Life at Blandings (Something Fresh / Summer Lightning / Heavy Weather)
by P. G. Wodehouse
Blandings Castle (Collections and Selections — 1, 3-4)
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This book contains 3 of Wodehouse's Blandings Castle novels, featuring characters such as the Empress of Blandings, the greatest pig in Christendom; the absent-minded Lord Emsworth; his terrifying sister Constance; and his brother Galahad.Tags
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Member Reviews
P.G. Wodehouse is the antidote to life.
There are stories behind this, but since no one reads these things anyway, I'll just say that this collection made me laugh. I love Galahad of Blandings. I love the dotty old Earl of Emsworth. I even love the Hon. Freddie Threepwood, lover of pulp detective stories and constant thorn in his father's side.
A few too many of the gents are irritating, sulky, dim, or infuriating, but there are enough clever ladies and happy-go-lucky acts to cause sufficient trouble.
Just make sure to read these when you're in a mood for silliness, or they'll annoy rather than amuse.
There are stories behind this, but since no one reads these things anyway, I'll just say that this collection made me laugh. I love Galahad of Blandings. I love the dotty old Earl of Emsworth. I even love the Hon. Freddie Threepwood, lover of pulp detective stories and constant thorn in his father's side.
A few too many of the gents are irritating, sulky, dim, or infuriating, but there are enough clever ladies and happy-go-lucky acts to cause sufficient trouble.
Just make sure to read these when you're in a mood for silliness, or they'll annoy rather than amuse.
Something Fresh
"This odd impulse to leap across the compartment and kiss Joan was not love. It was merely the natural desire of a good-hearted young man to be decently chummy with his species".
In which the Hon. Freddie Threepwood is engaged to the daughter of an American millionnaire. Unfortunately Lord Emsworth has absentimindedly pocketed one of the millionnaire's priceless antique scarabs, and he is determined to get it back.
Summer Lightning
"This pig, you see, is a prize pig. Don't picture something with a kink in its tail sporting idly in the mud. Imagine, rather, a favourite daughter kidnapped from her ancestral home".
In which Lord Emsworth's nephew Ronnie and niece Millicent are both in love with unsuitable partners, the Hon. show more Galahad Threepwood's decision to write his (scandalous) memoirs causes consternation and the Empress of Blandings (Lord Emsworth's prize pig) is stolen.
Heavy Weather
"The proprietor of the Mammoth Publishing Company could not have put into words his ideal of a young journalist, but it would have been something rather shaggy, preferably with spectables, certainly not wearing spats."
In which Lord Emsworth's nephew Ronnie and his chorus girl fiancee Sue have romantic problems, Gally's memoirs are still causing consternation and Lord Emsworth continues to worry about the safety of the Empress of Blandings.
Reading 3 Wodehouses in a row is a bit much, as they do get rather repetitive. Young love thwarted and a purloined antique scarab. Young love thwarted and a pignapping. Young love thwarted and worries about more pignapping. See what I mean?
It would probably be better to read Something Fresh first then leave a gap and read the other two together, since the action in Heavy Weather occurs immediately after that in Summer Lightning. show less
"This odd impulse to leap across the compartment and kiss Joan was not love. It was merely the natural desire of a good-hearted young man to be decently chummy with his species".
In which the Hon. Freddie Threepwood is engaged to the daughter of an American millionnaire. Unfortunately Lord Emsworth has absentimindedly pocketed one of the millionnaire's priceless antique scarabs, and he is determined to get it back.
Summer Lightning
"This pig, you see, is a prize pig. Don't picture something with a kink in its tail sporting idly in the mud. Imagine, rather, a favourite daughter kidnapped from her ancestral home".
In which Lord Emsworth's nephew Ronnie and niece Millicent are both in love with unsuitable partners, the Hon. show more Galahad Threepwood's decision to write his (scandalous) memoirs causes consternation and the Empress of Blandings (Lord Emsworth's prize pig) is stolen.
Heavy Weather
"The proprietor of the Mammoth Publishing Company could not have put into words his ideal of a young journalist, but it would have been something rather shaggy, preferably with spectables, certainly not wearing spats."
In which Lord Emsworth's nephew Ronnie and his chorus girl fiancee Sue have romantic problems, Gally's memoirs are still causing consternation and Lord Emsworth continues to worry about the safety of the Empress of Blandings.
Reading 3 Wodehouses in a row is a bit much, as they do get rather repetitive. Young love thwarted and a purloined antique scarab. Young love thwarted and a pignapping. Young love thwarted and worries about more pignapping. See what I mean?
It would probably be better to read Something Fresh first then leave a gap and read the other two together, since the action in Heavy Weather occurs immediately after that in Summer Lightning. show less
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Author Information
656+ Works 110,518 Members
P. G. Wodehouse was born in Guildford, United Kingdom on October 15, 1881. After completing school, he spent two years as a banker at the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank in London and then took a job as a sports reporter and columnist for the Globe newspaper. His first novel, The Pothunters, was published in 1902. He wrote over 100 novels and short show more story collections during his lifetime including A Perfect Uncle, Love Among the Chickens, The Swoop, P. Smith in the City, Meet Mr. Milliner, Doctor Sally, Quick Service, The Old Reliable, Uneasy Money, A Damsel in Distress, Jill the Reckless, The Adventures of Sally, A Pelican at Blandings, The Girl in Blue, and Aunts Aren't Gentlemen. His most famous characters, Bertie Wooster and his manservant, Jeeves, appeared in books such as Much Obliged, Jeeves. He also wrote lyrics for musical comedies and worked as screenwriter in Hollywood in the 1930s. In 1939, he bought a villa in Le Touquet on the coast of France. He remained there when World War II started in 1939. The following year, the Germans appropriated the villa, confiscated property, and arrested him. He was detained in various German camps for almost one year before being released in 1941. He went to Berlin and spoke of his experience in five radio talks to be broadcast to America and England. The talks themselves were completely innocuous, but he was charged with treason in England. He was cleared, but settled permanently in the United States. He became a citizen in 1955. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1975. He died from a heart attack after a long illness on February 14, 1975 at the age of 93. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Series
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Life at Blandings (Something Fresh / Summer Lightning / Heavy Weather) (Something Fresh / Summer Lightning / Heavy Weather)
- Original publication date
- 1915 (Something Fresh) (Something Fresh); 1929 (Summer Lightning) (Summer Lightning); 1933 (Heavy Weather) (Heavy Weather)
- People/Characters
- Clarence Threepwood (Lord Emsworth, Earl of Emsworth); Frederick Threepwood
- Important places
- Shropshire, England, UK (Blandings Castle)
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 694
- Popularity
- 40,990
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (4.33)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 3
