
This collection contains four stories featuring Bertie and Jeeves, and they are all set in New York City, which was a fun change from the others I've read. Bertie is on an extended visit there and, as always, complex and ridiculous problems arise, requiring Jeeves' intellectual prowess to solve them.
"Leave it to Jeeves" features a friend of Bertie's, who is an artist. This friend's uncle commissions him to paint a portrait, the subject of which is a baby who has replaced the artist as heir to a considerable fortune. The portrait, when it is finally finished, is not quite what the uncle had in mind. When the uncle sees it, the artist is sure to lose every last penny of his allowance - but luckily there is Jeeves to help sort everything out. Other problems Bertie faces include an unwanted guest for whom he must assume responsibility and a friend with an uncle who is a "hard-boiled egg" - so opinionated and stubborn that even Jeeves might not be able to crack him.
There are also four stories featuring another English gentleman named Reggie Pepper, similar in tone and humor to the Jeeves tales, and very entertaining as well. I did prefer those featuring Jeeves, however, because his presence always takes the stories up a notch. So much of the humor from the Jeeves stories comes from the voice of Bertie, the narrator, who is so very clueless that the reader is able to understand certain things that fly right over his head. He is often taken by a whim that gives him the always unfortunate idea to go against Jeeves' wishes, such as insisting on wearing a particularly fashionable (to him) but repugnant (to Jeeves) tie, or growing a moustache. It is clear that things will end badly for Bertie, and it is such fun to watch the consequences unfold.
Project Gutenburg offers a free copy of this work for you to read. Enjoy!
My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse; narrated by Simon Prebble (Blackstone Audio, 2006)
Also reviewed at:
Book Psmith: "This is an interesting collection in that the majority of these stories are reworked and published later in other collections.
Needless to say the narration by Simon Prebble is brilliant!
ReplyDeletefan
Fan - He does do a great job, doesn't he?!
ReplyDeleteMr. Prebble also narrates Wodehouse's hysterically funny Code of the Woosters. I would love to see your review of that one, after you hear it of course!
ReplyDeletefan
Fan - I actually have listened to that one and reviewed it as well (here), but the narrator for the audio version of Code of the Woosters that my library has is Alexander Spenser. I thought he did a pretty good job, too - but I can tell you'd probably prefer Simon Prebble! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis does sound like a good audiobook "read".
ReplyDeleteLadytink - I've enjoyed every Wodehouse "listen" so far!
ReplyDelete