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. :)