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A Damsel in Distress
This is a reproduction of the original artefact. Generally these books are created from careful scans of the original. This allows us to preserve the book accurately and present it in the way the author intended. Since the original versions are generally quite old, there may occasionally be certain imperfections within these reproductions. We're happy to make these classics available again for future generations to enjoy!
216 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 1919
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About the author
P.G. Wodehouse
1,513 books6,775 followersSir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE, was a comic writer who enjoyed enormous popular success during a career of more than seventy years and continues to be widely read over 40 years after his death. Despite the political and social upheavals that occurred during his life, much of which was spent in France and the United States, Wodehouse's main canvas remained that of prewar English upper-class society, reflecting his birth, education, and youthful writing career.
An acknowledged master of English prose, Wodehouse has been admired both by contemporaries such as Hilaire Belloc, Evelyn Waugh and Rudyard Kipling and by more recent writers such as Douglas Adams, Salman Rushdie and Terry Pratchett. Sean O'Casey famously called him "English literature's performing flea", a description that Wodehouse used as the title of a collection of his letters to a friend, Bill Townend.
Best known today for the Jeeves and Blandings Castle novels and short stories, Wodehouse was also a talented playwright and lyricist who was part author and writer of fifteen plays and of 250 lyrics for some thirty musical comedies. He worked with Cole Porter on the musical Anything Goes (1934) and frequently collaborated with Jerome Kern and Guy Bolton. He wrote the lyrics for the hit song Bill in Kern's Show Boat (1927), wrote the lyrics for the Gershwin/Romberg musical Rosalie (1928), and collaborated with Rudolf Friml on a musical version of The Three Musketeers (1928).
An acknowledged master of English prose, Wodehouse has been admired both by contemporaries such as Hilaire Belloc, Evelyn Waugh and Rudyard Kipling and by more recent writers such as Douglas Adams, Salman Rushdie and Terry Pratchett. Sean O'Casey famously called him "English literature's performing flea", a description that Wodehouse used as the title of a collection of his letters to a friend, Bill Townend.
Best known today for the Jeeves and Blandings Castle novels and short stories, Wodehouse was also a talented playwright and lyricist who was part author and writer of fifteen plays and of 250 lyrics for some thirty musical comedies. He worked with Cole Porter on the musical Anything Goes (1934) and frequently collaborated with Jerome Kern and Guy Bolton. He wrote the lyrics for the hit song Bill in Kern's Show Boat (1927), wrote the lyrics for the Gershwin/Romberg musical Rosalie (1928), and collaborated with Rudolf Friml on a musical version of The Three Musketeers (1928).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 812 reviews
November 13, 2021
4.5★
You would think being in a country where Lockdown has been taken very seriously indeed that an avid reader such as myself would be losing themselves in a mountain of books! Not so, I have found it very difficult to concentrate on anything that isn't a beloved reread.
Thank heavens this book entered my life.
Honesty compels me to admit it isn't quite perfect. Far too many characters were introduced at the start and I had trouble figuring out who were the important ones. But once the love story of George and Maud kicks off, it does so with a bang and every few pages had me giving a chuckle - and chuckles are hard to come by in these Coronavirus filled times.
Vintage Wodehouse.
I can't go to quite the whole 5★ as P.G.W. has done very similar stories to this one even better - most notably
but still highly recommended!
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
You would think being in a country where Lockdown has been taken very seriously indeed that an avid reader such as myself would be losing themselves in a mountain of books! Not so, I have found it very difficult to concentrate on anything that isn't a beloved reread.
Thank heavens this book entered my life.
Honesty compels me to admit it isn't quite perfect. Far too many characters were introduced at the start and I had trouble figuring out who were the important ones. But once the love story of George and Maud kicks off, it does so with a bang and every few pages had me giving a chuckle - and chuckles are hard to come by in these Coronavirus filled times.
Two tramps of supernatural exuberance called at the cottage shortly after breakfast to ask George, whom they had never even consulted about their marriages, to help support their wives and children.
Vintage Wodehouse.
I can't go to quite the whole 5★ as P.G.W. has done very similar stories to this one even better - most notably
but still highly recommended!
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
July 31, 2013
George Bevan's life get turned upside down when Maud Marsh jumps into a cab beside him, pursued by a thug that is in fact her brother Percy. Bevan goes to Belpher Castle to find her and win her heart, resulting in the usual Wodehouse tale of mistaken identity and elaborate schemes.
A Damsel in Distress is the usual hilarious Wodehouse tale with some added quirks. The cast at Belpher Castle very much resembles the crew at Blandings and I forgot I wasn't reading a Blandings tale on several occasions. Lord Marshemorton is a younger and more lively version of Lord Emsworth, enthralled with gardening rather than pigs, and his sister is much like Constance. Reggie Byng is cut from the Monty Bodkin/Bertie Wooster cloth. I get the feeling that Wodehouse wasn't completely sold on the Blandings crew after Something Fresh and decided to take another stab at it. Maybe he felt Belpher was unusable at the end of this story.
The story has some unexpected turns, like the fate of Lord Marshemorton. I can't imagine Emsworth doing what Marshemorton did.
While A Damsel in Distress isn't my favorite Wodehouse, it's still smashing. The dedicated Wodehouse fan won't be disappointed.
A Damsel in Distress is the usual hilarious Wodehouse tale with some added quirks. The cast at Belpher Castle very much resembles the crew at Blandings and I forgot I wasn't reading a Blandings tale on several occasions. Lord Marshemorton is a younger and more lively version of Lord Emsworth, enthralled with gardening rather than pigs, and his sister is much like Constance. Reggie Byng is cut from the Monty Bodkin/Bertie Wooster cloth. I get the feeling that Wodehouse wasn't completely sold on the Blandings crew after Something Fresh and decided to take another stab at it. Maybe he felt Belpher was unusable at the end of this story.
The story has some unexpected turns, like the fate of Lord Marshemorton. I can't imagine Emsworth doing what Marshemorton did.
While A Damsel in Distress isn't my favorite Wodehouse, it's still smashing. The dedicated Wodehouse fan won't be disappointed.
April 12, 2020
Light and frothy romantic comedy, written by P.G. Wodehouse (he of My Man Jeeves fame) in 1919. The tongue-in-cheek humor is really delightful.
Group read with the Retro Reads crowd, just starting now. Wodehouse + Gutenberg freebie FTW!
Full review to come.
Group read with the Retro Reads crowd, just starting now. Wodehouse + Gutenberg freebie FTW!
Full review to come.
January 31, 2016
Flighty aristocratic girls in love with unsuitable men. Vapid and bullied elderly aristocrats. Fearsome matriarchal aristocratic women who do the bullying. Stiff-necked aristocratic young men out to make fools of themselves. And untitled young-men-about-town with hearts of gold, always ready to rescue damsels in distress.
In short, vintage Wodehouse.
There is a director in Malayalam movies who makes situational comedies which are strikingly similar in theme and approach, but who provides hits on a regular basis despite the sameness. I have likened this to the popularity of sambar, the South Indian curry which is a staple diet of most vegetarians. Sambar is popular because of its predictability of taste, not in spite of it.
I feel it is the same with Wodehouse novels. We meet the same characters again and again in the same situations, yet we love it. We go into the novel expecting it, and we want more of the same.
In short, vintage Wodehouse.
There is a director in Malayalam movies who makes situational comedies which are strikingly similar in theme and approach, but who provides hits on a regular basis despite the sameness. I have likened this to the popularity of sambar, the South Indian curry which is a staple diet of most vegetarians. Sambar is popular because of its predictability of taste, not in spite of it.
I feel it is the same with Wodehouse novels. We meet the same characters again and again in the same situations, yet we love it. We go into the novel expecting it, and we want more of the same.
June 17, 2020
Daffy mishaps abound as a golfing enthusiast (Wodehouse does love his golf!) and composer is set upon by a young woman in need and, true to form, the author has his characters dangling from the ends of mistaken identity wires.
This was one of Wodehouse's early works and it's not bad, though not his best. The writer was still honing his craft. The plot, the characters, and the soup they find themselves in will all become richer in later books.
This was one of Wodehouse's early works and it's not bad, though not his best. The writer was still honing his craft. The plot, the characters, and the soup they find themselves in will all become richer in later books.
March 3, 2023
Perfect pick-me-up, feel good romp through the English summertime. As usual love is in the air, but the heroes and heroines have to struggle against stuffy aunts and class preconceptions. The book has aged like fine champagne, and Wodehouse golfing similes and general joy in the use of English language provide plenty quote worthy material. Like the moment a spleen prone music hall composer lays eyes on the maid Maud:
"The years fell away from him till, in an instant, from being a rather poorly preserved, liverish greybeard of sixty-five or so, he became a sprightly lad of twenty-one in a world of springtime and flowers and laughing brooks. In other words, taking it by and large, George felt pretty good. The impossible had happened; Heaven had sent him an adventure, and he didn't care if it snowed."
I understand there's a film with Fred Astaire based on the book, and that the author was directly involved in the project, so I guess I'll check it out.
Better still, I'll go for a stroll in the summer sunshine and leave you with the words of the master:
"Mustn't waste life's springtime sitting here talking to you. Toodle-oo, laddie! We shall meet anon!"
"The years fell away from him till, in an instant, from being a rather poorly preserved, liverish greybeard of sixty-five or so, he became a sprightly lad of twenty-one in a world of springtime and flowers and laughing brooks. In other words, taking it by and large, George felt pretty good. The impossible had happened; Heaven had sent him an adventure, and he didn't care if it snowed."
I understand there's a film with Fred Astaire based on the book, and that the author was directly involved in the project, so I guess I'll check it out.
Better still, I'll go for a stroll in the summer sunshine and leave you with the words of the master:
"Mustn't waste life's springtime sitting here talking to you. Toodle-oo, laddie! We shall meet anon!"
April 11, 2021
What can I say? I have a weakness for country house novels and old screwball comedies, and this is the best possible combination of both. This was my first Wodehouse, and although I enjoyed it, I think he can do better. Am I wrong? I know happy endings are his thing, but the ending to this one was just a bit too convenient. He does have a way with words and occasionally strings together such mini masterpieces as this--
Were fat jokes considered original in 1919? He returns to the subject several times, including as a plot point at the end, when the above example would have been more than sufficient for me. Definitely my new happy place when not in the mood to watch Downton Abbey for the fifth time.
Already a second edition of his chin had been published, and the perfectly-cut morning coat which encased his upper section bulged out in an opulent semi-circle.
Were fat jokes considered original in 1919? He returns to the subject several times, including as a plot point at the end, when the above example would have been more than sufficient for me. Definitely my new happy place when not in the mood to watch Downton Abbey for the fifth time.
July 8, 2024
4.5
A quick look at the Wodehouse titles listed here at Goodreads tells me that the number of Wodehouse books I've read now stands at 27. That's a lot of Wodehouse; more than I imagined I'd reach. But it's been a lovely 'relationship'!
No doubt like many of 'the initiated', I began with the evergreen 'Jeeves and Wooster' series. Having more or less exhausted that one, I explored the 'Blandings Castle' books. Still wanting more, I delved into lesser-known titles, a number of those being 'stand-alone' and / or early efforts.
~ the current result of which is 'A Damsel in Distress'.
To be clear, 'ADID' is a perfectly fine, (mostly) well-constructed, funny, clever and entertaining novel. In particular, it boasts a number of standout, ping-pong dialogue exchanges:
There may be a reason why his later novels are / remain more popular. And it's not because the earlier ones are inferior, necessarily, but because, as he progressed, the writer learned some valuable lessons. He would learn that he needn't try so hard; he would learn that less can be more; he would learn that comedy is well-served by brevity. He would learn to serve up shorter books instead of longer ones.
'ADID', to its slight detriment, can at times seem over-written. Wodehouse sometimes goes into explanatory or background or sidebar passages that - while still often funny - can slow up his pacing, distract from what's going on, or just make the story feel... long.
But then... true-to-form, the author can bounce back and disarm with handy, offhand quips:
Wodehouse also furnishes us with, among other fun personalities, two significant supporting players: Lord Marshmoreton - critical of his ancestry, tired of being an aristocrat, and sick of being an Earl, and Billie Dore - a no-nonsense / delightful showgirl who navigates the superficial showbiz world with aplomb and who certainly knows how to steer Stage Door Johnnies.
Wodehouse seems to rarely invent with a showbiz angle. It's refreshing to find it here, even though it isn't at all deeply explored.
Overall, 'ADID' is a doozy... just kind of longer than it needs to be (considering the actual plot is rather slim) and, again, most likely better-suited to those who are more of an old hand with P.G.W.
A quick look at the Wodehouse titles listed here at Goodreads tells me that the number of Wodehouse books I've read now stands at 27. That's a lot of Wodehouse; more than I imagined I'd reach. But it's been a lovely 'relationship'!
No doubt like many of 'the initiated', I began with the evergreen 'Jeeves and Wooster' series. Having more or less exhausted that one, I explored the 'Blandings Castle' books. Still wanting more, I delved into lesser-known titles, a number of those being 'stand-alone' and / or early efforts.
~ the current result of which is 'A Damsel in Distress'.
To be clear, 'ADID' is a perfectly fine, (mostly) well-constructed, funny, clever and entertaining novel. In particular, it boasts a number of standout, ping-pong dialogue exchanges:
'... I *am* in love with your daughter. I was from the first moment I saw her. I always shall be. She is the only girl in the world!'However... and this doesn't qualify as a 'caveat'; it would be hard to apply 'caveat' seriously to a Wodehouse work: the products of generally the first half of Wodehouse's career (roughly 30 novels; he wrote around 70 in all) may not be the ones you would want to start with. I'm getting the impression that Wodehouse-at-his-best (i.e., most effective) may have blossomed somewhere between 20-30 years into his career.
'Stuff and nonsense!'
'Not at all. Absolute, cold fact.'
'You have known her so little time.'
'Long enough.'
Lord Marshsmorten sighed. 'You are upsetting things terribly.'
'Things are upsetting *me* terribly.'
'You are causing a great deal of trouble and annoyance.'
'So did Romeo.'
'Eh?'
'I said - So did Romeo.'
'I don't know anything about Romeo.'
'As far as love is concerned, I begin where he left off.'
There may be a reason why his later novels are / remain more popular. And it's not because the earlier ones are inferior, necessarily, but because, as he progressed, the writer learned some valuable lessons. He would learn that he needn't try so hard; he would learn that less can be more; he would learn that comedy is well-served by brevity. He would learn to serve up shorter books instead of longer ones.
'ADID', to its slight detriment, can at times seem over-written. Wodehouse sometimes goes into explanatory or background or sidebar passages that - while still often funny - can slow up his pacing, distract from what's going on, or just make the story feel... long.
But then... true-to-form, the author can bounce back and disarm with handy, offhand quips:
From the Hills of Fairyland soft music came. Or, if we must be exact, Maud spoke.In 'ADID', Wodehouse's story itself is rather singular. In George Bevan, the author has a protagonist who is not British but American - a composer (said to be based on George Gershwin, who would later be responsible for musicalizing a 1937 film version). George is a wonderfully charming character - soon caught up, naturally, in love-match-related brouhaha.
Wodehouse also furnishes us with, among other fun personalities, two significant supporting players: Lord Marshmoreton - critical of his ancestry, tired of being an aristocrat, and sick of being an Earl, and Billie Dore - a no-nonsense / delightful showgirl who navigates the superficial showbiz world with aplomb and who certainly knows how to steer Stage Door Johnnies.
Wodehouse seems to rarely invent with a showbiz angle. It's refreshing to find it here, even though it isn't at all deeply explored.
Overall, 'ADID' is a doozy... just kind of longer than it needs to be (considering the actual plot is rather slim) and, again, most likely better-suited to those who are more of an old hand with P.G.W.
April 1, 2011
My son has long sung the praises of P.G. Wodehouse and encouraged me to read more of him. It has been years since I picked up a book of his, and can't imagine what I was thinking, waiting so long. Wodehouse is charming, witty, and an absolute master of description. Just one example:
Because his books are so determinedly lighthearted, it is easy to dismiss Wodehouse as merely a comic writer. But this is to entirely ignore the fact that he is a master of language and plotting, and takes one from an absurdity to a silliness with adroitness and skill. And what a plot! There is intrigue and mystery, love lost and regained, and a hilarious trip for one character through a roadside ditch. Highly recommended!
Such a one, in George's opinion, was this gurgling excrescence underneath the silk hat. He comprised in his single person practically all the qualities which George disliked most. He was, for a young man, extraordinarily obese. Already a second edition of his chin had been published, and the perfectly-cut morning coat which encased his upper section bulged out in an opulent semi-circle. He wore a little moustache, which to George's prejudiced eye seemed more a complaint than a moustache. His face was red, his manner dictatorial, and he was touched in the wind. Take him for all in all he looked like a bit of bad news.Ah, so lovely, and so very British.
Because his books are so determinedly lighthearted, it is easy to dismiss Wodehouse as merely a comic writer. But this is to entirely ignore the fact that he is a master of language and plotting, and takes one from an absurdity to a silliness with adroitness and skill. And what a plot! There is intrigue and mystery, love lost and regained, and a hilarious trip for one character through a roadside ditch. Highly recommended!
July 17, 2020
“Lord Marshmoreton: I wish I could get you see my point of view.
George Bevan: I do see your point of view. But dimly. You see, my own takes up such a lot of the foreground”
What can I say of the genius of Wodehouse... His comedies are famous and for good reason. Not only do you get colourful characters, but also witty dialogue and scene staging. The result is very cinematographic. This 1919 novel is a perfect example, showcasing misunderstandings a plenty, a damsel that doesn’t need saving, an earl who just wants peace so he can work in his rose garden, and of course the quintessential butler. The whole thing was a joy, especially since I went for the audiobook, which enhances the experience. Brilliant!
George Bevan: I do see your point of view. But dimly. You see, my own takes up such a lot of the foreground”
What can I say of the genius of Wodehouse... His comedies are famous and for good reason. Not only do you get colourful characters, but also witty dialogue and scene staging. The result is very cinematographic. This 1919 novel is a perfect example, showcasing misunderstandings a plenty, a damsel that doesn’t need saving, an earl who just wants peace so he can work in his rose garden, and of course the quintessential butler. The whole thing was a joy, especially since I went for the audiobook, which enhances the experience. Brilliant!
April 16, 2020
This is a great PG Wodehouse story. It's an okay romance. I loved George and while he falls in love rather suddenly, I liked how it seemed real. It really resonated with me when he tells Maud that the important matter for him is that she be happy.
The rest of what I want to burble about is all plot and some of the funny circumstances and Wodehouse's wonderful narrative voice—a voice he probably couldn't get away with in modern stories with its intrusive observations and commentary. So I think I'll wrap it there. Wodehouse is a master of turn of the (twentieth) century comedy of manners and this is a great piece in that vein. I highly recommend it to fans. I'd recommend it to non-fans, too, but with the caution that the narrative voice will feel quite foreign and recommendation that you let it flow for a bit before you decide if you love or hate it.
Four stars. The romance doesn't really hit and it's the driver of the plot so that matters.
A note about Chaste: In keeping with expectations of the time, there's no shenanigans. Not even any kissing. So this is very chaste.
The rest of what I want to burble about is all plot and some of the funny circumstances and Wodehouse's wonderful narrative voice—a voice he probably couldn't get away with in modern stories with its intrusive observations and commentary. So I think I'll wrap it there. Wodehouse is a master of turn of the (twentieth) century comedy of manners and this is a great piece in that vein. I highly recommend it to fans. I'd recommend it to non-fans, too, but with the caution that the narrative voice will feel quite foreign and recommendation that you let it flow for a bit before you decide if you love or hate it.
Four stars. The romance doesn't really hit and it's the driver of the plot so that matters.
A note about Chaste: In keeping with expectations of the time, there's no shenanigans. Not even any kissing. So this is very chaste.
September 2, 2017
2017:
This really is one of my all-time favorite books. I recently described to a friend as "Downton Abbey ... if Downton Abbey were a comedy." Lots of fun!
2015:
It’s really impossible for me to analyze and critique anything by P.G. Wodehouse. All I can say is that his writing is fantastic and share a favorite scene.
”The floor was crowded with all that was best and noblest in the county; so that a half-brick, hurled at any given moment, must infallibly have spilt blue blood. Peers stepped on the toes of knights; honorables bumped into the spines of baronets. Probably the only titled person in the whole of the surrounding country who was not playing his part in the glittering scene was Lord Marshmoreton; who, on discovering that his private study had been converted into a cloakroom, had retired to bed with a pipe and a copy of Roses Red and Roses White, by Emily Ann Mackintosh (Popgood, Crooly & Co.), which he was to discover – after he was between the sheets, and it was too late to repair the error – was not, as he had supposed, a treatise on his favorite hobby, but a novel of stearine sentimentality dealing with the adventures of a pure young English girl and an artist named Claude.”
This really is one of my all-time favorite books. I recently described to a friend as "Downton Abbey ... if Downton Abbey were a comedy." Lots of fun!
2015:
It’s really impossible for me to analyze and critique anything by P.G. Wodehouse. All I can say is that his writing is fantastic and share a favorite scene.
”The floor was crowded with all that was best and noblest in the county; so that a half-brick, hurled at any given moment, must infallibly have spilt blue blood. Peers stepped on the toes of knights; honorables bumped into the spines of baronets. Probably the only titled person in the whole of the surrounding country who was not playing his part in the glittering scene was Lord Marshmoreton; who, on discovering that his private study had been converted into a cloakroom, had retired to bed with a pipe and a copy of Roses Red and Roses White, by Emily Ann Mackintosh (Popgood, Crooly & Co.), which he was to discover – after he was between the sheets, and it was too late to repair the error – was not, as he had supposed, a treatise on his favorite hobby, but a novel of stearine sentimentality dealing with the adventures of a pure young English girl and an artist named Claude.”
March 11, 2019
A Damsel in Distress (1919) by P.G. Wodehouse is yet another Wodehousian winner.
A successful American composer of popular musicals, George Bevan, whilst working in London, falls in love with a mysterious young woman who takes refuge in his taxicab one day and tracks her down to Belpher Castle in Hampshire, home of her father Lord Marshmoreton and aunt Lady Caroline Byng. Whereupon ensues the usual tale of unrequited love and temporarily thwarted romance.
It's another treat. I chuckled, I laughed, and, on a couple of occastions, I guffawed. By the end, all was right in this best of all possible worlds.
4/5
A Damsel in Distress (1919) by P.G. Wodehouse
A successful American composer of popular musicals, George Bevan, whilst working in London, falls in love with a mysterious young woman who takes refuge in his taxicab one day and tracks her down to Belpher Castle in Hampshire, home of her father Lord Marshmoreton and aunt Lady Caroline Byng. Whereupon ensues the usual tale of unrequited love and temporarily thwarted romance.
It's another treat. I chuckled, I laughed, and, on a couple of occastions, I guffawed. By the end, all was right in this best of all possible worlds.
4/5
A Damsel in Distress (1919) by P.G. Wodehouse
May 8, 2020
I enjoyed this a lot--I think I was in the perfect mood for it. It's got humor and heart, and I loved the proto-Bertie Wooster elements. Unfortunately, it's one of those books where I instantly forget the names of the characters except George and Maud, so I can't remember the name...Reggie, I think?...of the very funny young man who needed to get out from under his stepmother's thumb. I was also rooting for .
And that's about it. I got this through Gutenberg, but I think I'll have to track down a physical copy. It's not a strong romance--I can think of how easy it would be to fix that--but it was still satisfying.
And that's about it. I got this through Gutenberg, but I think I'll have to track down a physical copy. It's not a strong romance--I can think of how easy it would be to fix that--but it was still satisfying.
April 17, 2020
A Damsel in Distress is a very early novel by P.G. Wodehouse, so early it is astonishing that it gives no hint there ever was a World War I. It contains only glimmers of the deft comedy that has made him such an enduring favorite, and it is less stylized and less uproarious. That's not altogether to this book's detriment.
A successful young American composer of stage musicals, George Bevan, encounters by chance a beautiful English girl in London and falls instantly in love. Lady Maud, however, is in love with another and her family has immured her in their castle to keep her from an unsuitable alliance. Bevan, unaware of any previous attachment, tracks her down and lays siege--an effort made difficult by the fact that she is not supposed to leave the property. Various secondary figures--her whipped father, who wishes only to tend his garden; her fat snob of a brother; her arrogant aunt, and the aunt's devil-may-care stepson Reggie; an American actress; and a cast of ethically challenged servants--dip their fingers into this unlikely romance to complicating effect.
It is a setup for the kind of class comedy and romantic comedy that have made Wodehouse famous, but here the comedy is a little more rooted in real life than it is in his frothy later work. Unlike Jeeves, the servants here are not more noble than those they serve, or even more intelligent, only sneakier. And the instalove experienced by the hero deepens into friendship and real affection based on the loved one's character, so that the pain he feels when things go awry is real pain.
Wodehouse had already grasped the essentials of his art--we find the trivial described in the language of heroic geste and real emotion reduced to slapstick by juxtaposition to the trivial--but there are fewer laugh-out-loud moments in this book. For me, though, the imperfections in the wit opened up spaces for more genuine emotion, and I rather liked the more grounded humor that resulted.
A successful young American composer of stage musicals, George Bevan, encounters by chance a beautiful English girl in London and falls instantly in love. Lady Maud, however, is in love with another and her family has immured her in their castle to keep her from an unsuitable alliance. Bevan, unaware of any previous attachment, tracks her down and lays siege--an effort made difficult by the fact that she is not supposed to leave the property. Various secondary figures--her whipped father, who wishes only to tend his garden; her fat snob of a brother; her arrogant aunt, and the aunt's devil-may-care stepson Reggie; an American actress; and a cast of ethically challenged servants--dip their fingers into this unlikely romance to complicating effect.
It is a setup for the kind of class comedy and romantic comedy that have made Wodehouse famous, but here the comedy is a little more rooted in real life than it is in his frothy later work. Unlike Jeeves, the servants here are not more noble than those they serve, or even more intelligent, only sneakier. And the instalove experienced by the hero deepens into friendship and real affection based on the loved one's character, so that the pain he feels when things go awry is real pain.
Wodehouse had already grasped the essentials of his art--we find the trivial described in the language of heroic geste and real emotion reduced to slapstick by juxtaposition to the trivial--but there are fewer laugh-out-loud moments in this book. For me, though, the imperfections in the wit opened up spaces for more genuine emotion, and I rather liked the more grounded humor that resulted.
April 21, 2021
I chose this novel as it was the only one of the 20 most often rated Wodehouse books on Goodreads that I hadn’t read yet. I entered the reading with some trepidation as it was a stand-alone written in 1919 and I usually prefer Wodehouse from about 1925 to 1940 and that are part of a series.
My trepidation was needless. I loved this one. I would read this book directly after first reading a more serious book, so it served as a wonderful dessert or much needed tonic. I’d start grinning after only a few paragraphs, and the grin only ceased when it broke into a snicker or guffaw.
This was a well-planned novel. The plot is typical Wodehouse, shenanigans involving coupling at a country estate with an American protagonist, George, who is in London to observe the staging of his musical there. George, as a composer for musicals and golf fanatic, is clearly someone close to Wodehouse’s heart.
Wodehouse is dialed in here as his comments seemed especially sharp, witty and fresh to me, possibly since this is written in 1919 and one of his first attempts at such a novel. Other reviewers mention a preference for later Wodehouse works of a similar nature and felt he was still finding his way at this time. That may be so, but I didn’t feel it. I thought it was Wodehouse at a high level. I do agree that George’s love comes too quick and the heroine at times a non-heroic fat-shamer, but these are minor trifles and not atypical of the Wodehouse world.
For some reason, this one just hit me the right way at the right time and, as a reward for its medicinal service, I will give it one of the few 5 star ratings I’ve assigned to the 30+ Wodehouse books I’ve read. It hit the spot.
My trepidation was needless. I loved this one. I would read this book directly after first reading a more serious book, so it served as a wonderful dessert or much needed tonic. I’d start grinning after only a few paragraphs, and the grin only ceased when it broke into a snicker or guffaw.
This was a well-planned novel. The plot is typical Wodehouse, shenanigans involving coupling at a country estate with an American protagonist, George, who is in London to observe the staging of his musical there. George, as a composer for musicals and golf fanatic, is clearly someone close to Wodehouse’s heart.
Wodehouse is dialed in here as his comments seemed especially sharp, witty and fresh to me, possibly since this is written in 1919 and one of his first attempts at such a novel. Other reviewers mention a preference for later Wodehouse works of a similar nature and felt he was still finding his way at this time. That may be so, but I didn’t feel it. I thought it was Wodehouse at a high level. I do agree that George’s love comes too quick and the heroine at times a non-heroic fat-shamer, but these are minor trifles and not atypical of the Wodehouse world.
For some reason, this one just hit me the right way at the right time and, as a reward for its medicinal service, I will give it one of the few 5 star ratings I’ve assigned to the 30+ Wodehouse books I’ve read. It hit the spot.
March 20, 2019
A wee bit less on laughs from what you would expect from PGW but nonetheless has a great plot. Was great fun.
Rating: More like 4.5 stars.
Rating: More like 4.5 stars.
December 28, 2014
"For a year she had prayed that Geoffrey might be given back to her, and the Gods had heard her prayer. They had given her back Geoffrey, and with a careless generosity they had given her twice as much of him as she had expected."
"She was oppressed by the eternal melancholy miracle of the fat man who does not realise that he's become fat."
"The hunt had been in progress full ten minutes before she and Lord Belpher finally cornered the poor wretch, that was Lord Marshmoreton."
"Lord Marshmoreton: As if there weren't better things to do with one's time than writing all day about my infernal fools of ancestors."
"Percy felt for his complaisant friend something of the annoyance which a householder feels for the watchdog whom he finds fraternizing with the burglar."
-----Need I say more. Loved it!!
"She was oppressed by the eternal melancholy miracle of the fat man who does not realise that he's become fat."
"The hunt had been in progress full ten minutes before she and Lord Belpher finally cornered the poor wretch, that was Lord Marshmoreton."
"Lord Marshmoreton: As if there weren't better things to do with one's time than writing all day about my infernal fools of ancestors."
"Percy felt for his complaisant friend something of the annoyance which a householder feels for the watchdog whom he finds fraternizing with the burglar."
-----Need I say more. Loved it!!
December 13, 2018
Not my favorite Wodehouse. The "damsel" in question does not have much of a personality. I do not know why the hero makes all the effort to win her affection, but it does not matter. She's very pretty, I suppose. But she's prejudiced against fat people. Also, she drags other people into her own problems, but because she's pretty, the poor saps fall in love with her.
However, this book did tell a joke that made me laugh!
A woman says to her maid, "Do you know anything of my husband's whereabouts?"
The maid replies, "They're at the wash."
Ha!
However, this book did tell a joke that made me laugh!
A woman says to her maid, "Do you know anything of my husband's whereabouts?"
The maid replies, "They're at the wash."
Ha!
October 2, 2007
Such a fun and charming book! P. G. Wodehouse has a funny, witty style of writing. His characters are wonderfully detailed, and he manages this detail in only a few paragraphs. A great blend of comedy and real people.
The book itself is set in London and a nearby castle with neighboring town. Several characters, each with a unique charm that you can't help falling in love with... I'd say more about them, but it would give away too much.
Highly recommended!:)
The book itself is set in London and a nearby castle with neighboring town. Several characters, each with a unique charm that you can't help falling in love with... I'd say more about them, but it would give away too much.
Highly recommended!:)
June 7, 2014
If you like PG Wodehouse books generally, you will like this one as well. A simple story about a girl Maud who dashes into George coincidentally. After that there is the usual confessions you can expect - she wants to meet Geoffrey, her relatives think she loves George. As with all PG Wodehouse books, the confusion clear up to lead to a happy ending!
April 16, 2020
4.5 stars. What a delightful romp! I love Wodehouse anytime, but this first read of one of his earlier titles was a real treat - read with the Retro Reads group, it was perfect pandemic reading (and listening- the Audible was delightful).
So far, I’ve been a huge Jeeves and Wooster fan, and dabbled in a few visits to Blandings Castle - this farcical and funny earlier outing features American songwriter George Bevan, gardening enthusiast Lord Marshmorton, his daughter Maud, and his priggish son Percy. George and Maud meet-cute in London (very funny scene) early on, as Maud is trying to escape her bossy, prying brother and meet up with her true love. Percy and Aunt Caroline (the snobbish battle axe, tough older lady character known and beloved by all Wodehouse fans), don’t approve of Maud’s choice, but George instantly falls in love and follows Maud down to Belpher Castle. What follows, of course, is a farcical and fun early comedy with devious servants, nosy relatives and friends, and true love triumphing over all!
What fun - not quite up to the later gold standard of the Jeeves and Wooster outings (my personal favorites) - but the wit, charm and sheer fun are there in abundance! Recommended- as The Times of London said on my book’s dust jacket, “A brilliantly funny writer — perhaps the most consistently funny the English language has yet produced.”
So far, I’ve been a huge Jeeves and Wooster fan, and dabbled in a few visits to Blandings Castle - this farcical and funny earlier outing features American songwriter George Bevan, gardening enthusiast Lord Marshmorton, his daughter Maud, and his priggish son Percy. George and Maud meet-cute in London (very funny scene) early on, as Maud is trying to escape her bossy, prying brother and meet up with her true love. Percy and Aunt Caroline (the snobbish battle axe, tough older lady character known and beloved by all Wodehouse fans), don’t approve of Maud’s choice, but George instantly falls in love and follows Maud down to Belpher Castle. What follows, of course, is a farcical and fun early comedy with devious servants, nosy relatives and friends, and true love triumphing over all!
What fun - not quite up to the later gold standard of the Jeeves and Wooster outings (my personal favorites) - but the wit, charm and sheer fun are there in abundance! Recommended- as The Times of London said on my book’s dust jacket, “A brilliantly funny writer — perhaps the most consistently funny the English language has yet produced.”
December 12, 2018
Whenever I feel a little low in my life, Mr. Wodehouse is my go to man and I bet that 99% people in here especially the one's who have read and loved his stories will totally agree to it. So I read "Lolita" last week and was totally not able to get over it, couldn't think of a better book but a PG Wodehouse :) and my Kindle was the savior as it had "A Damsel in Distress" still showing as unread. If three days back any of you had asked me about my favorite Romance Writer, I would have said "Nicholas Sparks" without batting my eyelids but today I will say no one comes any closer to PG Wodehouse even in romance too. The man is a mine of humor and never lets me down, throughout the book I had a huge grin plastered to my face permanently and (no exaggerations) at-least half a dozen times I actually laughed out loud inviting such looks from my kiddo saying "Dad, you've gone nuts". My last experience with a PG Wodehouse was almost a similar one where my mother almost threw me out of the house when I was laughing like crazy in the dead of the night (one fine fine Friday night that was) when I had finished Stephen King's "The Shining" and was not able to sleep and had picked up "My Man Jeeves" as an antidote. Hence this was no exception but what a brilliantly amazing joy ride of a love story this was, where Mr. A is in love with Ms B, whereas Ms B is in love with Mr. C and on top of that Mr. C is in love with Ms. D and Ms. D has someone else on her list and that someone else turns out to be a solid no go yet by the time it ends, almost everyone is as happy as you can expect them to be, they all laugh their ways back to their places and the reader is in a completely happy trance :) back to picking up another disaster but before that I ordered another PGW ;) just to be on the safer side.
And before I forget, A Damsel in Distress is no less than a proper Sherlock Holmes thriller too as it kept me almost on the edge of my chair as I read it especially the way Mr. Wodehouse opens his cards with each passing chapter. A terrific story of a middle aged Earl, who is writing a historical on his own family, his daughter is in love with a man he doesn't approves of. Parallel as she runs to London to meet the love of her life with her good for nothing brother in tows, who has some other plans, and while all this was going on, a gem of a gentleman saves the day for her but in doing so, he himself falls head over heels in love with her. How the story progresses and the various other important characters are disclosed in the most hilarious ways and situations makes up for a superb humorous read as is always the case with a PGW book. I totally love the way Author takes digs on his contemporaries, offending no one but totally pleasing his readers. The way he takes jibes on someone's physical state yet steer clears through his characters thinking in such a light heart manner was totally outstanding. His love for the game of Gold and comparison of the same with Love had me in splits big time. You've got to read this book for that one reason only if not for nothing else.
So whenever you are down and out in life, do not looks elsewhere but pick up a PGW :) which one is your favorite P G Wodehouse if I may ask? As I need to order one now and keep it in safe custody ASAP :).
And before I forget, A Damsel in Distress is no less than a proper Sherlock Holmes thriller too as it kept me almost on the edge of my chair as I read it especially the way Mr. Wodehouse opens his cards with each passing chapter. A terrific story of a middle aged Earl, who is writing a historical on his own family, his daughter is in love with a man he doesn't approves of. Parallel as she runs to London to meet the love of her life with her good for nothing brother in tows, who has some other plans, and while all this was going on, a gem of a gentleman saves the day for her but in doing so, he himself falls head over heels in love with her. How the story progresses and the various other important characters are disclosed in the most hilarious ways and situations makes up for a superb humorous read as is always the case with a PGW book. I totally love the way Author takes digs on his contemporaries, offending no one but totally pleasing his readers. The way he takes jibes on someone's physical state yet steer clears through his characters thinking in such a light heart manner was totally outstanding. His love for the game of Gold and comparison of the same with Love had me in splits big time. You've got to read this book for that one reason only if not for nothing else.
So whenever you are down and out in life, do not looks elsewhere but pick up a PGW :) which one is your favorite P G Wodehouse if I may ask? As I need to order one now and keep it in safe custody ASAP :).
April 14, 2020
P. G. (Plum) Wodehouse wrote classic British humour about the foibles of the foppish upper class in the early twentieth century, eighty novels in total. His best-known characters were the good-natured but clueless Bertie Wooster, and his more intelligent butler, Jeeves. However, he also wrote stand-alone novels like this one, usually involving several hopeless misunderstandings, a doomed romance that comes right in the end, and the cleverest dialogue you will ever read. Some called him the master of the simile. There aren't many books that can make me laugh out loud, but this one did -- three times! I have no higher praise for a funny book.
June 6, 2020
I just read an appreciation of P.G. Wodehouse in the current New Yorker, and it prompted me to go back and read an early one that didn't feature Psmith, Jeeves, Wooster, or Galahad Threepwood. The New Yorker article mentioned that all his plots are a mixture of musical comedy (without the music) and farce. This one emphasized the first far more than the second, much to my satisfaction. The characters are all delightful variations on the usual ones, but the real pleasure is just watching the agility of Wodehouse's writing. Apparently he worked quite hard at it; of course the effort doesn't show.
June 14, 2012
Reading P.G. Wodehouse is like eating bread and jam: I always know what I am getting and I am always pleased.
April 20, 2017
An amusing story but Davidson doesn't make the most of it in his narration.
July 10, 2024
Classic 3.5 stars
August 3, 2021
"Trouble sharpens the vision. In our moments of distress we can see clearly that what is wrong with this world of ours is the fact that Misery loves company and seldom gets it."
An enjoyable standalone comedy by the creator of Jeeves. The plot is mad-cap and convoluted. Enjoyable, if lightweight fare.
“'What’s all this?' A vast policeman had materialized from nowhere."
Lampooning English nobility as a matter of course, Wodehouse inserts an American hero, who may be slightly autobiographical. One character bears a striking resemblance to Bertie Wooster.
“Between ourselves, laddie, and meaning no disrespect to the dear soul, when the mater is moved and begins to talk, she uses up most of the language.” “Outspoken, is she?” “I should hate to meet the person who could out-speak her.”
An enjoyable standalone comedy by the creator of Jeeves. The plot is mad-cap and convoluted. Enjoyable, if lightweight fare.
“'What’s all this?' A vast policeman had materialized from nowhere."
Lampooning English nobility as a matter of course, Wodehouse inserts an American hero, who may be slightly autobiographical. One character bears a striking resemblance to Bertie Wooster.
“Between ourselves, laddie, and meaning no disrespect to the dear soul, when the mater is moved and begins to talk, she uses up most of the language.” “Outspoken, is she?” “I should hate to meet the person who could out-speak her.”
December 28, 2022
Always a delight.
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