Jul 19, 2009 07:30 AM
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My wife is a big fan of P.G.Wodehouse and she wanted my to read one. Sothis time when I went to the library I did inny miny maina mo andpicked Piccadilly Jim by P.G. Wodehouse.
Needless to say that the moment I started reading I was pulled into the magic of P.G. Wodehouse.
A Jist of the book is as below:
Asusual Jimmy is at it again. His misadventures are in the newspapersagain. Aunt Nesta Ford Pett would not have been bothered much aboutthis but for the fact that her photo was printed next the news articleand the article referred Nesta as the Aunt of Jim and Jim was brandedas Piccadilly Jim.
Aunt Nesta Pett(previously Nesta Ford) is aFamous Fiction writer in the America. She married Mr. Peter Pitt whoruns a company. Jimmy is the step son of Eugenia, Nesta's sister.Eugenia stays in England and is a very famous figure in the UK. Shemarried a small time theater actor Mr. Bingley Crocker. Jimmy aka JimCrocker is his son and hence Euenia's step son.
Nesta was veryupset when her sister had married this small time actory Mr. BigleyCrocker. She had called upon Eugenia and told her that she would nolonger talk to Eugenia for what she had done. But the acts of jimmymade it impossible for her to tolerate any more and hence she leftLondon to meet Eugenia and get Jimmy in America so that she can letJimmy work in Mr. Pett's office.
Nesta travels with her husband and Mr Petts niece Ms Ann Chester.
When Nesta reaches UK, Eugenia insults Nesta and asks her to return back to america.
Inthe mean time Jimmy Crocker has been involved in another brawl withLord percy and it has made headlines. Jim's butler informs jimmy thathe is in the newspapers again this time. He finds the brawl humourousand talks to his father about the news article. But this time jimmy'sfather is not amused by the article. Jimmy is surprised that his fatherdid not find the article funny. Then he realizes that probably his actswere not proper.jim is remorseful and decides to leave London to avoidany further insults to his father and his step-mom.
When he is goingaround on the streets he bumps into Ann Chester. He saves her life. Shehas had a brief encounter with Jimmy about 5 years and she hates him tothe core. But she has never seen him so she does not know that the manwho saved her life is actually the same jim croaker.
Jim in the meantime books a ticket for the next boat to america. he bumps into ann again.
jim's butler arrives at the dock to see off jim. Ann mistakes jim as the son of Mr. bayliss the butler.
what follows next is a series of interconnected strange events which leads to a dramatic finish.
My Impression
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I was impressed by the first wodehouse bookthat I read. Wodehouse is a great story teller. He has woven the story wonderfully.
Theseare very interesting layers of stories within the story. Woodhousekeeps the pace of the novel going througout the novel. He connects thecharacters and events in a very nice way. All the events and charactersculminate to a very interesting and humorus end.
All in all, a great book to read.
In 2004, a movie was made based on the same book.
I would give a 7 out of 10 for the novel. Wodehouse fans should read this book
