Bertie

I took an executive decision and read Carry on, Jeeves, rather than My Man Jeeves, which was the one specified by the 100 book bucket list poster. My reasoning was that the intention was to read some Jeeves and Wooster stories, and the book on the poster had 8 stories, 4 J&W and 4 others, whilst Carry on, Jeeves had 10, including the 4 in the first book.

In any case, it seemed like a bit of light relief after Lord of the Flies.

Also, impossible for me to read J&W without visualising Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry as the main characters.

Bertie is our narrator in all but the last story (when Jeeves takes over), and the stories follow a pretty regular pattern, with Bertie trying and failing to get either himself or his pals out of some sort of scrape, failing dismally, and Jeeves saving the day (often at the same time taking the opportunity to score a minor victory over Bertie regarding his sartorial selections - the choice of a suit, tie, shirts etc.). Bertie reveals himself to be a complete duffer, but is too much of a duffer to realise it, and it is all splendidly 'topping' stuff.

Three questions do slightly niggle:

1. Several of the stories in the book are published in 1916 and 1917, but the war doesn't get a single mention. Did it really not impinge upon the consciousness of the upper class man about town? (A quick bit of research reveals that Wodehouse was ineligible for military service due to poor eyesight and was in the US throughout the war.)
2. Bertie seems to have a large family, including lots of aunts. However, whilst family seems to be important, no mention is ever made of his parents. Where are they, what happened to them?
3. Bertie does not have a job, and clearly has no intention of ever getting one. He is clearly a very well off young man. Where does all the money come from? Presumably he has some form of inheritance, legacy, or is in some way the benefactor of some sort of family dynasty, but it is never mentioned. (Money is such vulgar stuff, dear chap.)

One other minor point. How on earth did a duffer like Bertie get into Oxford? Different times, different times. :)

Flat

Jake's been on a recce to Woking to look at some flats. There's a possibility of living with a friend (who is working there) for his final year at uni. However, he's discovered that estate agents take flattering photographs, and the reality didn't quite live up to expectations. So, maybe not.

League

What seems like a very long time ago now, back in August, Jake and I made our predictions for the 2019/20 Premier League. Today was the last day of the season, and so we've been able to see how we did.

We decided that the scoring system should be zero points for getting the league position exactly right, one point for being one out, two for two out, and so on, and that the lowest score would win.

I got 68.

Jake got 70.

Victory - just!

In other news, more painting has been taking place, this time of the garage door. Nicky's previous paint job had rather faded back to brown, and so a new coat of grey has been applied. See below for the before, during and after. (The during is the most convincing picture, and from the before and after photos look suspiciously similar - must be the light - they are definitely different!)

Flies

I'd read the first two chapters of Lord of the Flies before finishing P&P. I was supposed to read it about 30 years ago, when doing my GCSE English, and I think that may well be about as far as I managed that time around. It is one of life's great mysteries as to how I wangled an 'A' grade, despite this. I polished it off today - it's not actually all that long. It is, however, pretty brutal stuff, given that the boys start killing each other, and end up on the rampage, determined to hunt down and kill Ralph.

I'm sure I could have lots of fun writing GCSE essays about it now (oh the irony - Ralph, determined to keep a fire going so that there is a smoke signal and they can all be saved, despairs because the savages can't be bothered, and just want to hunt and have fun. Then he has his life saved because the savages set the entire island on fire to smoke him out and kill him, and it is the smoke from this fire that attracts attention from a passing boat.)

And which of the children do I identify with most - Simon and Piggy. And what happens to Simon and Piggy - they both get killed. Oh dear.

Neither of them natural leaders or charismatic characters - that tussle is being fought out between Ralph and choir head boy (ha ha) Jack (who turns up at the start with his choristers in procession and starts off referring to them as the trebles and the altos, although that is pretty soon forgotten) - both Simon and Piggy have some endearing qualities:

Simon - loyal (pretty much the only one who sticks around and helps to make the shelters) and brave (is the one who actually goes up the mountain and finds out what the 'beast' actually is). Needs to go off by himself from time to time, either because he is a bit of a loner, or perhaps because he is aware of his illness and doesn't want the other boys to perceive a weakness in him - he clearly has some form of fit delusion (is he epileptic?) - hence the experience of talking to the pig's head - the 'Lord of the Flies'.

Piggy - initially trusting and immediately betrayed (foolishly telling Ralph the nickname he dislikes, and is then saddled with it forever - so much so that I can't even remember if we find out his real name). However, the most intelligent of the boys by far, realising that some form of organisation is needed if they are going to get through their ordeal. His very first suggestion is that they should have a roll call, and know how many they are and who is who. He is assigned the task, but given no opportunity to do it properly. Similarly, he is the one who points out the need for proper shelters. He has the one thing that the community needs, the ability to make fire (the lens in his glasses) and it is taken roughly from him. A terribly poignant moment occurs within the last couple of paragraphs of the book. The navy officer has found Ralph on the beach, and has asked how many boys there are on the island, and Ralph has admitted that they don't know. The officer says, "I should have thought that a pack of British boys would have been able to put up a better show than that".

And finally:

"The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. ... Ralph wept for the end of innocence, for the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy."

 

Pride5

I've finished Pride & Prejudice! What's more, I'm pleased to be able to say that I've read it, and a good book it was too! Whether I would put it right up there in terms of pure enjoyment factor I'm not sure, but no doubt that is to significantly fail to appreciate its importance, given when it was written, who it was written by etc etc

(Mind you, when these 'best book' lists are compiled, who gets asked, and what are the criteria? Do they ask professors of literature which books should be read for their cultural and literary significance, or do they ask people who enjoy a good read what they have actually enjoyed?)

Anyway, to wrap up the story, just as things appear to be progressing at Pemberley, Elizabeth is called away by a family emergency. News reaches her that her errant sister Lydia has disappeared from Brighton with Wickham, Mrs Bennet has taken to her bed, and the household is in turmoil. Mr Bennet has gone to London in search, but without much hope of tracking them down. Elizabeth rushes back with her aunt and uncle, and Mr Gardiner is dispatched to London to assist Mr Bennet.

Mr Bennet, being fairly hopeless, comes back home, and leaves Mr Gardiner in charge of the search. Eventually news reaches them that Lydia and Wickham have been tracked down, and an arrangement has been made for them to be married in London. It seems as though Gardiner has done his family a massive favour by settling Wickham's debts, and clearing the way for them to be married.

Lydia, shameless one that she is, appears at Longbourn soon afterwards with her new husband, and makes as though nothing terrible has happened. They are passing through on their way to Newcastle, where Wickham is to be stationed, having joined the regular army. Lydia lets it slip to Elizabeth that Darcy was in London and at the wedding. Elizabeth is puzzled, and gets the secret out of her aunt that Darcy had come to London, and he was the one, not Gardiner, that had tracked down Wickham, and he was the one who'd cleared his debts. Elizabeth can't help but wonder why Darcy would do such a great favour, and without any credit, for her family.

Bingham returns to Netherfield (with Darcy), and Bingham and Jane sort out their star-crossed lover challenges and get engaged.

Then, oh happy day, we finally get to chapter 58.

Darcy and Elizabeth find themselves out for a walk together. All doubt is put behind us, and Elizabeth and Darcy finally share their true feelings.

From that point on, we are simply wrapping things up. In fact the last chapter (61) is very much an epilogue, letting us know what happened to the rest of the family, and some of the other characters. When it comes to the rest of the family:

• Mrs Bennet carried on being batty
• Mr Bennet missed his favourite daughter Elizabeth and liked to visit her at Pemberley
• Jane and Bingley moved to an estate not far from Pemberley
• Kitty improved, out from Lydia's bad influence
• Mary stayed stuck at home with her mother
• Lydia and Wickham struggled, trying and failing to sponge off Elizabeth.

   

Beetle

Rachel Joyce's new book, Mrs Benson's Beetle is out today. Last time she had a new book published, I was able to go to a signing event (Waterstones Tottenham Court Road), listen to an extract, and get a signed and dedicated copy. I even took along a copy of Queenie, and we had a little chat about the ending, me admitting to how upsetting I found it.

Book launches have moved online for the time being, and so I joined a Zoom event today to listen to Rachel talking with her husband, from home, about the new book. My signed copy should be coming in the post some time soon.

Swan

An evening at the Swan, another proper meal out, this time with friends. What a novelty. Food excellent, and good set menu too (£22 for three courses). Hopefully C will have some better news on the job front soon.