Saturday, June 23, 2012

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop - Come and Get it!


Time seems to pass at an ever increasing rate of knots these days and it doesn’t seem five minutes since the last Literary Giveaway Blog Hop.  Still here we all are again and, as ever, this edition of the hop has been wonderfully organised and hosted by Judith at Leeswammes Blog.

As with my previous participations in the giveaway, I like to give people something of a choice and so, as before, I have listed below ten books from which you may choose but this time I’m being more restrictive as I am taking another opportunity to proselytise shamelessly on behalf of one of my favourite authors.

I’ve written elsewhere on my blog about how I came to discover P.G. Wodehouse as a schoolboy and he has remained a central part of my reading habits ever since.  His effortlessly elegant prose and humour is sublime and the eternally sunny and pleasant upper class England that forms his fictional world remains a world that never fails to cheer, no matter how bad or sad a mood I’m in.  I truly believe that he is one of the greatest humorists who has ever written in the English language.

Of course, if you are familiar with Wodehouse, none of this will be a surprise, unless you are one of those people who was hiding behind the door when God was handing out senses of humour.  If not, then I heartily recommend almost any of his books as a cure for the blues and a joyful treat.

Wodehouse is, of course, chiefly known for Jeeves and Wooster but, in his lengthy career, he gave us many more wonderful characters such as Lord Emsworth and Galahad Threepwood, Psmith, Ukridge, Lord Ickenham and Mr Mulliner.  They are all well worth checking out and, hopefully, I will be giving two of you the chance to do so.

I’ve listed below ten of my favourite PG Wodehouse books, ranging from the classic Jeeves and Wooster stories through to lesser known works.  All you have to do is to read the list and then leave a comment, telling me which one you would like to receive.  Once the Literary Giveaway Blog Hop finishes on Wednesday night, I will randomly select two of you and those of you who come out of the hat will receive a lovely hardback copy of the gorgeous Everyman edition of the book you requested.  

So here goes................

1.       Psmith in the City.  This is probably PGW’s most autobiographical book and centres around the exploits of Psmith (with a silent “P”) and his faithful amanuensis, Mike Jackson, in the New Asiatic Bank.

2.       The Code of the Woosters.  In my opinion, one of the best Jeeves and Wooster books, this has Bertie forced into stealing a silver cow creamer by his Aunt Dahlia, whilst desperately trying to keep two of his chums engaged to girls who might otherwise threaten to marry him and to avoid a thrashing from the awful Roderick Spode.  Classic.

3.       Summer Lightning.  This instalment of the Blandings Castle saga has the usual quota of stolen pigs, imposters infesting Blandings and sundered love affairs but centres around the manuscript of Galahad Threepwood’s scandalous memoirs, a document so racy that half the titled aristocrats in England would be deeply embarrassed should they ever see the light of day.

4.       Uncle Dynamite.  The fifth Earl of Ickenham, better known as Uncle Fred, is on the loose, as Lady Ickenham has gone to the Caribbean for a wedding.  This spells trouble for his long-suffering nephew, Pongo Twistleton, as Uncle Fred determines to resolve Pongo’s problems in his own inimitable and ever so slightly dodgy way.

5.       The Inimitable Jeeves.  Opinion seems to be divided as to whether PGW’s short stories are as strong as his novels.  I am firmly in the “yes” camp on this and would cite this collection of interlinked Jeeves and Wooster stories in support of this.  Frankly, I’d have included it solely because of the brilliant “Sir Roderick Comes to Lunch” even if the others weren’t also hilarious.

6.       Mulliner Nights.  Mr Mulliner is the leading light of the Angler’s Rest pub, in which he can usually be found dispensing wisdom through the medium of stories involving members of his widely spread family.  This is a collection of nine stories that are little gems of gentle humour.

7.       Blandings Castle and Elsewhere.  A varied collection of short stories, featuring Blandings, Mr Mulliner and Bobbie Wickham, one of Bertie Wooster’s matrimonial escapes, I’ve picked this for two absolute gems, Pig-hoo-o-o-o-ey and Lord Emsworth and the Girl Friend.

8.       The Clicking of Cuthbert.  Although a keen golfer, Wodehouse never took it seriously (unlike cricket, about which he was fanatical) and he wrote a number of very funny short stories set in a golf club.  These were usually narrated by the Oldest Member, an archetypal pub bore, who would lurk in the clubhouse bar, just waiting for the chance to unleash his stories on an unwilling public.

9.       Carry on, Jeeves.  More Jeeves and Wooster short stories but, in a number of these, Bertie has fled to New York, following some unpleasantness with Aunt Agatha.  This volume contains two more of my favourite PGW short stories, “The Artistic Career of Corky” and “The Aunt and the Sluggard”.

10.   Psmith, Journalist. Another PGW book set in New York, this one is unusual as he actually deals with an issue of social conscience, slum landlords, a departure from his usual refusal to take anything seriously.  It’s a oddity in his catalogue but still great.

So, there we have it.  Ten to choose from so leave a comment with your choice below and then go and visit one of these other participants in the giveaway.  Good luck and come back on 28 June to see if you have won!




  1. Leeswammes
  2. Candle Beam Book Blog
  3. Musings of a Bookshop Girl
  4. The Book Whisperer
  5. Book Journey (US/CA)
  6. breieninpeking (Dutch readers)
  7. bibliosue
  8. heavenali
  9. I Read That Once...
  10. The Parrish Lantern
  11. The Bibliomouse (Europe)
  12. Tell Me A Story
  13. Seaside Book Nook
  14. Rikki's Teleidoscope
  15. Sam Still Reading
  16. Nishita's Rants and Raves
  17. Readerbuzz
  18. Books Thoughts Adventures (North America)
  19. 2,606 Books and Counting
  20. Laurie Here (US/CA)
  21. Literary Winner (US)
  22. Dolce Bellezza
  23. The House of the Seven Tails
  24. The Book Diva's Reads (US)
  25. Colorimetry
  26. Roof Beam Reader
  27. Kate's Library
  28. Minding Spot (US)
  29. Silver's Reviews (US)
  30. Book'd Out
  31. Fingers & Prose (US)
  32. Chocolate and Croissants
  33. Scattered Figments
  34. Lucybird's Book Blog
  35. The Book Club Blog
  1. Lizzy's Literary Life
  2. The Book Stop
  3. Reflections from the Hinterland (US)
  4. Lena Sledge's Blog
  5. Read in a Single Sitting
  6. The Little Reader Library (UK)
  7. The Blue Bookcase (US)
  8. 1morechapter (US)
  9. The Reading and Life of a Bookworm
  10. Curled Up with a Good Book and a Cup of Tea
  11. My Sweepstakes City (US)
  12. De Boekblogger (Europe, Dutch readers)
  13. Exurbanis
  14. Sweeping Me (US/CA)
  15. Living, Learning, and Loving Life (US)
  16. Beauty Balm
  17. Uniflame Creates
  18. Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book (US/CA)
  19. Curiosity Killed The Bookworm
  20. Nose in a book (Europe)
  21. Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews (US)
  22. Giraffe Days
  23. Page Plucker
  24. Based on a True Story
  25. Read, Write & Live
  26. Devin Berglund (N. America)
  27. Ephemeral Digest
  28. Under My Apple Tree (US)
  29. Annette Berglund (US)
  30. Book Nympho
  31. A Book Crazy, Jane Austen Lovin' Gal (US)
  32. Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've not read Wodehouse before but have always meant to. I'd select THE CODE OF THE WOOSTERS and I thank you for offering such a nice selection!

Anonymous said...

Forgot to leave contact info - janezfan at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

I can't believe I've never read anything by P. G. Wodehouse...and I love clever writing and humor. Now my interest is piqued! I'd love to win a copy of The Code of the Woosters. Thanks for such a wonderful giveaway. My email is beth.diiorio@yahoo.com

Beth :-)

heather said...

I'd pick the Code of the Woosters. I have never read any Wodehouse but this makes me think that I should definitely start.

Ali said...

I love PG Wodehouse though I have only read 2 or 3 and none for years! I would love Summer Lightning.

Ali

bookcrossing underscore ali at yahoo dot com.

Great giveaway

Joanna said...

Psmith, Journalist please. PG Wodehouse provides such a great read. Thanks!

Cat said...

Thank you - I would love win Code of the Woosters.


catsplace31(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)nz

Debbie Rodgers said...

I just recently heard about Psmith and would like to try him. I've never read any Wodehouse, so whichever of the two Psmith titles you think would be better suited for a beginner would suit me.

Thanks for the chance to win!

debbie AT exurbanis 9com)

Becca A. said...

I have never read this author, sad, isn't it? And because of this, if I win, I would love it if you passed along whichever one you think is best, :)

Thank you!

kimie142002 (at) hotmail (dot) come

Alyce said...

I haven't read any of these books, so I would love your input on which is the best to start with. If I win I would appreciate it if you chose one for me.

akreese at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I'd love to read Summer Lightning - not often I see a book about stolen pigs!
Thanks for a great giveaway :)
My email is samstillreading[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

I would love to win Carry on Jeeves, so thanks for the bloghop and the opportunity.
Karin

Judith Leeswammes said...

I would love to try some Jeeves and Wooster but I am not a short story reader. You choose! :-)

Thanks for joining the blog hop and for the nice prize!

Lilian said...

I would love to check out Wodehouse's work...partly because Sophie Kinsella once said that people kept telling her that her writing style was similar to Wodehouse's. And I LOVE Kinsella's work to bits!

I am rather clueless about which one to pick, perhaps the one that is funniest? Or the one that is most likable? (I love a good surprise, so...pick for me?)

Many thanks for the giveaway! =)
lilianxchengATgmail.com
Lilian @ A Novel Toybox

neer said...

You have brought back memories of my school days when I was a devoted Wodehouse fan. The Code of the Woosters was the first one I read. I'd love to have Uncle Dynamite coz I haven't read it.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I've only read SUMMER LIGHTNING before, so my interest is piqued! THE CODE OF THE WOOSTERS would be my choice. Thank you so much!

eai(at)stanfordalumni(dot)org

Ceri said...

I have similarly never read any PG Wodehouse. I love the sound of Psmith, Journalist. Thanks!

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I've always been intrigued with Wodehouse, especially with Jeeves. So I'd like to pick a Jeeves book, if I'd be so fortunate to have you pick me.

debnance at gmail dot com

Here's my
Literary Blog Hop Giveaway.
I hope you will stop by!

Suz Reads said...

Thanks for this amazing giveaway! I would love to win Mulliner Nights!

susanw28 (at) mindspring (dot) com

Theresa N. said...

I'd love to read them all but I'm choosing The Code of The Woosters for now.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

I have not yet read anything by P.G. Wodehouse! (For shame, I know!) A friend gave me an extra copy of Carry on, Jeeves, but I put off reading it because it wasn't the first Wooster/Jeeves novel, and I wanted to read them in order, if I read them at all.

So if I, the most unworthy entrant here, win this giveaway, I will let you choose the Wodehouse book you think I should read first. I trust you completely! =)

Thank you for the great giveaway!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the giveaway! I have one Wodehouse book but, erm, haven't gotten around to reading it yet...

I'd like to win Summer Lightning, as I generally prefer novels to short stories, and it seems to be towards the beginning of one of Wodehouse's series.

bookwormsusanna AT gmail DOT com

Darlene said...

I haven't read any books by this author. I think I'd choose the one that you recommend so highly, The Code of the Woosters.

thanks for the giveaway!

darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

Anme said...

I've read a few of his books/short stories before and I quite liked the silly tone of the series. I would choose the Code of the Woosters.

Thank you for the giveaway!

melorabrock {at} gmail {dot} com

Virginie Menzildjian said...

Hello !
I would chose Summer Lightning but as I have never read a Wodehouse before, any would make me happy I guess !
Thanks for this nice giveaway,

Greetings from France, Virginie

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Marie Cloutier said...

I'd love to win Code of the Woosters but really I'd love to win any of them! bibliophile at bostonbibliophile.com. BEST GIVEAWAY! EVER!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

I love Wodehouse! I've read all of the Jeeves books and would love to try Mulliner Nights.

Amritorupa Kanjilal said...

Oh I LOVE Wodehouse, Thank you for this awesome giveaway! The code of the woosters for me please!

amrita.r.kanjilal@gmail.com

layen said...

I've heard of Wodehouse but haven't had the time to check him out. Would love to read The Code of The Woosters :)

Thanks for holding the giveaway!

lincalc at gmail dot com

wwe11 said...

I'd love The Code of the Woosters.
erma2167@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

I've also just recently discovered Wodehouse for myself and am looking forward to reading more of his works.
I'd love to have Psmith In the City, as I recall having read a glowing review of it from Claire (The Captive Reader).
Thanks for the great selection!

m_foong(at)yahoo(dot)com

Esme said...

Summer Lightning although I have not read one of his books.

chocolate and croissants at yahoo.com

Chinoiseries said...

I haven't read anything yet by Wodehouse, but your description of The Code of the Woosters makes me want to read it in particular. Thanks for participating in this lovely giveaway!

Zs. said...

I would love to receive Uncle Dynamite. Thanks for the opportunity and have a nice day!

tamasi-toth at t-online dot hu

Shannon (Giraffe Days) said...

I have never read any Wodehouse! I never know where to start with the series - there are so many in the Jeeves series! So I'd love to read Uncle Dynamite, it sounds like so much fun (well they all do but I had to choose one!).

Thanks!
giraffedays@gmail.com

Bookish said...

Absolutely adore PGW, have read a few of his books in the past and loved them! Would love a copy of Carry On Jeeves if I'm the lucky one :)

bokishoutsider at gmail dot com

theonlymrsjo said...

I never read one of this books, but I remember how my mother loved this writer's humor. I would like to read Uncle Dynamite. I hope to improve my english by reading in that language (dutch is my native language). Thanks for partipating in this giveaway.

Mia J. said...

I would like to be entered for The code of the Woosters please. Thanks for the great giveaway.

mia at jacobsracing dot com

Anonymous said...

I've never read anything by Wodehouse and would love to win Code of the Woosters, since you said it's one of the best. Thanks!
curlygeek04(at)gmail(dot)com

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