Wodehousekeeping

Ian talks to writer Thom Robinson about the seventh Wodehouse book, "Love Among the Chickens". There will be spoilers.Among Wodehouse's books, this is:   The first intended for a general audience, as opposed to schoolboys or young children   The first to involve a love story   The first to introduce a major recurring character, which is Ukridge   The first with golf as a major element.   The first to be properly published in the USAIt exists in two versions (four versions actually, but two book versions): The original 1906 book and the 1921 rewrite. We look at both versions to discuss how the changes reflect his development as a writer.Also discussed:   William Townend, who gave him the plot   Herbert Westbrook, partial model for Ukridge   The trip Wodehouse took to Lyme Regis with the "Lyon cubs", that provided the setting   Arthur Conan Doyle's The Stark-Munro Letters, a probable influence on the novel   The narrator Jeremy Garnet's description of his working life as a novelist, and how far it is likely autobiographical   The self-deprecating humour about being unable to write convincing female characters   The old "Have someone pushed into the water so you can rescue them" wheezeThom's old podcast with Hazel Smoczynska: https://soundcloud.com/yammerofthegods

Ian talks to his brother Josh about the sixth Wodehouse book, "The Head of Kay's". It's yet another school story. There will be spoilers.Also discussed or referencedSummer MoonshinePsmith in the CityJeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian FaulksThe Boys of Castle Cliff School by R. A. H. GoodyearToddy Scores Again by Alfred JuddA Wodehouse Handbook by N. T. P. MurphyLet's Do It: The Birth of Pop by Bob StanleyN.A.KnoxSeymour Hicks.

Ian looks at P.G. Wodehouse's only book for younger children, "William Tell Told Again".

Ian talks to Alexander Rennie about the third Wodehouse novel, "The Gold Bat". It's another school story. Despite the title, there is no cricket this time but plenty of rugby and a bit of boxing, ferret-keeping and shadowy secret societies.There will be spoilers.Alexander's podcast is called "Forgotten Towns".

I talk about the third book by P.G. Wodehouse, his first short story collection, "Tales of St Austin's", again with a public school theme. There will be spoilers.Also mentioned in the podcast: Norman Murphy's "A Wodehouse Handbook".There is a wealth of material at Madame Eulalie including the original magazine versions of these stories.

Ian talks to Alexander Rennie about the second Wodehouse novel, "A Prefect's Uncle". It's another school story, with a lot of cricket. There will be spoilers.Alexander's podcast is called "Forgotten Towns". There is a wealth of material at Madame Eulalie available as always.Also mentioned in the podcast: Sophie Ratcliffe's "P.G. Wodehouse: A Life in Letters"

In our first episode we discuss Wodehouse's first book, "The Pothunters" (1902), a public school novel. There is a wealth of material at Madame Eulalie including annotations of the novel, the serialised version and relevant articles by Wodehouse on school stories.