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The Inimitable Jeeves
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Amazon.co.uk Review
With a cast of characters that includes bearded revolutionaries, practical-joking twins, incognito authors, and a pair of confidence tricksters, The Inimitable Jeeves finds our upper-class hero Bertie Wooster in all kinds of hot water. Of particular concern in this collection of short stories--sensitively abridged by Penguin and read by Simon Callow--is Bertie's friend Bingo Little, who falls in love so often that it is impossible to keep track of his romantic entanglements, and who always falls for the most unsuitable women.
Unable to refuse to help a friend, Bertie is placed in one difficult situation after another, always under the watchful eye of his butler. Jeeves constantly works in the background, undermining Bertie's autonomy and moving the narrative in unexpected directions. He often fails to let his employer in on his plots, and a large proportion of his schemes turn out to expose Bertie to ridicule.
Yet Jeeves also ensures that Bertie's life runs smoothly, steering him through the pitfalls which face a rich young man with too much time on his hands. When in one story Bertie overhears Jeeves describing his employer as "not intelligent", he sets out to disprove the butler's assessment. If it is predictable that things do not go according to plan, then it is Wodehouse's brilliant grasp of comedy which makes the manner in which things go wrong so constantly surprising. And, of course, by the end of the tale Jeeves has proved himself both inimitable and indispensable. --John Oates --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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'You don't analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour.' Stephen Fry
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
One of the earlier Jeeves and Wooster collections, this is a series of very loosely linked short stories generally following the same template: young, wealthy airhead Wooster or his pal Bingo Little gets in some sticky situation, and it is up to his genius butler Jeeves to devise an ingenious solution to the quandary. Here, the somewhat repetitious misguided amorous ramblings of Bingo make for the lion's share of troubles, although the high spirits of Bertie's cousins Claude and Eustace also make plenty of work for Jeeves. The stories can fairly be compared to contemporary TV sitcoms, as they to reply on recurring (often over the top) characters, a rarefied setting, a single type of humor, and recurring situations. Simply put, if you like one Wooster story (and don't get sick of them), you're going to like them all. Much of this can be explained by Wodehouse's mastery of the language and constant deft turns of phrase, period slang, and comic timing. Those who deride the shallow subject matter and milieu of the Jeeves and Wooster series need to recall the context in which these stories appeared. Only a few years removed from the horrors of World War I-an event barely alluded to in the series, despite the loss of an entire generation of British young men-the stories can be viewed as a bandage of sorts, an attempt to transport the reader to a world far removed from the traumatic recovery from the Great War. Not to mention Wodehouse's clear depiction of the upper classes as wastrels and idiots of the highest order when compared to the street savvy of the servants (as exemplified by Jeeves). Of course, one doesn't read Wodehouse for social commentary or as a salve these days, but for his dry wit and keen command of the written word.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
While some might see the carefree and idle lifestyle of Bertie Wooster as a bygone age it is surprising how familiar Wodehouse manages to put it over even almost ninety years on. The book seems a connected collection of short stories focussing on Bertie's troubles with his Aunt Agatha and an old school friend who is constantly falling in love.
Wodehouse's writing is easy to read and he manages to present Wooster in such a way that the reader can believe the character is something of an imbecile while the genius of the author still shines through.
The language is simple and avoids the trappings of modern comedy whole remaining amusing, though a little predictable in one or two places. There is no real over-arching plot and most tales are only a chapter or two long. In some places, the way that things from earlier episodes are re-capped makes it feel like each should be presented as a separate story as part of a series, whereas in others things that you would expect a reminder of are left unremarked upon.
Overall, it was an enjoyable quick read and escape, but I suspect reading too many of the Jeeves books in quick succession might soon get a little repetitive.
Wodehouse's writing is easy to read and he manages to present Wooster in such a way that the reader can believe the character is something of an imbecile while the genius of the author still shines through.
The language is simple and avoids the trappings of modern comedy whole remaining amusing, though a little predictable in one or two places. There is no real over-arching plot and most tales are only a chapter or two long. In some places, the way that things from earlier episodes are re-capped makes it feel like each should be presented as a separate story as part of a series, whereas in others things that you would expect a reminder of are left unremarked upon.
Overall, it was an enjoyable quick read and escape, but I suspect reading too many of the Jeeves books in quick succession might soon get a little repetitive.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio Cassette
The Inimitable Jeeves is by far one of the funniest modern classics ever. I like it because it not only focuses on the adventures of Bertie Wooster and Jeeves but that of Bingo Little and the formidable Aunt Agatha. Richard Briers and Michael Hordon are sensational in the main roles and are backed up with a great supporting cast.Briers and Hordon have become the undisputed voices of Jeeves and Wooster and it is hard to imagine the characters with any other reader or narator. I just can't wait to listen to the rest!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Inimitable Jeeves
Typical Wodehouse. If you liked the TV series Jeeves and Wooster, you will love this book. You can imagine Steven Fry and Hugh Lawrie saying the lines. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Townie
Jeeves and Bertie Wooster in fine fettle
This is a wonderful book made accessible to the listener with the combined talents of, among others, Michael Hordern and Richard Briers, as Jeeves and Bertie respectively. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Keen Reader
A masterclass in comedic writing
Often regarded as the first official book in the Jeeves and Wooster canon ("My Man Jeeves" came out four years earlier but was only partly Jeeves and Wooster and a number of the... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Adrenalin Streams
Best book in a long time
Best book I've read in a very long time. Only trouble was I knew what was coming having seen the TV series. Didn't stop me enjoying it though. I will be buying more of the same
Published 10 months ago by Mick B
Wodehouse at his all-time finest
Quite simply, this is the finest example of Wodehouse's work. The Inimitable Jeeves works perfectly as a standalone novel and as a collection of short escapades which can be quite... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Adam Croft
Perfect
Some of the later dramatic incarnations of Jeeves seemed to miss the point that Jeeves is not supposed to sound as if he's a posher man from an even posher background then Bertie... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Les Livres
Meet a new friend
Having never read P G Wodehouse, I was very pleasantly surprised. Jeeves and Wooster are remarkable character even today. I find the writing enjoyable and delightful to read. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ms. J. K. Moore
Inimitable indeed!
Nothing cheers me up like Wodehouse's Jeeves stories, and Bertie's friend Bingo, who falls in love with every girl he meets, is one of my favourite characters. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Roman Clodia
The inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse audiobook read by Martin...
incredibly funny stories about a young rather silly toff and his much cleverer butler (jeeves) who keeps rescuing him genially from all sorts of social diseasters. Read more
Published 24 months ago by myles
A Humorous Delight
P G Wodehouse has a command of the English language and humour that is without equal. You can listen to this wonderful narration for the funny scrapes or the social commentary. Read more
Published on 5 Oct 2009 by Paul Sloane
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