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P.G. Wodehouse : Five Complete Novels
Alternate cover for 0517405385
682 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
27 people are currently reading
651 people want to read
About the author
P.G. Wodehouse
1,680 books6,929 followersSir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE, was a comic writer who enjoyed enormous popular success during a career of more than seventy years and continues to be widely read over 40 years after his death. Despite the political and social upheavals that occurred during his life, much of which was spent in France and the United States, Wodehouse's main canvas remained that of prewar English upper-class society, reflecting his birth, education, and youthful writing career.
An acknowledged master of English prose, Wodehouse has been admired both by contemporaries such as Hilaire Belloc, Evelyn Waugh and Rudyard Kipling and by more recent writers such as Douglas Adams, Salman Rushdie and Terry Pratchett. Sean O'Casey famously called him "English literature's performing flea", a description that Wodehouse used as the title of a collection of his letters to a friend, Bill Townend.
Best known today for the Jeeves and Blandings Castle novels and short stories, Wodehouse was also a talented playwright and lyricist who was part author and writer of fifteen plays and of 250 lyrics for some thirty musical comedies. He worked with Cole Porter on the musical Anything Goes (1934) and frequently collaborated with Jerome Kern and Guy Bolton. He wrote the lyrics for the hit song Bill in Kern's Show Boat (1927), wrote the lyrics for the Gershwin/Romberg musical Rosalie (1928), and collaborated with Rudolf Friml on a musical version of The Three Musketeers (1928).
An acknowledged master of English prose, Wodehouse has been admired both by contemporaries such as Hilaire Belloc, Evelyn Waugh and Rudyard Kipling and by more recent writers such as Douglas Adams, Salman Rushdie and Terry Pratchett. Sean O'Casey famously called him "English literature's performing flea", a description that Wodehouse used as the title of a collection of his letters to a friend, Bill Townend.
Best known today for the Jeeves and Blandings Castle novels and short stories, Wodehouse was also a talented playwright and lyricist who was part author and writer of fifteen plays and of 250 lyrics for some thirty musical comedies. He worked with Cole Porter on the musical Anything Goes (1934) and frequently collaborated with Jerome Kern and Guy Bolton. He wrote the lyrics for the hit song Bill in Kern's Show Boat (1927), wrote the lyrics for the Gershwin/Romberg musical Rosalie (1928), and collaborated with Rudolf Friml on a musical version of The Three Musketeers (1928).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 16, 2015
My very favorite parts from each:
The Return of Jeeves
Wodehouse is fantastic at creating scary yet hilarious moments. When a character is feeling accusing and aggressive, Wodehouse writes: His "eyes were cold and hard, like picnic eggs."
Bertie Wooster Sees It Through
Oh, Bertie! I love your blithe banter you carry on with your gallant Aunt Dahlia. Sez aunt: "Bertie, you revolting object, that moustache is the most obscene thing I ever saw outside of a nightmare." Sez Bertie: "Never mind the old moustache, old flesh and blood. You leave it alone, and it'll leave you alone."
Spring Fever
We have some Hollywood slicks in this novel. Mike and Terry are in love, but she is afraid of loving him because he is absolutely drop-dead handsome. (Gives me as much sympathy as picnic eggs have.) But anyway, Mike is a talent agent, and he is skilled at schmoozing stubborn actresses. Sez Mike: His current actress "is one of those dumb females whose impulse, if you ask them to do something, is to say 'Well I dunno' and do the opposite, and there were times . . . when I felt like giving the thing up and beating her over the head with a bottle." Oh, those dames.
The Butler Did It
My favorite in this collection! We meet Bill, an art dealer with a sweet and jocular soul. He is in love--Or at least he will be shortly as the chapters progress. As we are introduced to him, our author writes: "his heart was light . . . Like the heroine of the poet Browning's 'Pippa Passes,' he was of the opinion that God was in His heaven and all right with the world. Indeed, if Pippa had happened to pass at that moment, he would have slapped her on the back and told her he knew just how she felt."
Our fine hero makes a call to a soon-to-be client. He makes an appointment to visit her family's manor.
Sez Bill: "I'm going to Shipley Hall this afternoon to look at your art collection."
Sez client: "Oh, good. Who are you?"
"Mr. Gish's assistant. Ah, shut up, woman."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm sorry. I was addressing the fatheaded lady receptionist at my elbow. She said she betted I couldn't say 'Mr. Gish's assistant' ten times quick."
"And can you?"
"I'm not sure."
Bill and his receptionist are chums, honest. These women-bashing bits are somehow great, refreshing and non-threatening to me. I dunno why!
The Old Reliable
We are back in Hollywood for this last novel! We have Wilhelmina and her sister Adela, who is a retired silent film actress. When the ladies enter an argument, Wilhelmina mentions, "I always maintain that you killed your husband."
Adela rebuts: "My husband was run over by a sightseeing omnibus."
"That may have helped," agrees her bold sister, "but it was being married to you that really did it."
The Return of Jeeves
Wodehouse is fantastic at creating scary yet hilarious moments. When a character is feeling accusing and aggressive, Wodehouse writes: His "eyes were cold and hard, like picnic eggs."
Bertie Wooster Sees It Through
Oh, Bertie! I love your blithe banter you carry on with your gallant Aunt Dahlia. Sez aunt: "Bertie, you revolting object, that moustache is the most obscene thing I ever saw outside of a nightmare." Sez Bertie: "Never mind the old moustache, old flesh and blood. You leave it alone, and it'll leave you alone."
Spring Fever
We have some Hollywood slicks in this novel. Mike and Terry are in love, but she is afraid of loving him because he is absolutely drop-dead handsome. (Gives me as much sympathy as picnic eggs have.) But anyway, Mike is a talent agent, and he is skilled at schmoozing stubborn actresses. Sez Mike: His current actress "is one of those dumb females whose impulse, if you ask them to do something, is to say 'Well I dunno' and do the opposite, and there were times . . . when I felt like giving the thing up and beating her over the head with a bottle." Oh, those dames.
The Butler Did It
My favorite in this collection! We meet Bill, an art dealer with a sweet and jocular soul. He is in love--Or at least he will be shortly as the chapters progress. As we are introduced to him, our author writes: "his heart was light . . . Like the heroine of the poet Browning's 'Pippa Passes,' he was of the opinion that God was in His heaven and all right with the world. Indeed, if Pippa had happened to pass at that moment, he would have slapped her on the back and told her he knew just how she felt."
Our fine hero makes a call to a soon-to-be client. He makes an appointment to visit her family's manor.
Sez Bill: "I'm going to Shipley Hall this afternoon to look at your art collection."
Sez client: "Oh, good. Who are you?"
"Mr. Gish's assistant. Ah, shut up, woman."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm sorry. I was addressing the fatheaded lady receptionist at my elbow. She said she betted I couldn't say 'Mr. Gish's assistant' ten times quick."
"And can you?"
"I'm not sure."
Bill and his receptionist are chums, honest. These women-bashing bits are somehow great, refreshing and non-threatening to me. I dunno why!
The Old Reliable
We are back in Hollywood for this last novel! We have Wilhelmina and her sister Adela, who is a retired silent film actress. When the ladies enter an argument, Wilhelmina mentions, "I always maintain that you killed your husband."
Adela rebuts: "My husband was run over by a sightseeing omnibus."
"That may have helped," agrees her bold sister, "but it was being married to you that really did it."
October 3, 2010
This was great. Formulaic? Yes. Predictable? Yes Hilarious? You betcher. Love the humor, the language, the characters, and the ridiculous predicaments. Good, quick, and enjoyable read.
September 5, 2020
For a longtime Wodehouse fan, a nice collection.
However, I do not recommend this for someone new to his works. These five books are rather obscure post-war novels and not very good representations of his work as a whole.
2/5 The Return of Jeeves
5/5 Bertie Wooster Sees It Through
3/5 Spring Fever
2/5 The Butler Did It
4/5 The Old Reliable
For someone looking to try Wodehouse's works for the first time, the first five books I would recommend are: Right Ho, Jeeves, The Code of the Woosters, The Inimitable Jeeves, Leave It to Psmith, and Carry On, Jeeves.
However, I do not recommend this for someone new to his works. These five books are rather obscure post-war novels and not very good representations of his work as a whole.
2/5 The Return of Jeeves
5/5 Bertie Wooster Sees It Through
3/5 Spring Fever
2/5 The Butler Did It
4/5 The Old Reliable
For someone looking to try Wodehouse's works for the first time, the first five books I would recommend are: Right Ho, Jeeves, The Code of the Woosters, The Inimitable Jeeves, Leave It to Psmith, and Carry On, Jeeves.
December 13, 2023
P.G. Wodehouse is a master of silliness and done with wit and charm, and the five books in this collection are strong representations of his extensive bibliography.
Indeed, this book kicks off with two examples of some of his most popular series — that of Jeeves and Wooster, the proper butler and his bumbling, dim-witted gentleman of leisure. And then continues with three free-standing tales, that poke gentle fun at people and situations. They endure because they are silly, funny and oh so clever. His work endures because they are unbelievably silly yet so endearing that fans return to them time and time again. These tales take readers into a world that no longer exists except in these pages, and when a chuckle, a giggle and a loud belly laugh is needed, provides it well written. These tales, as with all of Wodehouse's works, continue to delight.
Indeed, this book kicks off with two examples of some of his most popular series — that of Jeeves and Wooster, the proper butler and his bumbling, dim-witted gentleman of leisure. And then continues with three free-standing tales, that poke gentle fun at people and situations. They endure because they are silly, funny and oh so clever. His work endures because they are unbelievably silly yet so endearing that fans return to them time and time again. These tales take readers into a world that no longer exists except in these pages, and when a chuckle, a giggle and a loud belly laugh is needed, provides it well written. These tales, as with all of Wodehouse's works, continue to delight.
March 20, 2024
Two Jeeves novels (one with and one without Wooster) and three novels not from any series, although all prominently features butlers. I wonder if the stories were selected to show Wodehouse repeating themes. Not only do we find a multiplicity of English butlers, but two of them are also safe-crackers. In two different stories lovers are brought together by rendering the man unconscious, and a cosh from an earlier Jeeves book (which Jeeves has saved) receives additional use, to less amorous ends. The character of the characters, however, is distinct and diverse from story to story. And _The Butler Did It_ has a quite unexpected twist at the end.
December 30, 2017
I'm entering in all the titles on the shelf by Wodehouse. I know I've read others, but this is what I kept.
April 10, 2020
A wonderful assemblage of Wodehouse stories.
May 2, 2021
Always wonderfully witty, light and fun books; this was perfect pandemic reading.
July 6, 2021
Five complete novels about English butlers. A view of the human condition and how circumstances influence that view. Quite a lot of tongue in cheek humor.
Read
February 18, 2023Stopped partway in, wasn't enjoying these stories. Will do other jeeves stories
December 7, 2023
I didn't read all five novels; I only read The Butler Did It.
Great reading for the genre. Do not leave Wodehouse off your list!!
Great reading for the genre. Do not leave Wodehouse off your list!!
March 2, 2024
Read “The Old Reliable“ from this volume. Disappointing. Definitely not one of Wodehouse’s in best.
June 6, 2024
I was born in 1969, so not of his era, but I laugh out loud anyway. I have to collect his adjectives & adverbs that make me roar.
June 30, 2024
I like Jeeves very much. I liked the other butlers. The books, themselves, were tedious, and long-winded, and ridiculous. Sorry.
January 29, 2025
So enjoyable, only 1 of the stories has Wooster
September 27, 2025
It feels like a world you want to visit, I want to dodge those aunts and fall in love like Wodehouse story, the language is where the genius lies, so agile with words.
September 21, 2020
Wodehouse repeated reliable formulas--Two of these novels feature safecracking butlers--but in these harrowing times that can be just the ticket.
January 2, 2008
It's always unfortunate when I see the screen version of a book before I actually read it. But it can be difficult to avoid, unless one researches every single movie and television show before watching it.
P.G. Wodehouse, the man who introduced "Jeeves" as the generic butler moniker, clearly follows a formula. Young British (sometimes American) high society individuals are hard on their luck, due to the changing structure of society (i.e. Old Money and titles just don't cut it anymore, estates are expensive to manage, and a staff is hard to keep). His stories are full of charming but dense manchildren, impoverished but dashing young men, gloriously willful woman, domineering aunts, and the occasional brilliant butler who saves the day.
You can predict what's going to happen fairly easily after reading one or two stories.
But that's not what a person reads Wodehouse for.
The dialogue is some of the most sparkling, witty interchange in existence in the English language. Wodehouse captures the posh British way of speaking, with it's extraordinarily long sentences and bizarre slang like no other author I've been exposed to.
His characters, probably due to their extremely articulate nature, are extremely loveable. Even when it's clear what's bound to happen, the desire to read on remains strong so you can see how the specific individuals react. It doesn't matter that they will react the same way that all of his other characters did, it's still entertaining.
And, of course, after reading his work, you can go and watch Jeeves and Wooster, which embodies his style to perfection.
P.G. Wodehouse, the man who introduced "Jeeves" as the generic butler moniker, clearly follows a formula. Young British (sometimes American) high society individuals are hard on their luck, due to the changing structure of society (i.e. Old Money and titles just don't cut it anymore, estates are expensive to manage, and a staff is hard to keep). His stories are full of charming but dense manchildren, impoverished but dashing young men, gloriously willful woman, domineering aunts, and the occasional brilliant butler who saves the day.
You can predict what's going to happen fairly easily after reading one or two stories.
But that's not what a person reads Wodehouse for.
The dialogue is some of the most sparkling, witty interchange in existence in the English language. Wodehouse captures the posh British way of speaking, with it's extraordinarily long sentences and bizarre slang like no other author I've been exposed to.
His characters, probably due to their extremely articulate nature, are extremely loveable. Even when it's clear what's bound to happen, the desire to read on remains strong so you can see how the specific individuals react. It doesn't matter that they will react the same way that all of his other characters did, it's still entertaining.
And, of course, after reading his work, you can go and watch Jeeves and Wooster, which embodies his style to perfection.
January 14, 2013
I love the work of P.G. Wodehouse, but it is not especially varied in character, setting, plot, or theme. A minor British aristocrat, fallen on hard times, is living in an old English country house, supported by a butler who is capable of anything. This aristocrat's child is in love, but the financial resources necessary for the marriage are lacking. There is an easy source of windfall revenue in the household, but this turns out to be more difficult to get hold of than was first supposed. Probably it slips from the hero's grasp in a midnight contretemps, and is locked in a safe. In this case, one of the parties has a hidden history as a safecracker, but his efforts are stymied by unforeseen circumstances. Still, the deserving couple is united in an unexpected way, usually due to the resourcefulness of the butler.
Despite its predictability, it's fun to watch this happen.
Despite its predictability, it's fun to watch this happen.
April 6, 2012
These books were all silly - all about Englich gentleman (usually short of cash to fund their aging properties) and their English butlers who help get them out of scrapes. The word formulaic comes to mind. Only one was about the famous Jeeves and Wooster. What they all had in common was a really fun use of language - lots of odd Britishisms and funny dialogue. (It's probably a good thing that I have a poor memory for mimicing that sort of thing because it could get old fast - Right ho, old sport!) Any way they were a pleasant diversion and an interesting period piece.
February 19, 2020
These were the first P.G. Wodehouse books I ever read, and began my life-long love affair with anything and everything that Wodehouse ever wrote. He had a magic way of combining comedy, crime, confusion, and just a dab of romance. These five books of his specifically I love for sentimental reasons, but also they are fantastic in their own right. If you love witty dialogue, slapstick comedy, and petty crimes, Wodehouse is your man. Have your butler bring you a copy!
June 13, 2008
Mr. Wodehouse writes fun, easy-to-read, stories that are full of british wit and humor. Typically my reading has not included these sorts of books, but Wodehouse (and some other authors such as Vonnegut & Rushdie) are exceptions. Wodehouse certainly had a talent for story-telling. Easy and entertaining served with a side of british humor!
October 6, 2010
I read the first two stories in this collection: The Return of Jeeves, and Bertie Wooster Sees It Through. It's my first time reading Wodehouse, and he's pretty funny. Jeeves is a great character, and I'm going to find more books that feature him. These two stories were fine and amusing, but as much good as I've heard about P.G. Wodehouse, I know there's got to be better.
November 6, 2010
Why am I reading Wodehouse? Doug Wilson mentioned him one too many times, and I’m glad he did! Of this volume I’ve read The Return of Jeeves and Bertie Wooster Sees It Through. Both afforded plenty of laughs and delightful turns of phrase. I look forward to picking it up again to read the other three novels included.
December 2, 2011
P.G. Wodehouse loves certain things. He loves a man who drinks and gets a little dotty. He loves a butler who used to be a safe-cracker. He loves a confirmed bachelor who barely slips away from the lovely, wickedly smart, beautiful woman. And he loves to point out fashion mistakes. All very predictable but he makes me laugh despite the humor template.
July 6, 2012
Fantastic book!!!! I love P.G Wodehouse - his use of the English language is absolutely hilarious! All of them are short stories about a rich man that doesn't have any backbone whatsoever. He depends on Jeeves his gentleman's gentleman to get him out of sticky situations. They are very very funny! Occasionally Wodehouse does cuss but only very minorly.
May 29, 2010
I was crying with pain after the first chapter. Maybe it was just because I'd had a tough day, but Rory and Moke's conversation just undid me. I saved a chapter each night for two weeks just to release the day's tension in a healthy belly-laugh.
August 9, 2007
Five Wodehouse books undert one cover: sublime!
October 16, 2007
I like the early Jeeves stories better. But still laugh out loud funny.
May 8, 2008
Thus far I've only read The Return of Jeeves in this omnibus.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews