Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "Very Good, Jeeves" by P.G. Wodehouse

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Review of "Very Good, Jeeves" by P.G. Wodehouse

Very Good, Jeeves is a collection of eleven humorous stories featuring Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. Bertie is a fun-loving - but rather dim - British toff who always getting involved in hare-brained schemes that go sideways. And Jeeves is his very clever 'gentleman's gentleman' who invariably makes things right.

Some of Bertie's escapades stem from his attempts to get back at his friend Tuppy Glossup.

Tuppy bet Bertie he couldn't swing across a swimming pool on a set of rings.....then disabled the last ring. Of course our hapless hero had to drop into the pool in his elegant evening togs. Thus, Bertie is forever trying to get revenge on Tuppy - with disastrous results. This and Bertie's other adventures are timeless and hilarious.

In this book Bertie gets treed by a swan; inadvertently drops a pail of flour on himself; punctures the wrong person's hot water bottle; loses his Aunt Agatha's beloved dog; gets caught on the grounds of a girls' school; becomes the unwilling face of 'Slingsby's Superb Soups' - and much more. One thing I love about these stories: if there's a tug-of-war between Bertie and Jeeves - over loud trousers, an inappropriate hat, a tasteless vase, a missed trip to Monte Carlo, etc. - things always go Jeeves' way in the end. Ha ha ha. 😃

If you need cheering up - or just want to laugh - you can't go wrong with these light, fun tales. Highly recommended.

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Leading up to and during World War II, some Jewish children in Europe were hidden with Christian families, or in convents, or in monasteries, or in churches, etc., to protect the youngsters from the Nazis. The idea was for Jewish survivors to retrieve the children after the war. Author Jennifer Rosner, who did extensive research on the subject, and interviewed many people, addresses this topic in her fiction book 'Once We Were Home.' I heard Rosner speak about her novel, and she emphasized the difficult situations that sometimes arose from secreting Jewish children (which only saved a tiny percentage of Jewish kids, by the way). Some 'foster parents' came to love the children as their own and vice versa; some church organizations baptized the children and refused to return them; some Jewish kids came to think of themselves as Christian; etc. For the decimated Jewish population, getting these children back after the war was of paramount importance. Jewish survivors would use bribes, payoffs, lawsuits, or even kidnapping to bring the kids home. Some children were reunited with European families, and some were taken to Israel, to live on kibbutzim. Rosner, who has a Ph.D. in philosophy, observes there wasn't always a 'right thing to do,' as shown in this novel. ***** There are several 'displaced' characters in 'Once We Were Home.' Roger: During World War II, Roger is a smart, inquisitive French schoolboy living in the Convent Sainte Marie de Sion. Roger likes to write stories; enjoys sharing jokes and riddles with his best friend Henri; goes to prayer services morning and evening; attends the convent school; and has a favorite teacher, Sister Brigitte, who encourages Roger to ask questions. Roger's sponsor, a woman named Madame Mercier, tells Roger his Jewish parents took the 'wrong road' and arranges for the boy to be baptized. Roger doesn't comprehend what the 'wrong road' is and wonders about his Jewish family. When World War II is over, Roger's aunt wants him back. The church, determined to save Roger's soul, sends him on the run with a monk, who takes Roger over the snowy mountains (on foot) to Spain. Meanwhile, Roger's aunt petitions the church and the courts again and again and again......

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Barb's Book Reviews

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Review of "Very Good, Jeeves" by P.G. Wodehouse

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