Revisiting something old.

[derien.livejournal.com]

I'm sad that there are so few answers to sn4fu's question about what is the funniest Wodehouse book.  I keep checking back to see if there are any more answers.  I totally understand that it's a hard question to answer - I didn't even answer it, myself, because I haven't read all of his books, and my memory is the worst in the world (I mean, which one was it where they spiked Gussie's orange juice before he went to make the speech to the school kids?  Was that the same one where he was on Anatole's skylight?), so I don't feel up to making a judgment.  And I think my favorite is "Mike and Psmith" or "Psmith in the City," but neither of them would qualify as the funniest. 

Comments

[kryptyd.livejournal.com]

I have a good few Wodehouse books and I can't bring myself to read them because they're not Jeeves and Wooster. My mother promises me they are just as funny but I just can't get into the mood to read them. I read one non-Jeeves book of his, The Indiscretions of Archie, and it was quite good (bad Irish stereotypes and all) but it didn't have the charm of being set in England.

[derien.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could try to pretend it's an author you don't know? "Oh, look, something by a guy named Pelham. What a funny name. I wonder what they called him for short?"

[anima-mecanique.livejournal.com]

Have you tried the Psmith books? Because Psmith is just as immediately attention-grabbing as Jeeves and Wooster, I promise.

I mean, you have to love a fellow who decides in school that his name shall be spelled with a silent P, and then apparently KEEPS IT UP FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

[shakanaman.livejournal.com]

on an unrelated note, I really LOVE your icon!

[derien.livejournal.com]

If you mean mine, why, thank you. :) weaselwoman made it, and I'm quite fond of it.

[derien.livejournal.com]

Ack! weaselwoman13 I mean!

[anima-mecanique.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've been trying to decide myself...the scene with drunken Gussie takes the absolute cake, I think, but on the other hand I think Jeeves in the Morning had me laughing out loud more often. To the point where I really couldn't read it in public or else people would stare.


Psmith In The City was the most comically satisfying, I think, but not quite as laugh-out-loud funny. There's a difference, I think.

[derien.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, I guess you're right, as far as comically satisfying. I love the juxtaposition of Psmith with his father, Mr. Smith - although they both have a knack for picking up new knowledge very quickly, Mr. Smith is a classic ADHD type - he throws himself totally into new things, and he moves fast. Psmith is languid, and applies himself to learning new things which he chooses carefully to benefit himself (i.e. taking an interest in football so as to ingraciate himself with the boss in his department so that he'd be able to have the run of the place).

And the blackmailing scene in the sauna. :)