Customer Reviews

Uneasy Money - From the Manor Wodehouse Collection, a selection from the early works of P. G. Wodehouse

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I do not regret having read all of the Wodehouse books written before this one, but I have to express my delight at finally starting to get to the books that made Wodehouse's reputation. This particular one isn't tied to any of his serieses, but shares a lot with both the Blandings castle and Bertie & Jeeves books. First off, there's Lord Dawlish, the sort of chap who is just a little too nice for his own good, the kind who always gets nipped by one and all for a fiver here or a ten-spot there. Then there's his fiancee, who's obsessed on the money deal; an eccentric wealthy old man; a couple of Americans; and a nightclub-singing Lady (as in Lord and Lady). There's money, and the lack of it, that seems to be a separate character content to flirt with all the rest of the cast. A little plot line regarding golf, keeping bees, transatlantic trips, people who may or may not be who they are, a will that may or may not be the operative one, people mistaken for themselves and others, and true love. My god, the formula is so easy, yet as any one knows who has tried a hand at this stuff, just because you've got the recipe, it doesn't mean your souffle rises in the same way.

This is a good one to recommend to people who have never read Wodehouse before, because it is compact and self-contained. It's been said that laughter is the best medicine--if so, then Wodehouse is a wonder drug.

This book was first published in the U.S. on March 17, 1916 by D. Appleton and Company, and then in the U.K. on October 4, 1917 by Methuen & Co., so it is a fairly early Wodehouse story. Although this is better than most of his early stories, it is not as good as some of his writing that would come later. Those who know Wodehouse will find themselves in familiar territory.

The main character of this story is Lord Dawlish, who has a title but not much money, a fact of which his fiancée, Claire Fenwick, reminds him repeatedly. He suddenly finds that he has been left a fortune by a man he hardly knew, and being the honorable man he is he feels he needs to restore at least some of this money to its rightful heirs. This takes him to America, where Claire also finds herself when a friend of hers writes her asking to visit.

To attempt to cover a Wodehouse plot completely would take much too long and I could never do it justice. As one would expect there are several interesting characters, and lots of plot twists. In the end, as with all of his stories, love wins out, and the reader enjoys the ride all the way.

This edition is another in "The Collector's Wodehouse" series being published by The Overlook Press in the U.S. (in the U.K. it is "The Everyman's Wodehouse" series being published by Everyman's Library).

For Lord Dawlish, an unexpected inheritance comes along at a perfect time for marrying the girl he loves.. little does he know that it would lead to a breathtaking comedy spanning the Atlantic. A masterpiece which could only have belonged to Wodehouse's world.

A pleasant enough read, but falls far short of most of the other Wodehouse that I have read. A person reading only this work would have no idea that Wodehouse is probably the greatest writer in the history of the English language except perhaps for that Bard guy from back when.

Uneasy Money is an early non-series Wodehouse novel, written before the glory days of the 20s, 30s and 40s, so it is unlikely to be considered as one of the very best of his books. I agree. However, it is book I enjoyed reading and was happy to observe that many of the standard Wodehouse traits are all present: his beautiful use of language, his carefully worked out plots, the moments of pure lunacy, and his delightful characters.

Let's just quickly take, as an example, the two heroes (lovers) of the story, Bill and Elizabeth. What a pair! Kind. Well-mannered. And good golfers too! Do people like Bill and Elizabeth really exist? I suppose the argument can be made that there is a little of Bill and Elizabeth in all of us, but I wish I were like Bill more; I love how he is so doggone optimistic. No matter how the cards fall, Bill is ready to face things with a determined hardening of the jaw. You just have to love that sort of thing.

There really isn't a time in our world where there are not troubles somewhere, so that means that there will always be a need for Wodehouse novels. You'll likely start with Jeeves and Bertie and end up vacationing at Blandings Castle, but don't forget the dozens of non-series books, including Uneasy Money. Maybe money and love and contentment comes hard for the characters of this story, but the smiles for you, the reader, will certainly come easy.

This is only my 2nd "Humorous Romance", but I loved it! I am usually a "Christian Romance" reader, but this book was giddy & romantic at the same time. I was not sure who would marry who, but I loved every twist & turn this book took. I will read more books by this author, & more humorous romance stories in general, now that I think about it! This book has opened a new door for me, as far as reading goes! Try this book! It will grab you & pull you inside.

This is the second novel Sir Pelham wrote while he was married, and the second he sold (for a lot of not-so-easy money) to the Saturday Evening Post. It shows his mature craftsmanship, and perhaps even the good effects his marriage had on him, though I won't try to psychoanalyze his intriguing statements here on love and marriage.

Wodehouse writes with a "tongue in cheek" style of humor that is characteristic of him and his time. If you expect Dave Barry, you will be disappointed, but if you have not read any of his works you will find an author with an intelligent wit. It is a free download. I recommend giving it a try.

"Simon Vance's delivery is understated ..." is an understatement! Sadly, this reading is nowhere near as entertaining as a reading by Martin Jarvis, Jonathan Cecil or

Ian Carmichael. The story is excellent, but I recommend reading the book instead of listening to this particular audio presentation. But with the right readers (identified above) Wodehouse stories can be fantastic accompaniments to travel or other activities during which you'd rather listen to, than read, the stories.