P G Wodehouse: Humour on Toast!
By abhishek at 27 August, 2009, 1:45 pm
Ever seen a puzzled 40 something guy standing in the ‘Fiction’ section of a bookstore? The odds are that he is wondering which book should he pick up for his son who has just turned 14. I can relate to that moment when my dad entered the house after his day’s work and thrust me a P G Wodehouse novel. I was in 8th Standard. I remember his words, ‘This man’s English is very good. You should read it. It will improve your spellings.’ With satisfaction written all over his face, he sat down for dinner. I sat down, opened the first page and for the next few nights used the book as a natural remedy for my temporary insomnia.
Some 14 years later, I along with a bunch of friends was at Delhi Airport fresh (read: jaded) from having clocked 2500 Km across north India on an Enfield. With a few minutes to kill before the flight, I found myself in the ‘Fiction’ aisle of the airport book shop. Staring at the PG Wodehouse series on the shelf, my mind went back to that book which was brought way ahead of its time in my life. While buying anything on impulse, it’s a good idea to check the price tag. With the prospect of being airborne for two hours and spending another hour taxing either on Delhi or Bombay airport staring at me, I put Rs. 195 on the table, grabbed the book and needless to say, the gamble paid off. PG Wodehouse made my next three hours memorable.
PG Wodehouse’s ‘Something Fresh’ revolves around an affluent family residing in ‘Blandings Castle’ with at least one conspiracy being plotted by two characters who keep vacillating between being friends and foes. What makes the book an amusing read is that all characters remind us of different people whom we must have met in different walks of life - some suspicious aunt that our parents always must have warned us against, a forgetful uncle who must have made us laugh, a strict and a khadoos teacher who always kept you out of her class and many more. Also, Wodehouse humor is both sophisticated and simple. For instance, to highlight a sad situation, he writes, ‘The place was filled with an air of crushed gloom which would would have caused comment in Siberia.’
The book takes a subtle potshot on detective stories and Alfred Hitchcock like books which are awash with last minute coincidences and unintended consequences which lead to ultimately resolving the case.
When I reached home, I asked my dad whether he had read this modest and effortless writer during his school days. He said that it was too British for his comfort. I couldn’t understand the statement. For me, it was like Harry Potter for adults and enjoyed every bit of it. For the ones who love a light read, but not the slapstick humour of a Chetan Bhagat novel, P G Wodehouse is your best bet. Next time I enter a Crossword book store near my house, another Wodehouse novel will make it to my bookshelf.
Have been often my blog, Why don't you subscribe to our RSS feed.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed! Hope to see you again
No related posts.
PG Wodehouse will always light up your day, specially if it is a dull day. As a teenager I read all his books and shared many evenings of discussions with my father. I also saw some of the BBC TV shows starring Hugh Lawrie & Stephen Fry. Highly recommended on their own, but I must admit that I did not imagine the characters with those faces.
Thank you, Jeeves.