06 April 2005

"Wet" dry wit

From Right Ho Jeeves by the ever-popular P.G. Wodehouse (could someone please tell me how to properly pronounce his last name? I've heard it pronounced to rhyme with roadhouse and pronounced something like wodgeous and everything in between!) comes this wonderful snippet: (In the leadup, Aunt Dahlia has suggested that Bertie take a length of rope and find a nice large brick while out for his walk...)

"Then, " said the relative, "I want you, like a good boy, to fasten the rope to the brick and tie it around your damned neck and jump into the pond and drown yourself. In a few days I will send and have you fished up and buried because I shall need to dance on your grave."


Now, I will admit that up to this passage (which appears on page 102 of the edition I'm reading) I was not exactly eating this book up. It was one of the many books I have on the go -- one in my bag, one in my desk, a half dozen by my bed -- and depending on my mood I will either pick up and read, or skip in favour of something lighter (or denser in this case). Overall, I still think the writing is not to my taste, but since the above passage made me laugh out loud in public (something few books accomplish), I will certainly finish reading it.

2 comments:

Mrs Robot said...

I have been assured that old Plum's name is pronounced Woodhouse.

I'm a bit of a fan of the dear chap myself, and can highly recommend a viewing of Jeeves and Wooster -- starring the fabulous Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie -- to get you into the swing of things. The soundtrack is rather good, too.

I advise, though, that Wodehouse's Psmith series is to be avoided, unless an urge to punch the smug and insufferable main character is something that enhances your reading experience.

Unknown said...

Hmmm. I am a huge fan of Fry and Laurie, and I have seen the videos at the library... though I have't yet dragged them home. Still, can't beat the price so perhaps sometime soon.