Carrie at Reading to Know has been coordinating a book club this year, hosted each month by a different blogger friend. Tim at Diary of an Autodidact) is this month’s host, and he chose any book by P. G. Wodehouse.
My only previous exposure to Wodehouse was Carry On, Jeeves (linked to my thoughts). I liked it quite a lot, but the chapters did seem variations on the same theme (Wooster or one of his friends gets in trouble and Jeeves gets them out), so I thought I’d try something from one of his other series.
I chose Psmith in the City, this time, in which English gentlemen Psmith and his friend, Mike Jackson, are thrown into the world of Commerce by starting to work at a bank. Mike’s father has had some financial problems, so Mike has had to quit college to start working in the postal room of the New Asiatic Bank. Psmith’s main purpose seems to be to win over his boss, Mr. Bickersdyke, and failing that, to get the better of him.
Psmith added the silent P to his surname to distinguish himself from other Smiths. He’s tall, thin, wears a monocle, is very generous but not terribly industrious, and is what we’d probably call a charmer. He seems to be able to talk his way out of most anything. He’s also something of a Socialist, but I think even that is for comic effect, something to play off of, rather than a political statement.
In fact, I’m not sure if there is any higher purpose to Wodehouse’s work other than humor and cleverness, and that’s all right: sometimes that’s just what one’s brain needs.
This book started off a little slow for me: the first chapter was primarily about a cricket match, and I know nothing about cricket, although I did get the point that someone walked into his way and ruined his shot. But by the third chapter things had picked up considerably. This is one of Wodehouse’s earlier works, so his skills aren’t quite as developed as the later ones, but the humor is still very evident.
I also have Galahad at Blandings on hand from the library, a sample from yet another of Wodehouse’s series (though I understand Psmith ends up at Blandings Castle eventually), but I am obviously not going to get to it before the month is up. If I have time before it is due back I might give it a try, though.
(This review will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)
Stray Thoughts 
I needed some humor and Wodehouse just has a way of writing ridiculous stories in a fantastic tongue -in-cheek earnestness that I love! I worked through some of his short stories this go ’round.
Humor and cleverness. . .yes, I agree with that as his point. He does it well. For example, even though I’ve never read about Psmith, just your quick explanation that he added the silent ‘P’ to distinguish himself from other Smiths elicited an involuntary smile. It’s just so ridiculous! 🙂
This and The Code of the Woosters were the two I was deciding between. The silent P is hilarious!
Humor and cleverness. Yes! yes! Sometimes that is exactly what the brain needs!
I’m snickering through everyone’s posts on Wodehouse. He’s so funny that even when other people are talking about him he’s funny. That’s a rarity!
So glad you decided to read along. I’m glad you had a good time doing so.
In the book in which Psmith does end up at Blandings, Leave it to Psmith, there is a scene which perfectly describes Psmith’s “socialism”. Needing an umbrella for a woman he has met, he appropriates one from the rack. He explains himself thus: “Merely practical Socialism. Other people are content to talk about the Redistribution of Property. I go out and do it.”
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