Tales of St. Austin's - The Original Classic Edition

Finally available, a high quality book of the original classic edition.

This is a new and freshly published edition of this culturally important work, which is now, at last, again available to you.

Enjoy this classic work today. These selected paragraphs distill the contents and give you a quick look inside:

All of which, being interpreted, meant that the first match of the Easter term had just come to an end, and that those of the team who, being day boys, changed over at the pavilion, instead of performing the operation at leisure and in comfort, as did the members of houses, were discussing the vital question-­who was to have first bath?

...W." would remark that when he came down with the Wandering Zephyrs to play against the third fifteen, the water supply had suddenly and mysteriously failed, and the W.Z.'s had been obliged to go home as they were, in a state of primeval grime, and he thought that this was "a very bad thing in a school of over six hundred boys", though what the number of boys had to do with the fact that there was no water he omitted to explain. 

...Ten years ago an Old Wrykinian, suddenly reflecting that it would not be a bad idea to do something for the school in a small way, hied him to the nearest jeweller's and purchased another silver cup, vast withal and cunningly decorated with filigree work, and standing on a massive ebony plinth, round which were little silver lozenges just big enough to hold the name of the winning house and the year of grace. 

...They asked me to lunch the last day but one of the holidays, and we got talking about the bat, because, of course, if we hadn't beaten Dexter's in the final, O'Hara would have had it himself. 

Finally available, a high quality book of the original classic edition.

This is a new and freshly published edition of this culturally important work, which is now, at last, again available to you.

Enjoy this classic work today. These selected paragraphs distill the contents and give you a quick look inside:

Robert FitzSimmons offered to take on any of the invading generals, or all of them, and if he didnt beat them it would only be because the referee had a wife and seven small children and had asked him as a personal favour to let himself be knocked out.

...Interviewed on the subject by representatives of the daily papers, the Government handsomely admitted that it was perhaps in some ways a silly thing to have done; but, they urged, you could not think of everything.

...When you consider that a crowd of five hundred Londoners will assemble in the space of two minutes, abandoning entirely all its other business, to watch a cab-horse that has fallen in the street, it is not surprising that the spectacle of nine separate and distinct armies in the metropolis left no room in the British mind for other reflections.

...The reply of Prince Ping Pong Pang of China was probably brilliant and scholarly, but it was expressed in Chinese characters of the Ming period, which Prince Otto did not understand; and even if he had it would have done him no good, for he tried to read it from the top downwards instead of from the bottom up.

This is a new and freshly published edition of this culturally important work by P. G. Wodehouse, which is now, at last, again available to you.

Enjoy this classic work today. These selected paragraphs distill the contents and give you a quick look inside The White Feather:

Nobody at Wrykyn, even at Seymours, seemed to know Sheen very well, with the exception of Drummond; and those who troubled to think about the matter at all rather wondered what Drummond saw in him.

...This kept him from collisions with the authorities; while a ready tongue and an excellent knowledge of the art of boxing-he was, after Drummond, the best Light-Weight in the place-secured him at least tolerance at the hand of the school: and, as a matter of fact, though most of those who knew him disliked him, and particularly those who, like Drummond, were what Clowes had called the Old Brigade, he had, nevertheless, a tolerably large following.

...On these occasions Mitchell the younger would write to Stanning, with whom when at school he had been on friendly terms; and Stanning, breaking out of his house after everybody had gone to bed, would make his way to the Mitchell residence, and spend a pleasant hour or so there.

...It was generally understood that Bruce was a good sort of chap if you knew him, but you had got to know him first; brilliant at his work, and devoted to it; a useful slow bowler; known to be able to drive and repair the family motor-car; one who seldom spoke unless spoken to, but who, when he did speak, generally had something sensible to say.

Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE ( 15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975) was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be widely read. Despite the political and social upheavals that occurred during his life, much of which was spent in France and the United States, Wodehouse's main canvas remained that of a pre- and post-World War I English upper-class society, reflecting his birth, education and youthful writing career.
-wikipedia

First published in 1922 as Three Men and a Maid, this relatively early work isnt as fully developed as some of the authors later masterpieces.

As one would expect from a Wodehouse story, there is a cast of eccentric characters. Theres also some rather clever wordplay. Wodehouse peppers the narrative with several asides to his readers. The tone is effervescent, tempered with a gentle tongue-in-cheek mockery of both the upper class and the foolishness of young lovers.

Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE ( 15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975) was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be widely read. Despite the political and social upheavals that occurred during his life, much of which was spent in France and the United States, Wodehouse's main canvas remained that of a pre- and post-World War I English upper-class society, reflecting his birth, education and youthful writing career.
-wikipedia

There is also an element of the autobiographical in this work, for Wodehouse spent his post school days in much the same position as Mike finds himself - working in a city job for which he had little aptitude and did not like. Dulwich College, Wodehouses school, also makes a cameo appearance.

The character of Psmith (based on a real person, unusually for Wodehouse) lends himself well to Wodehouses skill at dialogue. Psmiths unique character traits are generally revealed in his conversation, and Wodehouse makes the most of this - certainly more than he was able to in the earlier school settings for Mike and Psmith. The dialogue does not, perhaps, soar to the heights it achieves in Leave it to Psmith, but this is a distinctly earlier piece of writing. Indeed, the reader is occasionally brought up with a jolt to just how early in the twentieth century this is, with some of the settings and phrasings.

Man with two left feet is a delightful book. People have been raving about Wodehouse for a long time and if you have enjoyed watching Jeeves and Wooster this could well be your first venture beyond Jeeves.

This book is a compilation of fourteen short, amusing and sometime poignant stories. It is very easy reading BUT cleverly written.

You can almost feel the Great Depression looming ominously beyond the horizon, as the Sallys tale begins with dreamy plans for financial gains and burdens of familial financial loss. Almost immediately, Sally is whisked away to a less widely known vacation spot in Roville, France, where she meets love interests Mr. Two and Mr. Three (already engaged to Mr. One). Sallys sparked interest in Mr. Two, lets call him Ginger, begins the basic premise for the plot. The rest of the book involves rejection from Mr. One in favor of Miss Two, and offering scorn to Mr. Three in reponse to his offers of love, predictably because he was immediately and always disliked. This is all sandwiched between the financial adventures of Sallys brother Fillmore as he competes for financial independance by taking up multiple ludicrous failing schemes.

Now, while unpredictable, the plot offers little in intrigue directly itself, but it does offer us something that few plots do: a feeling of reality. The repeated financial failures of friends and family members do happen, and seeing it portrayed here does a lot for the emotional involvment in the story. A nagging depression is the offshoot of this approach; always knowing that things are not going well, cannot go well, and will not go well does that to you.

During these traumatic events, we see Sally, as she is portrayed as a real flesh and blood human being. Still trapped in the mannerisms of the day, the etiquette that covers up much of her true feelings, but also alone and dismal. One scene stands out to me more than anything. Sally receiving that Dear Jane letter from Mr. One, knowing what it must contain, sitting on the floor in the bathroom and burning it. But not just burning it, but throwing a lit match at it and letting it burn on top of it, and repeating that process until it was nothing more than a dirty spot on the floor. Very memorable.

While the basic plot, as Ive outlined it seems simple, it is actually more complicated. There are reasons why each of the three love interests are considered and of interest, at least for a short time, and this is an example of the plots creativity. Also, spicing up the plot, is the basic itinerary, which includes London, NYC, Chicago, Detroit, and the already mentioned Roville, France and these diverse locations add much to the flavor. Combine that with including three main characters of British descent, and you have a recipe for intrigue.

Other story elements of interest include thetrical productions, boxers, and dance instructors (think Tina Turners Private Dancer and you get the picture better). These so fit the persona of urban America at the time, and if you like any of these bits of Americana, this book would be considered a must read. As with most of the classics there are bits of historical flavor which make them real gems.

Overall, a very good book from a very good author who has a very unique style of writing you are sure to find refreshing.

Theres money, and the lack of it, that seems to be a separate character content to flirt with all the rest of the cast. A little plot line regarding golf, keeping bees, transatlantic trips, people who may or may not be who they are, a will that may or may not be the operative one, people mistaken for themselves and others, and true love. My god, the formula is so easy, yet as any one knows who has tried a hand at this stuff, just because youve got the recipe, it doesnt mean your souffle rises in the same way.