Customer Reviews

The World of Jeeves

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What better introduction to the wonders of P.G. Wodehouse's writing than a collection of stories about the adventures of Bertie Wooster and his repeated rescue by Jeeves? This volume includes all the stories - thirty-three narrated by Bertie and one by Jeeves. None is less than good; most have had me laughing out loud.

In addition to Bertie and Jeeves, you'll meet such memorable characters as Bingo Little and his wife Rosie M. Banks, Tuppy Glossop and his uncle Sir Roderick, Bertie's aunts Agatha and Dahlia, and, in "Jeeves and the Old School Chum", Rosie's friend Laura Pyke.

If you like to laugh and like good literature, this collection is for you. If you've never read any Wodehouse, I envy you the pleasure awaiting you.

This book is at once both an excellent introduction to, as well as an outstanding compendium of the outrageous "Jeeves" stories by PG Wodehouse. This collection of short stories is the pinancle of parody of the stereotypical British elite, as seen though the eyes "the perfect manservant" to a "1920's bachelor on the run".

I admit that I was biased when I began this book, at the incessant recommendation of my siblings. I was certain that I would not enjoy it, and resisted its wickedly incisive humor with all my might as I turned page after page ... after page. I finally gave in to Wodehouse's unbeatable combination of an incredibly accurate, ironic, insightful view of the world and an always well-turned phrase. I dare you to spend an evening with it - you'll find yourself hooked! The good news is that there are many more fine "Jeeves" stories to enjoy after these.

You really should enjoy at least one Wodehouse "Jeeves" book - at this is the perfect place to begin, if you ask me.

Do enjoy - Cheerio!

This book is another great example of the writing of P.G. Wodehouse. In this collection of short stories we find Bertie Wooster getting out of many a problem with the help of his trustworthy butler Jeeves. Along the way there are mean-spirited Aunts, eccentric Uncles, and many other recurring characters. This collection is the perfect remedy for the blues. The stories make you laugh so much. This is a book that is hard to put down. The stories are relatively short but there is so much in them. Wodehouse's mastery of dialogue is well-evident and so is his incredible skill in describing characters. I recommend this book highly. It is an excellent collection.

This is one of the best Wodehouse collections available, especially because it is the beginning of the whole series of Jeeves stories. All the novels come after these stories, except for the last two "Yuletide Spirit" and "Greasy Bird". Not all the stories are equal, but those introducing familiar characters like Aunt Agatha, Roderick Glossop and Bingo Little are among the best things in Wodehouse. His noted gift for brilliant farce and striking similes are there even in some of his earliest publishings. The only caveat: be wary of starting this if you're afraid of getting quickly addicted. But if you do, not to worry: there are literally dozens more books by the man where this came from.

As the only complete collection of all the Jeeves stories in one volume, this book is indispensable for the Wodehouse fan. As others have mentioned, the stories are funny and light. But read them slowly and savor them, because no one -- and I mean NO one -- can construct a sentence like Wodehouse can.

All the Jeeves short stories in one place. What more do you need to know?

In his introduction to this omnibus volume, P G Wodehouse advises against reading the whole volume at a single sitting (at more than 200,000 words, you would be unlikely to succeed). He suggests one story after each meal of the day, with a final story in bed. I recommend no more than two a day. Besides making the pleasures of the book last longer, that should avert irritation that the plot of so many of the stories is essentially the same: viz Jeeves expresses disapproval of some gaudy item of Bertie Wooster's apparel; Bertie stands firm; Bertie encounters a personal problem, usually of a social nature; Jeeves is called upon for a solution; it works splendidly; Jeeves is rewarded by being allowed to dispose of the offending garment.

There are variations: it may be that Jeeves did or did not want to go somewhere; that Bertie first tries to solve a problem himself - and has to be rescued from the consequences of that; or Jeeves' solution might at first appear not to be working but, details of the full scheme having been temporarily withheld from Bertie and ourselves, all is well in the end; and occasionally Jeeves' reward is a cash handout or a longer holiday.

Jeeves is fabled not only for his wondrous solutions to tricky problems, but for efficiency in his role as Gentleman's Personal Gentleman and loyalty to his master. He has no objection to Bertie being none too bright, considering intelligence in an employer a disadvantage. With the exception only of the story Bertie Changes His Mind, which is narrated by Jeeves, all this is communicated by Bertie himself. It is in Bertie's narrations that we see the genius of Wodehouse; without in any way damaging the image of Bertie as a well-meaning but thoroughly twittish aristocratic dodo, he is represented as having himself written-up these jolly pranks where so many of the jokes are at his own expense. Jeeves' writing style is dull by comparison - though his story of Bertie's nocturnal adventure in the grounds of a girls' school does eventually take-off.

The cast list is confined mainly to a small circle of chums, a couple of aunts - one fearsome, one much more sympathetic, though still quite a character - and a Sir Roderick Glossop and his overbearing daughter (who regards herself as marriageable, whilst Bertie and most of his acquaintances do not). But the limited circle is not a criticism. Rather than introduce a new character, who will inevitably relate to Bertie and Jeeves in much the same way as those in other stories, why not give an established personage another run? That approach allows for some character development; Young Bingo, for instance, progressing from a bachelor much given to falling disastrously in love with any passing young woman, however unsuitable, to the successful courtship of a novelist working as a waitress to gather colour for her next work, followed in due time by the happy couple welcoming Bertie and Jeeves as houseguests at their country seat.

There's a lot of harmless fun in all this; and if you think Wodehouse's style simplistic, just have a go yourself. In all likelihood, your effort will not only fall way short of Bertie's, but serve also to make Jeeves look pretty good in yet another respect.

P.G. Wodehouse was such a fantastic and prolific writer, his stories always entertain. These are some of the best--in my opinion, the best!--of the "Jeeves and Wooster" series. Although I have read these stories before, they are always fun to read again. This collection should provide the Wodehouse fan with many hours of pleasurable reading and provide the impetus to read further stories of his. (I have not read any of his Blandings stories, yet.) This book is a classic and should grace the shelf of any connoisseur of British literature.

I have a lot of Wodehouse, but this is the one book I keep on my nightstand. I have read it over and over, as it is a marvelous selection of Jeeves short stories, including classics like "The Purity of the Turf", the story I give to anyone new to Jeeves and Bertie. If it were available as an ebook, I'd buy that too. Essential for Jeeves fans. I regret that it isn't currently in print; I have bought used copies for gifts because it's just the best one to give.

P.G. Wodehouse shows why Jeeves and Wooster are his most loved characters by readers in his compilation of short stories entitled The World of Jeeves. You will fall immediately in love with all of Wodehouse's characters; all of whom I know no one like, but I completely understand their personalities. Bertie Wooster is a person you wish you could be sometimes because of the lavish lifestyle he lives and his social Einstein for a valet, Jeeves. Jeeves is the person everyone wishes they knew because of his cunning in escaping from pickles. Bertie's Aunt Agatha is the member of the extended family that everyone has who they love to hate. It seams like she always has someone new to stay with Bertie or a new woman to potentially settle Bertie down with in married life. Whether it's Cyril Bassington Bassington or Wilmot Malvern who overstay there welcome (and especially in Motty's case), Jeeves always finds a way to get them moving on their way out of Bertie's flat. This however does lead to the only flaw in the book. Although it is exciting in every story to see how Jeeves solves the problem, it can get somewhat repetitive because you know that Jeeves will eventually solve it and everything will turn out fine in the end. But to anyone looking for something that is actually fun to read; a getaway from the serious literature out there, especially about the 1920's such as F. Scott Fittzgerald, then this is the book for you. Fitzgerald chooses to take the wealthy class during the 1920's seriously while Wodehouse chooses to make fun of their pinstripe suit wearing and obscure sock, hat, and tie styles, which is far more fun to read about.