I'm reading "Psmith In The City" again. I hadn't planned on reading Wodehouse for a while, but I have just finished "The Trial" and Wodehouse's novels are wonderful cures for the sort of miserable emptiness that books like that induce in me.
I'm not sure what to make of "The Trial". It starts out almost silly, becomes absorbing and ends on a positively terrifying note. The hallmark of the book's greatness, however, seems to be the sympathy Kafka makes you feel for the protagonist. I have rarely felt for a character like Josef K. before. He is obviously arrogant, self centered, harsh and haughty and yet, I just had to sympathise with him.
There is no danger of having your reserves of sympathy depleted by any Wodehouse novel. His characters are fully as three dimensional as those of any of the so-called 'serious' authors, but they are singularly free from any substantial grief, hardship or fear. These emotions are raised, if ever, only momentarily, only to be gently replaced by goodwill and bonhomie. A Wodehouse novel is as close to pure joy, fun and pleasure as literature has ever come. I will have read a lot more of his novels before the term is out.
2 comments:
I needed to look up who Wodehouse is, but now that I've done that his books sound really need. You have inspired me to read them...I'll let you know what I think.
I would recommend "Leave It To Psmith" as a starter. It's brilliant.
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