Monday

I finished reading "The Inimitable Jeeves" today, and it was terriffic.
It comprised the first third or so of this book. I'd say it isn't as good as cocktail time, but that may just be because Cocktail time was only my second exposure to the genius of Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (pronounced "wood-house"), and the suitably high expectations weren't yet in place. This was my first time reading one of the Jeeves books, for which Wodehouse is most widely celebrated.

Coincidence! Just as I was looking it up so I wouldn't have to type the whole thing, only a moment ago, I found my favorite excerpt from the book over at bbc hhg2g, a Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy page, and what the author of that page said was that this was also his favorite excerpt. Wouldn't that just have to happen, to make it look like I am the lowest form of thief, the idea-thief. At any rate, here, lifted from that page, is the passage:

After breakfast I lit a cigarette and went to the open window to inspect the day. It certainly was one of the best and brightest.

'Jeeves,' I said.

'Sir?' said Jeeves. He had been clearing away the breakfast things, but at the sound of the young master's voice cheesed it courteously.

'You were absolutely right about the weather. It is a juicy morning.'

'Decidedly, sir.'

'Spring and all that.'

'Yes, sir.'

'In the spring, Jeeves, a livelier iris gleams upon the burnished dove.'

'So I have been informed, sir.'

'Right ho! Then bring me my whangee, my yellowest shoes, and the old green Homburg. I'm going into the Park to do pastoral dances.'


If you haven't had the pleasure of reading Wodehouse, you should avail yourself his work. You can find some of it at blackmask online library, and print off a book at work.

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