P.G. Wodehouse in His Own Words

Book excerpt: This unorthodox biography of “the greatest comic writer ever” collects Wodehouse’s witty and revealing commentary on his own life story (Douglas Adams) As creator of memorable comic characters, including the immortal Jeeves and Wooster, P.G. Wodehouse was one of the most beloved and influential authors of the 20th century. This sparkling volume draws on Wodehouse’s autobiographical writings, as well as personal letters and interview transcripts to present the author’s life story as only he could tell it. Quotations from a literary career spanning more than seventy years are arranged in chapters that move from childhood to school years and on to various preoccupations of the grown man. A linking narrative—skillfully supplied by Wodehouse aficionado Barry Day and former President of the International Wodehouse society Tony Ring—ties all the material together. Full of Wodehouse’s scintillating wordplay and comedy, P.G. Wodehouse in His Own Words is essential reading for any Wodehouse fan.