Carry on, Jeeves - bookrastinating.com

273 pages

English language

Published Nov. 13, 2003 by Overlook Press.

ISBN:: 978-1-58567-392-6
OCLC Number:: 54530279

'You don't analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour.' Stephen FryA Jeeves and Wooster collectionThese marvellous stories introduce us to Jeeves, whose first ever duty is to cure Bertie's raging hangover ('If you would drink this, sir... it is a little preparation of my own invention. It is the Worcester Sauce that gives it its colour. The raw egg makes it nutritious. The red pepper gives it its bite. Gentlemen have told me they have found it extremely invigorating after a late evening.')And from that moment, one of the funniest, sharpest and most touching partnerships in English literature never looks back...

14 editions

Bodhipaksa reviewed Carry on, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse (The collector's Wodehouse)

Wodehouse: a master stylist

5 stars

I didn't mean to read this book. I was in the middle of a big, fat sci-fi novel, but started writing a Wodehouse pastiche and felt the need to immerse myself in his writing and to study his technique. I downloaded a whole bunch of Wodehouse titles (mainly Jeeves and Wooster) and happened to pick this one to read first.

I'd read several of the stories before, possibly in another collection.

I have to say, Wodehouse is a genius. His plots are ridiculously lightweight and thin. But his writing is glorious. It was a stroke of brilliance to have Bertram Wooster be a well-educated halfwit. It means that we're reading the words of a man who was deeply immersed in the language of the Bible, Shakespeare, and the Romantic poets, and who weaves references into his speech all the time in appropriate ways. But often he mangles them …

I didn't mean to read this book. I was in the middle of a big, fat sci-fi novel, but started writing a Wodehouse pastiche and felt the need to immerse myself in his writing and to study his technique. I downloaded a whole bunch of Wodehouse titles (mainly Jeeves and Wooster) and happened to pick this one to read first.

I'd read several of the stories before, possibly in another collection.

I have to say, Wodehouse is a genius. His plots are ridiculously lightweight and thin. But his writing is glorious. It was a stroke of brilliance to have Bertram Wooster be a well-educated halfwit. It means that we're reading the words of a man who was deeply immersed in the language of the Bible, Shakespeare, and the Romantic poets, and who weaves references into his speech all the time in appropriate ways. But often he mangles them to hilarious effect:

"I'm not absolutely certain of my facts, but I rather fancy it’s Shakespeare—or, if not, it’s some equally brainy lad—who says that it’s always just when a chappie is feeling particularly top-hole and more than usually braced with things in general that Fate sneaks up behind him with the bit of lead piping. There’s no doubt the man’s right."

He also has the most glorious similes and metaphors, like this:

"On the occasions when aunt is calling to aunt like bellowing mastodons across primeval swamps a... the clan has a tendency to ignore me. It’s one of the advantages I get from being a bachelor—and, according to my nearest and dearest, practically a half witted bachelor at that."

And the early 20th century slang and phraseology is a delight.

I'm glad I have so much of Wodehouse's work downloaded. I'm looking forward to reading more.