P G Wodehouse managed to gain the nickname ‘Plum’ at some point in his career and so this collection of short stories, sequenced with what would have been topical asides in 1966, was christened ‘Plum Pie’ and a more tart collection we couldn’t hope for.The pedigree of the collection is stated on page one with a rare anthology outing for Jeeves and Wooster in ‘Jeeves and the Greasy Bird’, a Yuletide tale of cheer in which Bertie tries to help along Roderick Glossop’s love life only to find himself facing a case of breach of promise, only Jeeves can save the day, again.As ever we have a tale of Agnes Flack and Sidney McMurdo featuring a publisher reluctantly coming between them, unusually the story is not narrated by the oldest member whom we can only assume is dozing in the bar. Mr Mulliner tells us a yarn concerning his relations and a further story highlights the perils of smoking.‘Ukridge Starts a Bank Account’ is more dramatic than the title would suggest and the two stories to feature Drone Bingo Little (one featuring Freddie Widgeon recently married in the novel ‘Ice in the Bedroom’) are the highlights of the collection.Blandings is also featured here with a story featuring all the regulars in a tale not dissimilar from some of the greatest Blanding novels and also with Freddie Threepwood taking centre stage in his own novella in which he travels on the Atlantic liner called, somewhat predictably, the Atlantic, spreading good news of love and Donaldson’s Dog Biscuits.
Undoubtedly the worst Wodehouse I have ever read. It's late work, but I don't think that's the problem - I believe Aunts Aren't Gentleman was his last completed novel and, whilst not his best, nor was it dire. It does mean that there are some attempts at modern references, which were never his forte - characters include an evil hypnotist and a CND protestor (an aristocratic dilettante one, at least), there are jokes about bigamy and Beatles. But even beyond that, there are sentences which don't sing, jokes where the construction is off. It doesn't help that, between stories, we have excerpts from Wodehouse's allegedly humorous newspaper column about events of the day, a form which seldom comes across well decades on (see also: Peter Cook). But the greatest stinker is the story which (apart from some verse, of which we shall say no more) closes the collection. Taking up almost a quarter of the page-count, it's a solo outing for Freddie Threepwood who, rather than the prize idiot of the Blandings stories, appears to be developing into a younger, less entertaining version of his uncle Galahad. And I do not, dash it all, read Wodehouse to see characters develop!
What do You think about Plum Pie (2008)?
A collection of Wodehouse short stories. Amongst which are a Jeeves, a golf, a Mr. Mulliner, an Ukridge, two Bingo Little's and two Freddie Threepwood's the first of which takes place at Blandings castle the second (by far the longest story in the book) never so much as mentions the ancestral pile. On top of (or rather between) each story are a selection of short articles that Wodehouse originally wrote for "Punch" magazine "Our Man in America" these deal with PGW's take on minor news stories of the day and if all this wasn't enough there are also a couple of poems and an essay "A Note on Humour." However it isn't all good news although most of the short stories are well up to standard the long Freddie Treepwood one "Life with Freddie" is remarkably poor, even recycling the central idea from "The luck of the Bodkins," the "Our man in America" articles are only mildly diverting and of the two poems only "Printer's Error" is amusing.
—Neil
This is a great collection of short stories by the master of upper class absurdity including one Jeeves and Wooster story, two Bingo Little ones and one Ukridge story. All are great fun to read and full of the warm humour that is Wodehouse's trademark.The stories are interspersed with little vignettes of 'Our Man in America', being (supposed) newspaper cuttings and commentary on life in America. It's hard to know if they're factual or not, since many of them are extremely silly or surreal, and yet real life has a habit of being stranger than fiction, especially in America.A great collection for any established Wodehouse fan and a great way to get a flavour of his work for the newbie.
—Raj
I will use this "review" for all the P. G. Wodehouse I have read. I read them all so long ago and enjoyed them so much that I have given them all 5 stars. As I re-read them I will adjust the stars accordingly, if necessary, and add a proper review.When I first discovered P. G. Wodehouse I devoured every book I could find in the local library, throughout the eighties and early nineties. Alas, this means that I have read most of them and stumbling across one I have not read is a rare thing. I'm sure that through this great site I will joyfully find at least a few I have not read, and be able to track them down.My records only began in 1982, so I do not have a note of any I read before then. I’m sure I will enjoy re-reading them.
—Libbeth
