Summer Classics- P.G. Wodehouse

I know. Wodehouse is an author, not a book.  But the genius of Wodehouse is best seen in his body of work, not in any individual book or story.

Most literate people have heard his name, even more are familiar with his most famous character, even if they are unaware of the connection.  Jeeves is one of the world's most celebrated butlers (even though he is a valet).  He even has a search engine named after him.

In the Jeeves cannon, Jeeves is employed by Bertie Wooster, a gentleman bachelor with more good humor than intelligence.  He refers his every crisis and those of his friends to Jeeves.

I was first introduced to Wodehouse (and Jeeves and Wooster) several months ago, when I moved into an apartment that until recently had been guest housing for the theatre I used to work at.  Among a few coffee table books about the geographical area was a copy of Jeeves in the Morning (which I absconded with, with a few others).  After I finished it, I went around the corner to a used bookstore and bought out their collection of Wodehouse.  A few days ago I repeated the exercise.

These novels and short stories are so accessible that the less pretentious reader may be shocked to discover its 'classic' status.  Even (or especially) fairly young readers can enjoy these books.  For the discerning adult, they are a romp into the Britain of early last century, which to my mind is escapism at its finest.

But to fully appreciate the literary merit of Wodehouse, you have to sample several of his books.  It was about the fifth book in, for me, when it hit me— Wodehouse is brilliant.  At first, the stories come across formulaic and simplistic.  But the further you read, the more you notice and appreciate his subtle humor.  However, the shock for me was the consistency.  Few novelists can manage over a dozen novels and many dozen short stories, written largely unchronologically, to have no apparent discrepancies. Furthermore, the deeper you get, the more layered the characters become.  Wodehouse spends very little time repeating himself, preferring to recommend the reader to the book containing the necessary back story.

If you're looking to expand your repertoire but are afraid of names like Steinbeck or Dickens, or if you're just looking for a good bedside reader (I speak from experience), then Wodehouse is a must read.  But if your used bookstore is out, I may have beaten you to them.