I recently finished my first P. G. Wodehouse book. It most certainly won’t be the last. You see, I have been holding off on reading Wodehouse for some reason or another for many years. I knew that folks like Steve Martin and my friend Alan Cornett have nothing but high praise for the Wodehouse bibliography, yet still I resisted. That is, until I spied this Norton paperback edition of Heavy Weather with a wonderful illustration on the cover (by Siyu Chen). Seemed as good as any book to start with.
The title of this post refers to a saying that a young Monty Bodkins says many times throughout the book and could easily describe the plot. It involves a manuscript of recounts and reminiscences by a Galahad Threepwood that, if they were to be published, would surely bring to light the rowdy pasts of much of the elite society and generally cause an uproar of sorts. However, Galahad has refused to send the manuscript to the publisher Lord Tilbury(AKA Stinker). Lord Tilbury takes it upon himself to pinch the papers, so to say, but he is not the only one after them. Hilarity ensues.
Wodehouse has a wonderful way with language and I can see that Terry Pratchett must be a fan of Wodehouse as well. The descriptive passages often reminded me of Pratchett. The characters are lovingly rendered and fit the story marvelously. I look forward to reading more of Wodehouse. I know there are a few more of the Norton editions with equally fantastic covers I will have to chase down. Tally ho, and I’m off.
Brandon Jimison 