Delightfully ridiculous

This was my first audiobook and it was a delight. I've long been a fan of the ingeniously, carefully circumscribed silliness that Wodehouse so masterfully pens. Jonathon Cecil's narration adds to the experience. He manages to create recognisably different voices for each of the nine major characters (5 men, 4 women) and his dry delivery matches up nicely with Wodehouse's prose. The story, the usual Wodehouse mismatched lovers theme, with addlepated constable, includes occasional comedic insights into American stereotypes and situations. Wodehouse fans should love this book, and those who love dry British humor will also get quite a few chuckles (and the occasional guffaw.)

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9 people found this helpful

Prepare to enjoy

Except for the inexplicable mistake of pronouncing the name of Joe Louis as though it were French, this is a typically pitch perfect performance by Jonathan Cecil and a typically delightful farce by the funniest writer in the English language.

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to laugh out loud

this is one of the funniest books ever written. uncle fred is the most loveable old man in literature, with his penchant for seeking out situations that call for ingenious solutions, preferably with impersonations.
here he is truly dynamite.
pg wodehouse has in this book made full use of the interpretations of words by different people, his characters are drawn with sharp lines and more than a little charity.
read it again and again.
do not read it in public places if you are embarrassed by laughing out loud

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6 people found this helpful

More!

What this world (Audible) needs is More Lord Ickinham (and much more Lord Emsworth, but that is a different thing altogether)

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5 people found this helpful

Almost better than Jeeves

It may be heretical to say it, but in my opinion, the Uncle Dynamite character - aka Lord Ickenham, elderly uncle of Pongo Twistleton and one of the more infamous members of the Pelican Club - is as good as, if not better, than Jeeves or Bertie Wooster.

Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks this: in one of the Wodehouse omnibus books I have, it says that the British Wodehouse society voted the short story about Lord Ickenham, Pongo, the suburbs and a parrot Wodehouse's best story ever.

Lord Ickenham as a character - interestingly, though there are books which use the 'Uncle Dynamite' title, he is never referred to by that name in the stories - combines the goofiness of Bertie Wooster with the creative problem-solving genius of Jeeves. This often makes for a more interesting and less-predictable story, which is good, because sometimes the Jeeves stuff starts to seem a little too formulaic.

So whether you're a casual fan of Wodehouse (and have only read Jeeves stories up til now) or a die-hard fan who loves Wodehouse's writing but are tired of Jeeves, this is a good choice.

(In the early 1990s, the BBC produced a radio dramatization also called 'Uncle Dynamite', starring Hugh Grant, which follows roughly the same storyline as this book, though as it was done in six parts of 30 minutes each, some of the superfluous sub-plots were left out. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be available for purchase any more, at least in the UK and North America.)

Overall: highly recommended, but only if you've read at least a bit of Wodehouse before and know you like his style.

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16 people found this helpful

Perfect Wodehouse

I was afraid of Wodehouse without Bertie and Jeeves, until I met Psmith. Now I'm on to Pongo Twistleton and haven't looked back. This is a tight, smart, and thoroughly satisfying listen.

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4 people found this helpful

Loved it.

I have probably listened to this book 4 times now and it still makes me chuckle.... I love Wodehouse and this is one of the funnier ones to me.

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3 people found this helpful

Jonathan Cecil is a master of reading Wodehouse. He brings them to life

Jonathan Cecil is a master when it comes to reading P G Wodehouse.
I think I have all of the audiobooks he did.he has a good grasp of the various voices in the story, and his voices fit the characters. He has the knack of pacing the story mastered-- it is subtle but when one listens to other readers his skill is obvious.
If Jonathan Cecil hasn't read A Wodehouse title then my second choice is Martin Jarvis

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2 people found this helpful

Not One of His Best

Though well-paced and entertaining, as are all of Wodehouse's books, this one lacked a certain spark. Perhaps it's the absence of Bertie Wooster and his man Jeeves. Several characters from previous Jeeves & Wooster stories are featured here, with Lord Twistleton standing in for Jeeves in the form of a merry prankster. All the hallmarks of a classic Wodehouse farce are there but overall it lacks a certain dash and the laugh-out-loud quality of his best stories.

Jonathan Cecil, however, is predictably stellar in his voice characterizations and narration.

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pure genius!

Wodehouse at his best. Read to perfection. A gratuitously funny novel! cannot more highly recommend.

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