If I Were You (Everyman's Library P G WODEHOUSE)

One more for my collection-my online book club were reading this one this month

I'm working my way around to getting every Wodehouse in the series, replacing tatty old paperbacks with hardbacks (and filling in the blanks in my collection).The books are a fantastic read, and this edition will please every Wodehouse fan.

Whilst not up there with the peak of his work, Wodehouse here successfully converts a play into a novel that is classic farce from start to finish. There are the usual mix ups, bon mots and cast of ghastly characters so it is hardly mould breaking but this is a book that has been out of print in the UK for some time so its new release in the ever excellent Everyman imprint is to be welcomed.

Really good book, came to me in a reasonable amount of time and quality is fine. The story is much better than I thought it was going to be

Yet another beautifuly crafted work by "the master". The writing is so simple, yet so sublime. Words are not wasted and the characters leap out of the pages!

`If I Were You' published in Wodehouse's greatest age harks back to his earlier novels without the looseness of relying on his stock characters from the Drones club or the Blandings or Dolly the Dip sagas. Despite the more Edwardian feel to the novel it is a great Wodehouse yarn that underplays its more farcical elements.Anthony, fifth Earl of Droitwich, is engaged to a millionaires daughter, Violet, which was a result of his families rather than natures course. Their plan to maintain the family coffers is undermined by the arrival of his Nanny whom under the influence of too much medicinal Brandy allows certain skeletons out of the family tomb. On top of this Anthony has fallen for manicurist Polly Brown whom the family don't consider to be countess material. Added to this is Syd Price, socialist and potential heir to the family title.Wodehouse was no doubt attempting to construct a balanced account of the class struggle and the social upheaval the aristocracy were subject to the nineteen thirties. He has fallen somewhat short of his lofty ideals but managed to create a novel of Edwardian manners of hilarious consequence. Inevitably Wodehouse does not unsettle the social position of the Earl but his attempts to become a Barber of worth are to be read to be believed. A fantastic read that proves although kind hearts are worth more than coronets Wodehouse prefers his kind hearts to be wearing coronets.

Not the greatest of the master's works: but an enjoyable read. Even though the base-line plot (the babies swapped at birth) has been a hackneyed one, almost any plot is good enough for PG's devotees. Read it for the cheerful & never less than erudite language, not for the cardboard characters. Wodehouse - the cup that cheers.

You know you are rooting for the hero and heroine but you are never quite sure where you stand with the supporting cast of toffs, lackeys and malcontents....

Hilarious too good

Ce n'est pas, loin de là, un très bon Wodehouse... Il vaut mieux, pour découvrir cet extraordinaire humoriste, en essayer d'autres...

This novel is subtitled "Ye Old Baby Switcheroo," and the publisher doesn't mind giving away this much of the plot: "Twenty-eight years later, the son of a barber is now an earl, and the son of an earl is now a barber." So the dual themes are "hair restoration and heir restoration." If that sounds witty and droll, it's a good introduction to the rest of the book. This is an oversized, paperback, large-print edition from the oddly-named publisher, International Polygonics (IPL). I don't think a smaller font version exists in paperback. In the preface D.R. Benson says that If I Were You makes use of a bit of plot from W.S. Gilbert (as in Gilbert and Sullivan), and the sense of theatre runs throughout. Add "enter stage right" and "exit stage left" in a few places and you'd have a corking good play. Add singing and you'd have a sprightly musical. For fans who enjoy seeing Plum's "other life" in musical comedy creep into the books.

P.G. Wodehouse, though long gone to that great, sprawling country estate in the sky, never fails to lift the spirits with his wry, on-point humor and turn of phrase. His writing, and comments on human nature, especially that of the landed, but often clueless, gentry of upper crust England in the mid 20th century, is timeless, but all in fun. Any of his stories can make your day!

Book arrived on time. In Used, but Fair condition: Mostly as described. I will only say that the cover was a bit more worn than described. Binding was together though and no marks or tears of any kind on the pages. Overall, a good buy. Especially as the price was dirt cheap.