idea to finish up with Psmith at Blandings! Psmith is at his unpredictable best; his quest at Blandings involves a dual aim...pinching Constance Keeble's necklace in a good cause (several people would benefit from this unspeakable felony, including Psmith's old friend, Mike Jackson who, alas, never appears in this story where his name is so bandied about), and pitching woo to Eve Halliday, sorter and filer of Lord Emsworth's books. The plot really explodes once we finally get to Blandings, but the lengthy lead-in to this, which introduces the extensive roster of characters, provides many amusing moments as well, chiefly due to Lord Emsworth's ability to misinterpret anything said to him, and his inability to detect Psmith substituting for an irate poet whom Lord Emsworth only just parted company with, temporarily, a few minutes previously. As for the frosting: the Efficient One, Baxter, is humiliated once again, this time via fifteen flower pots (not counting a sixteenth flower pot, the one he was really after, but moves around quite a bit, as flower pots containing valuable necklaces are apt to do), Freddy Threepwood is in the wrong place at the right time. And of course, Blandings Castle still collects imposters like some gigantic net built for this purpose. In fact, in this book it is as if a vast conveyor belt is dispensing imposters at the castle on some kind of regular schedule; once Psmith finagles his way into the castle as the poet McTodd, others with the same intention have taken a number and are merely a step behind. There is no avoiding a bittersweet taste to this wonderful romp which sees Psmith fading into the sunset, but what a joyous way to go. Thankfully, my favourite Wodehouse character, the Ninth Earl of Emsworth, was not going anywhere just yet (a man losing his spectacles this often is, naturally, not so mobile).
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