P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (P. G. Wodehouse) was a 20th century humorist author.
P. G. Wodehouse remains so well loved because of his enduring characters and inimitable style, says Sophie Ratcliffe, associate professor of English at Oxford University who chooses his best books. She also recommends reading his autobiography which is included in Wodehouse on Wodehouse and she had edited a collection of his letters PG Wodehouse.
“One of the things, apart from what I’ve already mentioned, that makes them so good and so time-proof is the clockwork precision of the plots.” Philip Pullman, who selected the Jeeves and Wooster stories in his five favourite books.
Books by P. G. Wodehouse
“I first came across these when I was about 16, and my stepfather’s parents sent me one of the Jeeves books for Christmas. I’d never heard of him or them, and I didn’t know what they were about. I read it because it was a book, and books were fun. I thought it was terrific. Really wonderfully funny. I’ve gone on thinking that for the subsequent 60 years or so.” Read more...
Philip Pullman, Children's Author
“The P in Psmith, you learn, is silent, as in pneumonia or psittacosis. We’ve been speaking about humor and escapism and jeu d’esprit and yet, the Wodehouse book that I’ve selected has more of a social conscience than any other Wodehouse I can think of. It is about crusading, rabblerousing and doing the right thing. Rupert Psmith was always my favorite among Wodehouse creations. He is an etiolated, monocled figure with a dry wit and he’s paired with his friend Mike, who is quite normal. The Psmith series just gets funnier. In this book, Psmith is muckraking in New York tenements. So, it has a social conscience, but it is still a delight.” Read more...
Neil Gaiman, Novelist
“Wodehouse has such a gift with language. The placement of the word “macaroon” in this story is magnificent.” Read more...
Sophie Ratcliffe, Literary Scholar
“Summer Lightning is a detective story crossed with a romantic farce. It’s set in Blandings Castle, Wodehouse’s famous fictional country idyll.” Read more...
Sophie Ratcliffe, Literary Scholar
“It contains his autobiography, in which he describes his Victorian childhood. He used to visit grand houses but was incredibly shy.” Read more...
Sophie Ratcliffe, Literary Scholar
“This is a short story collection, which includes what Kipling said was ‘the most perfect short story ever written’.” Read more...
Sophie Ratcliffe, Literary Scholar
“Wodehouse is one of those people who became famous … for being oblivious and yet also incredibly observant.” Read more...
The best books on The Comic Novel
Allen MacDuffie, Literary Scholar
Interviews where books by P. G. Wodehouse were recommended
The best books on The Comic Novel, recommended by Allen MacDuffie
Literature teacher from the University of Texas says the intelligence behind the confusion in comic novels must be essentially benign – like being tickled.
The Best PG Wodehouse Books, recommended by Sophie Ratcliffe
A prolific writer sometimes oblivious to events going on around him, PG Wodehouse remains so well loved because of his enduring characters and inimitable style, says Sophie Ratcliffe, associate professor of English at Oxford University and editor of his letters.
Comfort Reads, recommended by Neil Gaiman
In his latest book, fans from around the world chose which of Neil Gaiman’s writings they liked the best, a great introduction to his writing for anyone not familiar with his work. Here the prolific, genre-bending author recommends some of his own favourite books: comfort reads to turn to in difficult times.
Favourite Books, recommended by Philip Pullman
The author Philip Pullman—creator of the beloved His Dark Materials trilogy, and one of the world’s great storytellers—recommends five of his favourite books: from a fragmentary masterpiece by Fernando Pessoa to P. G. Wodehouse’s comic triumphs.
