Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Is P.G. WODEHOUSE the Funniest English Novelist Ever?

On Monday, Paper Cuts, the blog of the New York Times Book Review, attempted to determine the funniest novel ever. At the top of their list were not one, but two Wodehouse classics: THE CODE OF THE WOOSTERS and LEAVE IT TO PSMITH.

Galleycat, however, disagreed:

"For example, where P.G. Wodehouse is concerned, The Code of the Woosters and Leave it to Psmith may be funny, but they are not UNCLE FRED IN THE SPRINGTIMEwhich is, in fact, the funniest English-language novel ever published, no matter what any of you care to say different. (Even the ones who point out that the Times left out the works of Kyril Bonfiglioli!)"

So, while there may be some debate as to the exact novel, Paper Cuts and Galleycat agree: If you want to laugh, Wodehouse is the man for the job.

What's your favorite Wodehouse novel? Post your defense below for a chance to win the next two books in our Collector's Wodehouse series: PSMITH, JOURNALIST and NOTHING SERIOUS. The answer that makes us laugh the hardest wins!

1 comment:

Kirby Olson said...

Anything with Jeeves in it is funny. But I like best the book called Uncle Dynamite. It opens in a train in which a daft young man meets the father of his close friend from school.

"Where's your wife?" He asks.

"In the West Indies."

"Jamaica?"

"No, she went of her own free will."

It never stops.

Kirby Olson
710 Evenden Tower, SUNY-Delhi
Delhi, NY 13753