Joy in the Morning

The Everyman's Library Wodehouse books are attractive publications... size, layout, cover art all quite nice. And of course, Wodehouse is fun, and we have about a dozen different titles.

Picture a story involving a snarl of relatives and lovers tangled in a web of misunderstandings. If tragedy ensues, you have your standard soap opera. If, on the other end, the results are more comic, you have a P.G. Wodehouse novel. I can't really judge soaps, but it's probably safe to say that they range from good to bad. With Wodehouse, however, the quality is almost always dead-on-great, and never more so than with his Jeeves and Wooster stories, as Joy in the Morning once again demonstrates.As the novel opens, Bertie Wooster has just emerged from being in the soup once again. What this soup was and how he escaped it is the story that follows. In this case, Bertie is coerced into going to one of his least favorite places, Steeple Bumpleigh, home to his dread Aunt Agatha. (Is there a more terrifying figure in comic fiction than Agatha?) Her husband, Bertie's Uncle Percival, needs Bertie to participate in a ruse that will help cinch a business deal. It is not a job that Bertie relishes, and the only the assurance of Aunt Agatha's absence allows him to screw up the courage to make the trip.Of course, there are complications. For one thing, Percival's ward Nobby has fallen for Boko Fittleworth, and while the love is mutual, Percival - whose consent is needed for their marriage - has nothing but loathing for Boko. A scheme is needed to win over Percival, and Bertie will be recruited to play a part. Also at Steeple Bumpleigh is Florence Craye, an ex-fiancee of Bertie's who is now engaged to the easily jealous policeman, Stilton Cartwright. An argument and a misunderstanding will find her re-betrothed to Bertie and him a target of Stilton's wrath.Bertie is a well-meaning but not-so-bright fellow who tends to get into trouble through accident and the manipulation of others. Left alone, life would be easy, but there are too many who force Bertie's involvement. Fortunately, there is his valet, Jeeves, who is able to solve nearly any problem.The joy of reading a Jeeves and Wooster novel is Bertie's delightful narration with its unique enhancements to the English language. This is a book that is pure fun with no great insights or deep characters. It may be fluff, but it is five-star fluff and a great diversion.

This is the first Wodehouse I have read. It wasn't as funy as I expected and hoped. but I was amused. It kept my interest. I read it in a single day.This falls into the tradition of humorous novels that depend on a close relationship between master and man servant, where the servant is in many instances more savvy than the master.I'm reminded of Pickwick and Sam Weller, as well as Phineas Fogg and Passepartout in Around the World in 80 Days.

It's a given that Wodehouse's plots are completely outlandish or, in the words of another reviewer, like musical comedies. And yet somehow I have found a certain plausibility or coherence within the outlandishness of other of his books, such that I was more than willing to suspend my disbelief. In this case, I felt that the plot devices were weaker than usual, however, and in fact it took me a while to get through this one as a result.The basic plot elements have been summarized elsewhere, but I will give one example of what I mean, to wit: Bertie's uncle by marriage, Uncle Percy, stands opposed to the marriage of his ward, Nobby, to one Boko Fittleworth. The plan to get Uncle to change his mind involves Bertie verbally assaulting him, to the point where the uncle must be "rescued" by Boko, who just happens to be in the vicinity (outside the uncle's study, for example). Uncle P. will then realize what an upstanding chap our Boko is.Even within Bertie's cocooned world, this is weak, nor is it the lone instance of evidence that Wodehouse was not at his peak with this one. Still, he does charm readers as usual with Bertie's commentaries, a brilliant mix of goofy slang and highbrow poetic references, often in the same sentence. For better stories, I would recommend "Leave It To PSmith" (5 stars) or "Pigs Have Wings" (4 stars).

When I want to read something lighthearted and funny I know that I can always count on the Jeeves and Wooster novels. P.G. Wodehouse epitomizes British wit and humor. Of the Jeeves and Wooster novels that I've read this is my favorite. Fortunately I have several more yet to discover. The plot twist and turns create one comic situation after another. What truly sets these books and particularly this one apart is the incredibly witty language and dialogues between the various characters but always most enjoyably between Bertie Wooster and his man Jeeves. Wodehouse's characters spin intrigue after intrigue most of which backfire until the unflappable Jeeves typically surprises all with an ingenious way out of the mounting dilemmas.This book is just a pure joy to read anytime of day. Lighthearted and yet somehow fully engaging and always entertaining Joy In The Morning will satisfy Wodehouse fans and addict those who are reading him for the first time.

One of the most persistently hilarious of all Wodehouse’s wonderful books. I defer to Jay McInereny, who gave my favorite tribute to this magnificent writer: “I was clinically depressed for most of 1999. And I would turn to Wodehouse, possibly the funniest writer in the English language. It seemed to be more effective at warding off despair than the antidepressants that I was taking.”

Bertie finds himself with more than one dilemma on a trip Steeple Bumpleigh – 5 StarsSatisfied that his indomitable Aunt Agatha is currently not in residence, Bertie Wooster agrees to make a trip to Steeple Bumpleigh. However, things soon go awry, and it’s down to Jeeves to arrange a clandestine business meeting, smooth the matrimonial path for two of Bertie’s friends, and ensure Bertie isn’t hauled-off to jail for stealing a police constable’s uniform. Oh, and there’s the little matter of extraditing Bertie from the clutches of Florence Caye too.I always liken reading a Jeeves and Wooster book to taking ‘reader’s balm’ and this one is no exception in its ability to provide a highly enjoyable romp and feel-good factor aplenty. It’s funny, fast-paced, and has just the right dose of the ridiculous too. All the usual components are present including a delightful selection of characters, numerous misunderstandings, and Bertie’s life being made all the more difficult by the antics of his kith and kin.Overall: An action-packed Jeeves and Wooster classic.

Much of the popular novel writing of the 1930s took place in aristocratic family mansions out in the country whether it was Agatha Christie murders or PG Wodehouse Jeeves stories. It is a strange thing. Not even 1% of the reading public had ever been to such places. Similarly, schoolboy and schoolgirl stories took place in private boarding schools which again were used by a tiny percentage of the population.This particular story is one of the Jeeves and Wooster stories where the gentleman's valet, Jeeves gets his boss, the idiot Wooster, out of one scrape after another. The critics found this one hilarious in the 1930s and it is still humorous now. A touch like Fawlty Towers reworked as a novel.

Its not difficult to maintain a certain level of enthusiasm for Jeeves & Wooster novels. Bertie's knack of landing himself in trouble only to have Jeeves bail him out is legendary and for the 8th book in this series it's still an intrigue to find out how he can get himself in so deep and how much work he leaves Jeeves to extricate him.

I don't know what I can add to the comments of the distinguished authors above. I laughed a lot at the antics of Bertie , and the brilliant word play and outrageous similes of the master. Perfect escapism at a stressful time waiting for results of medical tests which were good news, which added to my pleasure as I finished off the book. Timeless joy at any time of day.

The usual fayre if you like the others you'll like this