The Inimitable Jeeves
P. G. Wodehouse
224 pages
published in 1924

If there is any writer one should only read for entertainment, neither to explore the psyche nor for insights into life's fundemental questions, it is P. G. Wodehouse. Mr. Wodehouse is a writer satisfied with writing to formula, but he does it with such a flair and panache you forgive him instantly. He also has a knack for writing memorable phrases, take e.g. the following tidbit about family feuds:

...On the occassions when Aunt is calling to Aunt like mastodonts bellowing across primeval swamps and Uncle James's letter about Cousin Mabel's peculiar behaviour is being shot round the family circle...

A satisfying bit of imaginery, is it not?

In the novels and stories explore of Bertie Wooster and his man Jeeves, the formula being employed is that either Bertie or one of his equally brainless friends lands himself in the soup and it falls to Jeeves to spoon him out again. Occasionally Jeeves is absent for one reason or another and Bertie has to use his own brain, seldom to beneficial effect. Usually the reason Bertie is in the soup has to do with the weaker sex, especially his aunt Agatha and has him scrambling fiercely to escape yet another unwanted engagement. The other main reason for Bertie to land in a scrape, at least in this collection, has to do with his fondness for that old English indulgence, a good wager, preferably one where the outcome is known in advance. For some reason however, these wagers seldom go his way.

As usual, the stories in this collection are good for a few hours of light entertainment, a nice interlude between more demanding books. P. G. Wodehouse is a bit of an acquired taste, one does need to be able to stand a bit of embaressement comedy and one needs to be able to not let modern class sentiments distract one from the very real pleasure these stories can give.