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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Cat-nappers!, 7 Sep 2004
P.G. Wodehouse's best stories are invariably those that involve the butler Jeeves helping the scatterbrained and easy-living Bertie Wooster escape from the fickle hand of fate and his own pranks. Aunts Aren't Gentlemen focuses on Bertie being at the wrong place at the wrong time and being constantly in the soup because of what others do. He valiantly launches forward and needs less help than usual to remain the carefree bachelor about town.The Cat-nappers starts off innocently enough as Bertie finds himself with disturbing pink spots on his chest. Seeking out a physician's counsel, Bertie gets more than he bargained for when he bumps into Vanessa Cook (who had turned down his marriage proposal the year before) and O.J. (Orlo) Porter (former dorm mate at Oxford who favored left-wing causes) as they lead a protest march that stalls Bertie's car. Porter hops in the car to escape the Bobbies and sells Bertie some life insurance. Porter turns out to be in love with Ms. Cook and is very jealous of anyone who might have an interest in her. At the doctor's office, Bertie runs into Major Plank who had once tried to have Bertie arrested. Fortunately, Plank cannot remember who he is . . . but it's a narrow escape. The doctor tells Bertie the spots will go away, but Bertie's health needs are not being met. He suggests a trip to someplace quiet in the country. Naturally, Bertie thinks of his Aunt Dahlia and the wonderful meals he always enjoys when he visits her. But she's off visiting elsewhere. She does offer to take a cottage for Bertie so he can visit with her. Once there, things go badly downhill. Naturally, Bertie does it to himself to some extent. Ignoring Jeeves's advice, he takes a wrong turn and ends up with a nasty scare. From there, the complications build to their humorous conclusion as cat thieves, bettors, lovers, churchmen and angry horsemen blunder about in silly circles that provide much delight to the reader. Naturally, Bertie's always at the wrong place at the wrong time . . . but at the right place at the right time to make us laugh! One of the special charms of this story is that Bertie tries very hard to do the right thing . . . and finds it exceptionally difficult to do so. As the book ends, Bertie notes that the problems with the world boil down to the comment that "Aunts Aren't Gentlemen." Peace is what you carry with you.
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by P.G. Wodehouse
by P.G. Wodehouse
by P.G. Wodehouse
by P.G. Wodehouse
by P.G. Wodehouse
