P. G. Wodehouse - My Man Jeeves

For Wodehouse fans, this collection of short stories is sure to please. Some of these stories have made their way into the TV series 'Jeeves and Wooster' and so the reader will find some of the plotts to be familiar if he or she has watched the film.

Nothing funnier than Bertie Wooster and his attempts to get things right !! Can't do it and is lucky to have Jeeves in the wings to pick up the mess..Love this silly twit..upper class Brit with a room temperature IQ..Learn to love P.G. Wodehouse

This paperback edition--blue cover, red bow tie--is print on demand. No intro, no bio, blank back cover and spine(!), crude computer illustration on front--blechh! Resembles something missionaries might distribute.

Bertie Wooster is a young English gentleman of wealth and leisure, living in New York City, with his man, Jeeves.

Jeeves is considerably the smarter of the two, a fact which Bertie acknowledges freely. Bertie gets into difficulties and scrapes, or his friends do, and Jeeves gets them out, with style, grace, and aplomb.

About half of these stories are about Bertie and Jeeves. The other half are about another young English gentleman of wealth and leisure, Reginald Pepper, who lives in London and travels rather freely. He has a man, too, but his is far less active than Jeeves, and Reggie has to solve his own problems, for the most part. They're both good-natured young men, meaning only the best to their friends and no harm to anyone, and for the most part, that's what they achieve.

These are light, humorous stories, pure entertainment, and they were contemporary fiction when they were written. They're fun, with no pretensions to be anything more.

Recommended for the light entertainment they're intended to be.

I bought this audiobook.

There are any number of novels featuring Jeeves, Wooster, et al available at this time. Some of them are on Kindle, some on CDs and most in actual book/paper format. Unfortunately the reviews of many of these different novels, collections and formats have been all lumped into this particular product page. This can be quite confusing for those unfamiliar with this wonderful work. After reading the reviews here I would recommend books over Kindle even though I have never read these works on Kindle.

I am reviewing a collection of 5 complete stories featuring Jeeves and other familiar characters from the mind of P.G. Wodeouse. The CDs here lasts about3.25 hours and is read by Marlin Jarvis, and excellent reader who does a great job of the many various voices needed. They are funny; not laugh out loud funny, but “smile and snicker” funny – dry humor wonderfully done.

For those not familiar with the Jeeves stories, novels and such, this is an excellent way to find if you like his work or not. Due to the time in which they were written (style, syntax and such) many may not appreciate this work...which is okay...to each his own. The stories revolved around the English upper class in the 1920s and 1930s which was a different world. It takes some knowledge and getting use to some of the phraseology and such.

An excellent read or listen.

This was a library find.

I love these Wodehouse short stories and the later TV programs. My Man Jeeves is among the earliest, as this book appeared in 1919. Wodehouse lived until 1975, exclusively in the US due to some mis-understandings about the circumstances of his WWII internment. Some of these stories were later reworked, when the Bertie and Jeeves format was more polished.

This collection of 8 stories is more for the Wodehouse connisseur than a young hopeful. At this early time, Wodehouse included 4 stories based on Reggie Pepper, who was an early prototype of Wooster. Unfortunately for us, Pepper did not have a man to light the way, so he wandered aimlessly like most members of his pre-war class. I would almost suggest to skip the Pepper stories, they dont show any of the wit and irony of the Wooster and Jeeves line.

The genius in the Jeeves writing follows several steps. First the irony in the master being so reliant on the servant. Secondly Jeeves has a remarkable sense of when to get involved, and how to solve a problem, but it is all constrained by his master's petty behavior and Jeeves' tendency to sulk and withdraw over trivial issues, usually related to selection of clothing. But the real kicker is the third bit. Jeeves' suggestions and plans almost never work out in their initial attempt. Hence the final adjustment trumps the first plan, when Jeeves comes in with a fresh twist, usually done without consultation wiht the well-meaning Wooster and his temporarily down on the luck chums.

I was a little worried listening to this would be boring, but I was very wrong. First published in 1919, these tales are classics for good reasons. The Jeeves and Wooster stories are charming and funny. I didn't like the Reggie Pepper stories quite as well. I watched the Fry and Laurie tv series and enjoyed their audio tales here.

Simon Prebble narrated this story collection wonderfully well.

Everyman’s Library is publishing all of the novels and stories of P. G. Wodehouse. This volume contains drafts of stories which were later rewritten and placed in other collections. Four of them contain the famed Bertie Wooster and Jeeves and several have Reggie Pepper, an early version of Bertie as its protagonist. All are laugh-out-lowed funny. It is interesting to see how Wodehouse developed his skill from funny to widely so. In the Jeeves tales, Bertie gets himself into some trouble and Jeeves offers him a solution. Sometimes, although Jeeves is never blamed, Jeeves failed to perceive the consequences of his advice. But even so, he saves his employer.

According to the PG Wodehouse website, this was the first collection of the Jeeves and Bertie stories to be published in book form (in 1919) and also includes three Reggie Pepper stories. Reggie Pepper was the precursor to the Wooster/Jeeves stories and RP is almost a combination of the two. It would seem that PG was smart enough to realize that by splitting the concept into two people, he could create dialog between the two as opposed to writing about RPs musings. History would probably agree that he made the write choice (pun intended).

The W/J stories are standard PG fare with Jeeves always having the right solution to any problem, including which tie to wear. Bertie does a good job of standing in for the 'dissipate' pre-WW1 fin-de-siecle English Aristo who were killed off in droves during 'The Great War' doing their best for King and Country.

More than anything, these stories preserve a time that will never come again and people who probably never really existed in the first place. It would seem that anyone as smart as Jeeves would take his knowledge and make a fortune, don't you know! And that someone like Bertie would either walk in front of a 'motor' or fall down a 'lift shaft', bugger all!

More than that, it preserve a 'language' that in itself is so self-depre- cating as to impress the modern ear as to be comedic in the dryest and funniest sense. Bertie way of speaking and his way of looking at things from that special bent of his, reminds me of John Cleese (in Monty Python) doing his best to give a report from a desk in a field with a war going on behind him. Totally unfazed and non-plussed and unmussed.

Topping, don't you think, what?

I'm an unabashed fan of all things Wodehouse - particularly Bertie Wooster & Jeeves. Once O even had a delightful black and white "tuxedo" cat named Jeeves. What as delightful use of the English language. Always a lighthearted pick-me-up, and that's something much needed in light of the daily news!

Oh Mr. Wodehouse! One of the finest witty wordsmiths who ever picked up a pen. When I need a smile, or a lift, or even a roll on the floor laugh I turn to one of the many wonderful works of Wodehouse.
So many to choose from, and each one is from a different period in PG 'Plum' to his friends - life. While my favorite character is Psmith, how can I not enjoy the mutterings of Ukridge, or long to have my life saved from disasters by the likes of Jeeves.
Stephen Fry wrote 'Without Wodehouse I am not sure I would be a tenth of what I am today...his writings awoke me to the possibilities of language. His rhythms, tropes, tricks and mannerisms are deep within me. But more than that, he taught me something about good nature. It IS enough to be benign, to be gentle, to be funny, to be kind.
As laughter is the best medicine, perhaps we need a good dose of Wodehouse from time to time, and during these bleak winter months, in the dark time of the economy, Wodehouse is just what the Doctor ordered!

I just loved these stories in book form or on TV!

This is a very early collection of Wodehouse stories, all set in America. Half the collection concerns Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, the rest Reggie Pepper, another Wodehouse 'hero', very much like Bertie, wealthy, well meaning, upper class twit with more money than brains. Fans of Jeeves and Bertie, particularly those familiar with the Stephan Frye/Hugh Laurie television productions will recognize all of these stories, even the ones featuring Reggie Pepper instead of Bertie Wooster.

As always with Wodehouse stories these take the reader away from the everyday world of the 21st century, transporting them not only to Manhattan and Long Island of nearly a hundred years ago, but to a place where the loss of a job or lack of money was only a temporary problem, where the biggest problems facing most of the characters is dealing with a cranky, eccentric (and wealthy) relative or having one too many or the wrong fiancee. It's a delightful place to escape to for a few hours, knowing full well that with or without Jeeves somehow all will be well by the final paragraph.

This Kindle edition does have a few problems, there are some typographic errors, but they are minor, nothing that detracts markedly from the stories and the price ($0.00) cannot be beat.

The first three of these eight stories feature Bertie Wooster and his perfect gentleman's gentleman, Jeeves: Leave It to Jeeves, Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest, Jeeves and the Hard-Boiled Egg. The next four are narrated by Reggie Pepper and neither Jeeves nor Bertie appear: Absent Treatment, Helping Freddie, Rallying Round Old George, and Doing Clarence a Bit of Good. The final story, The Aunt and the Sluggard, returns once again to Bertie's narration and Jeeves' genius.

The stories ranged from mildly amusing to just plain silly. The male characters were not over-bright except for the servants, who were wily geniuses. The female characters were not only brainless but inconsistent; I particularly disliked the resolution of Absent Treatment. Unless you know you like this type of story passing for humor, skip it.

The title is a bit misleading; Bertie Wooster and Jeeves appear in lnly half the short stories here. The rest are tales of Reggie pepper, Wodehouse's precursor to Bertie. Sadly, Reggie does not have a Jeeves of his own to get him out of trouble and must fend for himself. Somehow, he manages to get out of his predicaments relatively unscathed, occasionally with help from other members of the Drones club, but it's not near as much fun as having a Jeeves around. Still, fun, light, and entertaining as Wodehouse always is.

Amusing, though not riveting.
Apparently this isn't Wodehouse's best work so its a shame that I started with it, because now I'm not so anxious to seek his other, more funnier ones out.
The first three stories I found quite entertaining but I admit to skimming the rest.
Someday....

Jeeves is the latter day fairy god father. Who wouldn't want such an unflappable resource with answers to all questions at one's beck and call? Even when it looks as if Jeeves might be wrong, he has all in hand, it all turns out well. This is a restful collection of Wodehouse's short stories. Wodehouse was an adept storyteller, long or short from, and while this is not a collection of his very best shorts, it's quite a good sampling.

My fav Wodehouse character is Psmith, Leave it to Psmith: A British Humor Classic - but there is still something great about Jeeves....what would I give to have someone that smart in my life!

But until then I'll read ALL the Wodehouse I can!

This is a great book for the fans or a newbie!

Read it! (give it to a young person to get them started on Wodehouse!)

This is a wonderfully funny audio version of the famous characters created by P. G. Wodehouse. Martin Jarvis has a very good grasp of all the characters and gives each its proper inflexion. If you've never read any of the stories of Wodehouse, this is a great place to start. There are a lot of narrated versions of Wodehouse on the market, and you will be quite happy with this one, though I think the version recorded by Charlton Griffin is so far my favorite. (His voice for Bertie is somehow exactly right.) But I quibble. Jarvis is charming and has just the proper touch of the blasé Englishman. The selection of bubbly stories is quite good.

I found My Man Jeeves wonderfully amusing. The characters were charming and perfectly balanced to play off of each other and the narrator does an AMAZING job at all the different character voices, making this another gem from P.G Wodehouse!

My Man Jeeves is a classic collection of short stories by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the UK in May 1919 by George Newnes. Of the eight stories in the collection, half feature the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, while the others concern Reggie Pepper, an early prototype for Wooster.

Enjoyed the book very much. I had watched some of the series with Hugh Laurie and Steven Fry which I enjoyed very much, so I was looking for stories that reflect the character and I was not disappointed. Great fun reading Bertie Wooster's first person account of being idle and wealthy in the roaring 20's.