Ever since I was in high school, the Bertie and Jeeves adventures were some of my all-time favorites. I devoured as much P.G. Wodehouse as I could get my hands on, tearing through book after book the way that my contemporaries read Twilight and Harry Potter. For me, there was something magical in these madcap adventures, featuring a loveable cast of eccentric characters getting themselves into all kinds of trouble. That being said, I had a ridiculously hard time choosing which Wodehouse book to feature for this this month’s Classic of the Month, so I’ll be honest, I just chose one at random–whichever felt right at the time.
Classic of the Month
The Mating Season (1949) by P.G. Wodehouse
Opening Words
While I would not go so far, perhaps, as to describe the heart as actually leaden, I must confess that on the eve of starting to do my bit of time at Deverill Hall I was definitely short on chirpiness. I shrank from the prospect of being decanted into a household on chummy terms with a thug like my Aunt Agatha, weakened as I already was by having had her son Thomas, one of our most prominent fiends in human shape, on my hands for three days.
I mentioned this to Jeeves, and he agreed that the set-up could have been juicier.
The Mating Season, P.G. Wodehouse
What’s it all About?
Wodehouse’s books are madcap adventures from start to finish, each and every one of them! And this book is certainly no exception. Everyone’s favorite bumbling aristocrat, Bertie Wooster has gotten himself into quite the pickle. See, he decides to visit Deverill Hall, pretending to be his friend Gussie Fink-Nottle. Then, he gets tangled up in trying to sort of a love triangle…and the real Gussie shows up, pretending to be one Mr. Bertram Wooster. Crazy capers and mistaken identity abounds in this hilarious and engaging book from the Jeeves and Wooster series.
Read this if you enjoy…
- Historical fiction
- Map-cap comedies
- Books with quick wit and turn of phrase
Interested? Check it out Here!
[Book]
[Overdrive Audio] [Hoopla Audio]
Final Thoughts
Whenever I need a pick-me-up, I turn to P.G. Wodehouse. Few authors make me laugh like, he does, oftentimes leaving me in tears. And while I don’t consider myself much of an audiobook listener, I will always, always, always pick up a Wodehouse book on audio…if it’s being read by Jonathan Cecil, that is! (The audiobooks I’ve listed above are both narrated by him). Cecil’s hilarious readings fit perfectly with the spirit of Wodehouse and brings the stories to life. Quite honestly, if you were to ask me who was the funniest writer I could think of, I would have to say Wodehouse. If you liked this book and are looking for more, you can find a complete listing of Wodehouse’s Bertie and Jeeves stories here. And of course, I’d be remiss not to include the fantastic British TV show, Jeeves and Wooster, starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie!
