Collection
Genres
Publication
Blackstone Publishing
Description
The idyll of Blandings Castle is about to be disturbed, for the Honorable Freddie Threepwood is poised to make his debut as a jewel thief. Freddie, however, is not alone: Blandings is simply brimming with criminals and impostors all intent on stealing Aunt Constance's twenty-thousand-pound diamond necklace. It is left to the debonair Psmith, with his usual aplomb, to unscramble the passion, problems, and identities, of one and all.
Language
Original language
English
User reviews
LibraryThing member chinmayp
This is hands down the best Wodehouse book I've read! This is saying a lot, coming from an ardent Wodehouse fan. The story has all the usual impostors, burglars and romances; the usual inanities, twists and hilarity.
The Hon. Freddie Threepwood, the second and perennially impecunious son of Lord
You must read this book to join Psmith as he outfoxes the efficient Baxter, Lady Constance and many others to steal the necklace and to win himself the beautiful Miss Eve Halliday. This book also has the most romantic scene from the Wodehouse Canon (in my opinion), where Psmith watches Eve from his club--standing under the awning of a shop to protect her hat from the rain--and brings her an umbrella.
This story has everything: imposters, intrigue, action, a wonderful love story and above all pure Wodehousian fun!
The Hon. Freddie Threepwood, the second and perennially impecunious son of Lord
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Emsworth has come up with a magnificent scheme to raise two thousand pounds to finance his dream of becoming a bookie. With his Uncle Joe (the devoted but hen-pecked husband of Lady Constance Keeble) he plans to steal Lady Constance's necklace so that Uncle Joe can sell it incognito, get another one for his wife and thus obtain some 20 grand for his daughter Phyllis. But Freddie gets cold feet and ends up hiring our hero Psmith to steal the necklace. Psmith, who has just left the world piscine, is up for absolutely anything! He comes to Blandings Castle as a Canadian poet (of all the things) with an agenda that even Freddie doesnt know of. You must read this book to join Psmith as he outfoxes the efficient Baxter, Lady Constance and many others to steal the necklace and to win himself the beautiful Miss Eve Halliday. This book also has the most romantic scene from the Wodehouse Canon (in my opinion), where Psmith watches Eve from his club--standing under the awning of a shop to protect her hat from the rain--and brings her an umbrella.
This story has everything: imposters, intrigue, action, a wonderful love story and above all pure Wodehousian fun!
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LibraryThing member Tess22
Psmith, Psmith, Psmith. Though Jeeves and Wooster are one of the greatest comedic duos ever written, Psmith surpasses them as quite simply the funniest character I've ever found in literature. He is indescribably witty, unflappable, and absolutely unique. I therefore suggest (slash insist) that any
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right-thinking person who hasn't read about Psmith yet must immediately read all four books. Stuff deferred gratification, stuff deadlines, sleep or surgery. Got a holiday booked? Take it with you. Your nearest and dearest is on their deathbed? Read aloud. They died from laughter? Give a funeral reading. Anyone who has read only part of the Psmith series, what are you doing? Get yourself to a bookshop! Trust me - one day in times of trouble these books may well save your sanity. Show Less
LibraryThing member Eat_Read_Knit
I loved this book. It was very funny, and a wonderful farce. People popping in and out of view - flower-pots being hurled around right, left and centre - fake jewel thefts - people pretending to be other people - stolen jewels hurled out of windows - diamonds in flower-pots - evicted geraniums -
The heroes and heroines are warm and witty, and the villains hopelessly inept. It's also very sweet and romantic in places, and the umbrella scene is lovely. The torturous experience of the dense foliage of the pink chrysanthemum is so funny it is worth the price of the book by itself.
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more hurled flower-pots (you can never hurl too many flower-pots) - people coming clean about pretending to be other people and popping in and out of view again...The heroes and heroines are warm and witty, and the villains hopelessly inept. It's also very sweet and romantic in places, and the umbrella scene is lovely. The torturous experience of the dense foliage of the pink chrysanthemum is so funny it is worth the price of the book by itself.
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LibraryThing member Wombat
This was our latest family-read-aloud book. I read, and my wife and daughter listen, comment, and (particularly with this book) giggle, chuckle, and laugh.
Psmith ("the p is silent, as in phthisis, psychic, and ptarmigan") is a debonair young gentleman who needs to support himself. Unwilling to
This was a great read-aloud book for our eleven-year-old daughter. She loved the twisting plot and lunatic characters. Hardly a chapter went by that didn't have her laughing hysterically at least once. At the same time it is exposing her to a world (and vocabulary) beyond her reading genres. I suspect we'll be reading a lot more Wodehouse in the future...
Psmith ("the p is silent, as in phthisis, psychic, and ptarmigan") is a debonair young gentleman who needs to support himself. Unwilling to
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work for his rich uncle in the fish business, he runs an advertisement in the paper offering to do anything for anyone. Before long, he finds himself impersonating a poet at Blandings Castle, home of the Earl of Emsworth, hired by the Earl's son, Freddie, to steal a diamond necklace from the Earl's domineering sister. At the same time, Psmith falls in love at first sight with Eve Halliday, who conveniently is at Blandings to catalogue the library. Unfortunately Freddie also loves Eve. Eve believes Psmith has recently jilted her best friend and thinks Freddie is a dolt. Throw in the Earl's suspicious and astute secretary, a card-sharp turned jewel thief, and a few more house guests and hilarity ensues---much of it involving flower pots. This was a great read-aloud book for our eleven-year-old daughter. She loved the twisting plot and lunatic characters. Hardly a chapter went by that didn't have her laughing hysterically at least once. At the same time it is exposing her to a world (and vocabulary) beyond her reading genres. I suspect we'll be reading a lot more Wodehouse in the future...
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LibraryThing member kinfae
This is a truly delightful little book, and I find myself wishing to track down everything else by the author. A dry, biting humour that includes such lines as 'When the great revolution against London's ugliness really starts and yelling hordes of artists and architects, maddened beyond endurance,
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finally take the law into their own hands and rage through the city burning and destroying, Wallingford Street, West Kensington, will surely not escape the torch.' Absolutely delicious. Show Less
LibraryThing member ctpress
’Alone?’ Psmith looked at her, astonished. ‘When you have the chance of being with me? This is a strange attitude.’
The second in the Blanding Castle-series and my first introduction to the wonderful character Psmith - (although he appears in three earlier novels).
What can you expect?
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- Lord Emsworth more absent-minded and clueless than ever
- Another thing that people grasp after, this time a diamant necklace.
- And then Psmith. An uncontrollable force of nature, wild, unpredictable, making fun of everybody, fooling everybody and just overflowing with joie de vivre. He reminded me of Innocent Smith in Chesterton’s Man Alive, the “holy fool”.
I had so much fun reading this novel with its absurd plot.
The second in the Blanding Castle-series and my first introduction to the wonderful character Psmith - (although he appears in three earlier novels).
What can you expect?
-
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Again people popping up at Blanding Castle with covert motives- Lord Emsworth more absent-minded and clueless than ever
- Another thing that people grasp after, this time a diamant necklace.
- And then Psmith. An uncontrollable force of nature, wild, unpredictable, making fun of everybody, fooling everybody and just overflowing with joie de vivre. He reminded me of Innocent Smith in Chesterton’s Man Alive, the “holy fool”.
I had so much fun reading this novel with its absurd plot.
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LibraryThing member isabelx
Other men love you. Freddie Threepwood loves you. Just add me to the list. That is all I ask. Muse on me from time to time. Reflect that I may be an acquired taste. You probably did not like olives the first time you tasted them. Now you probably do. Give me the same chance you would give an
A diamond necklace worth £20,000 (and remember that this is in the 1920s) belonging to Lady Constance Keeble is the lure that draws Psmith and various shady characters to Blandings Castle. As usual, there are various plots afoot, young love both requited and unrequited, and several people in disguise.
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olive.A diamond necklace worth £20,000 (and remember that this is in the 1920s) belonging to Lady Constance Keeble is the lure that draws Psmith and various shady characters to Blandings Castle. As usual, there are various plots afoot, young love both requited and unrequited, and several people in disguise.
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LibraryThing member MrsPlum
I am currently re-reading and reviewing my Wodehouse collection in chronological order, so a proper review is yet to come. However, I can’t leave off commenting that if I were whisked off to the emergency ward at a moments notice, this would be the book I'd grab for the overnight case, with my
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last gasp if necessary. Show Less
LibraryThing member GrammaPollyReads
"A depressing musty scent pervaded the place, as if a cheese had recently died there in painful circumstances."
It's passages like this that made this book a fun palette cleanser. Nowadays this book feels like typical sitcom fare but at the same time it reminded me why I gravitate toward the
It's passages like this that made this book a fun palette cleanser. Nowadays this book feels like typical sitcom fare but at the same time it reminded me why I gravitate toward the
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literature of the 1920s. The silliness of mistaken identities (which today feels far-fetched), the reliance on letters and telegrams to communicate, the need to travel to visit with friends, and the generally slower pace of life. All of that combined made reading this book feel like sitting up late at night to watch the late movie. Show Less
LibraryThing member lizzy_bb
If I could only take one book with me on that desert island, this would be it.
LibraryThing member PMaranci
It's remarkably funny, and there are no dull spots at all. I found myself laughing out loud frequently. Amazing!
LibraryThing member Pferdina
Another humorous tale from Wodehouse. This time, Psmith gets himself invited to Blandings Castle by posing as a famous Canadian poet. He pursues the local pretty girl, who is working to catalogue the castle's library. Meanwhile, both of them are enveloped in a plot to steal Lady Constance's jeweled
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necklace in order to fund several worthy projects. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cald
My first Wodehouse book and it got me hooked, I picked it up based on a mention/recommendation by Douglas Adams (the Hitchhiker's Guide guy). I won't be able to rest until I've devoured all of them; an epic quest as Wodehouse was a very prolific author.
If you enjoy British humor( or should I say
If you enjoy British humor( or should I say
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humour) you'll enjoy it. If you are not sure give it a try, I promise you won't regret it. Show Less
LibraryThing member kwmcdonald
A bit slow going in the beginning, but once the characters got developed for a bit, it quickly warmed up to be a great and hilarious read.
LibraryThing member Mouldywarp
The usual Wodehouse imbroglio. I was interested to note Psmiths name was Ronald. In a previous book it was Reginald and in the first one I read it was Rupert! I wonder why he keeps changing his name? Perhaps he is triplets!
LibraryThing member annbury
One of Wodehouse's best, which is to say a triumph of pure silliness. There is no point at all, of course, in detailing the plot. Wodehousian plots are snowflakes, there to support the people and the situations in the golden dreamworld of Blandings et al, where all will eventually come right, at
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least for this time round. Show Less
LibraryThing member osmium_antidote
Excellent book. P.G. Wodehouse never fails to entertain.
LibraryThing member losloper
It all starts with an umbrella, the best to be found in the Drones Club. From such an innocent beginning Wodehouse weaves a comic tale of suspense and romance involving one of his most distinctive early heroes, Ronald Eustace Psmith, monocled wit and devil-may-care boulevardier. Unusually for
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Wodehouse, this is not only a light comedy but also an adventure story in which crime and even gun-play drive the plot. Show Less
LibraryThing member CassandraT
It took a while for me to appreciate the humor. Then, I was enjoying the story until it just sort of ended.
LibraryThing member anne07
Absolutely hilarious! Psmith is one of my favorite Wodehouse characters.
LibraryThing member addunn3
PG Wodehouse is a master of intelligent dialog as his hero takes on the stodgy upper crust of British society, solving monetary and career aspirations of his acquaintances. A necklace is burgled, an impersonation is lightly applied, and a grumpy villein is sent packing. One of the best reads in a
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long time. Show Less
LibraryThing member leslie.98
April 2018 reread: Even more hilarious now that I know the character Psmith & his friend Mike Jackson! I am increasing my rating of the book to 4.5* (from 4) and 5* for the Jonathan Cecil narration.
LibraryThing member RajivC
In this book, I think that the Psmith character was beginning to get into his flow. It does indeed appear that this is the last of the Psmith books, which is why PG Wodehouse got him married off. It is a bit of a pity, because his intended bride - Eve Halliday - and him could have had some great
Anyhow, it is indeed a good book, with some nice twists in the plot. There were, in my view, some loose ends to be tied up at the end, and the book did not end wit the dramatic flourish that some of his books have. The setting for the action - Blandings Castle - was perfect!
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adventures together. Anyhow, it is indeed a good book, with some nice twists in the plot. There were, in my view, some loose ends to be tied up at the end, and the book did not end wit the dramatic flourish that some of his books have. The setting for the action - Blandings Castle - was perfect!
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LibraryThing member breic
The plot and the characters are perhaps slightly better than the average Wodehouse, but the writing lacks the brilliant similes that I love.
> Lord Emsworth was so acutely spectacle-less; Rupert Baxter, his secretary, so pronouncedly spectacled. It was his spectacles that struck you first as you
> Eve's eyes opened wide. "Do you mean to say you gave me somebody else's umbrella?" "I had unfortunately omitted to bring my own out with me this morning." "I never heard of such a thing!" "Merely practical Socialism. Other people are content to talk about the Redistribution of Property. I go out and do it."
> "Yes, owing to a financial upheaval in my branch of the family, I was until this morning at the beck and call of an uncle who unfortunately happens to be a Mackerel Monarch or a Sardine Sultan, or whatever these merchant princes are called who rule the fish market. He insisted on my going into the business to learn it from the bottom up, thinking, no doubt, that I would follow in his footsteps and eventually work my way to the position of a Whitebait Wizard. Alas! he was too sanguine. It was not to be,"
> "But, my dear fellow, I simply had to pop across the street." "Most decidedly," said Psmith. "Always pop across streets. It is the secret of a happy and successful life."
> "Goo!" said Freddie, and sat staring wildly. Nobody is more alive than we are to the fact that the dialogue of Frederick Threepwood, recorded above, is not bright. Nevertheless, those were his opening remarks
> She was the sort of woman who tells a man who is propping his eyes open with his fingers and endeavouring to correct a headache with strong tea, that she was up at six watching the dew fade off the grass, and didn't he think that those wisps of morning mist were the elves' bridal-veils.
> Reflect that I may be an acquired taste. You probably did not like olives the first time you tasted them. Now you probably do. Give me the same chance you would an olive. … Consider, also, how little you actually have against me. What, indeed, does it amount to, when you come to examine it narrowly? All you have against me is the fact that I am not Ralston McTodd. Think how comparatively few people are Ralston McTodd.
> Eve bit her lip. She was feeling, as Miss Peavey had so often felt when associated in some delicate undertaking with Edward Cootes, that exasperating sense of man's inadequacy which comes to high-spirited girls at moments such as these. … "Cynthia advised me," proceeded Eve, "if ever I married, to marry someone eccentric. She said it was such fun … Well, I don’t suppose I am ever likely to meet anyone more eccentric than you, am I?" "I think you would be unwise to wait on the chance."
> "Well, look here, between ourselves," said Freddie earnestly, "the whole trouble all along has been that she thought I hadn't any money to get married on. She didn't actually say so in so many words, but you know how it is with women – you can read between the lines, if you know what I mean. So now everything's going to be all right. I shall simply go to her and say, 'Well, what about it?' and – well, and so on, don't you know?" Psmith considered the point gravely. "I see your reasoning, Comrade Threepwood,"
> Lord Emsworth was so acutely spectacle-less; Rupert Baxter, his secretary, so pronouncedly spectacled. It was his spectacles that struck you first as you
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saw the man.> Eve's eyes opened wide. "Do you mean to say you gave me somebody else's umbrella?" "I had unfortunately omitted to bring my own out with me this morning." "I never heard of such a thing!" "Merely practical Socialism. Other people are content to talk about the Redistribution of Property. I go out and do it."
> "Yes, owing to a financial upheaval in my branch of the family, I was until this morning at the beck and call of an uncle who unfortunately happens to be a Mackerel Monarch or a Sardine Sultan, or whatever these merchant princes are called who rule the fish market. He insisted on my going into the business to learn it from the bottom up, thinking, no doubt, that I would follow in his footsteps and eventually work my way to the position of a Whitebait Wizard. Alas! he was too sanguine. It was not to be,"
> "But, my dear fellow, I simply had to pop across the street." "Most decidedly," said Psmith. "Always pop across streets. It is the secret of a happy and successful life."
> "Goo!" said Freddie, and sat staring wildly. Nobody is more alive than we are to the fact that the dialogue of Frederick Threepwood, recorded above, is not bright. Nevertheless, those were his opening remarks
> She was the sort of woman who tells a man who is propping his eyes open with his fingers and endeavouring to correct a headache with strong tea, that she was up at six watching the dew fade off the grass, and didn't he think that those wisps of morning mist were the elves' bridal-veils.
> Reflect that I may be an acquired taste. You probably did not like olives the first time you tasted them. Now you probably do. Give me the same chance you would an olive. … Consider, also, how little you actually have against me. What, indeed, does it amount to, when you come to examine it narrowly? All you have against me is the fact that I am not Ralston McTodd. Think how comparatively few people are Ralston McTodd.
> Eve bit her lip. She was feeling, as Miss Peavey had so often felt when associated in some delicate undertaking with Edward Cootes, that exasperating sense of man's inadequacy which comes to high-spirited girls at moments such as these. … "Cynthia advised me," proceeded Eve, "if ever I married, to marry someone eccentric. She said it was such fun … Well, I don’t suppose I am ever likely to meet anyone more eccentric than you, am I?" "I think you would be unwise to wait on the chance."
> "Well, look here, between ourselves," said Freddie earnestly, "the whole trouble all along has been that she thought I hadn't any money to get married on. She didn't actually say so in so many words, but you know how it is with women – you can read between the lines, if you know what I mean. So now everything's going to be all right. I shall simply go to her and say, 'Well, what about it?' and – well, and so on, don't you know?" Psmith considered the point gravely. "I see your reasoning, Comrade Threepwood,"
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LibraryThing member et.carole
Wodehouse is a master of the light and hilarious tone that can bear most elegantly a slight social critique while carrying along a plot of the most entertaining nature.