What I'm Reading

For those of you who don't know about PG Wodehouse, well you're missing out. This expatriate left his motherland of England to live out his life in the States. And as the saying goes (or doesn't) you can take the man out of Britain, but you can't take Britain out of the man, so Wodehouse kept writing about England. Most of his stories are about the 'inept elite', or more explicitly the aristocratic families whose members get themselves into endless troubles.

The series I just started concerns Mr. Mulliner and his various relatives. I think the volume I'm currently on focuses mostly on his nephews (Wodehouse is knows for his Shakesperean-like grasp on nephew/uncle relationships.

PG's works are unique, though, because of the simultaneous simplicity and academic challenge. His stories seem to be archetypal and set to comedic type. However, halfway through, he'll through out a crazy curveball; he's like the M. Night Shymalan of comedic short stories. In addition, he also makes these horribly witty allusions to classic literature and art, just barely falling short of parodic statements.

At the heart of his stories, though, is this inherent goodness that makes me smile, no matter the plot's outcome. It's gorgeous.