First published 1987
Bertie Wooster stumbles through another social catastrophe, his well-meaning attempts at helping friends only making matters worse. Whether he's trying to reunite star-crossed lovers, escape unwanted engagements, or navigate the treacherous waters of country house parties, Bertie's plans invariably backfire. Fortunately, his unflappable valet Jeeves stands ready with the perfect solution, though he rarely reveals his methods until the final moment. Meanwhile, other Wodehouse favorites populate these stories: the absent-minded Lord Emsworth frets over his prize pig, members of the Drones Club concoct elaborate schemes that spiral out of control, and various aunts, uncles, and romantic entanglements create delightful chaos. Each tale showcases Wodehouse's gift for intricate plotting, where seemingly unrelated events converge in surprising ways. The stories capture the gentle absurdity of English upper-class life between the wars, where the greatest crises involve stolen cow-creamers, mixed-up love letters, and the constant threat of having to make speeches at village fetes. At their heart, these tales celebrate the enduring friendship between master and servant, and the quiet satisfaction of problems solved through wit rather than force.
Genres: fiction, humor, 20th-century, comedy
Vibes: whimsical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: England
Period: Between the Wars
792 pages · Hardcover · Octopus/St