'New' Jeeves and Wooster book coming

Bilbo1967 · 03-12-2013, 11:43 AM

Not sure if anybody has posted this already, but as a keen Wodehouse fan I was interested to read this weekend that a Wodehouse family sanctioned Jeeves and Wooster book is being written by Sebastian Faulks.

Not sure what I expect from it, other than I shall read it with interest and, if it's half as good as the originals, I'll enjoy it immensely.

Full story from the Guardian, here.

Mike L · 03-12-2013, 11:57 AM

I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope for this project. If he just writes a novel featuring Jeeves and Wooster, it might just be worth reading, but I doubt he'll be able to capture Wodehouse's turn of phrase.

As Robert McCrum said, it's "a bit like asking a devout Christian to come up with a fifth gospel". We'll see.

Mike

Bilbo1967 · 03-12-2013, 12:13 PM

Yes, it is a difficult one. Any attempt to duplicate the Wodehouse style is probably doomed to failure. A novel featuring the characters with a Wodehouse flavour is probably the best we can hope for.

Prestidigitweeze · 03-12-2013, 12:29 PM

It isn't just a question of style. It's also a matter of capturing the turns of thought and the perversity of the humor and ideas, all of which never read exactly as you remember them (unless you've committed several pages to memory).

The only hope would be if the author chose not to imitate Wodehouse. But then he'd be garroted by fans for inflicting the Trauma of the Unfamiliar.

poohbear_nc · 03-12-2013, 12:44 PM

Hmmmm ... he's already penned a "new" James Bond novel (Devil May Care) that had widely mixed reviews. Now onto humor?

Barty · 03-12-2013, 09:25 PM

Why not keep reading the old ones?

They are essentially all the same. I'm fact, I am never sure when reading one if I have or have not read it already. It's part of their charms.

WT Sharpe · 03-12-2013, 09:50 PM

I've read a Sherlock Holmes novel by Ellery Queen that I rather liked, and a Hitchhiker's Guide novel by Eoin Colfer that I thought fell a bit short. I'll take a wait and see on this effort to channel Wodehouse.

Mike L · 03-13-2013, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

They are essentially all the same. I'm fact, I am never sure when reading one if I have or have not read it already. It's part of their charms.

That is so very true. What's more, you can start reading one you've never read before, and by the end of the first chapter, you know who is going to fall in love with whom, who is going to get his comeuppance, and who is going to steal the cow creamer.

What makes Wodehouse unique is not the plots or even the characters, but the language. If he was alive today, he could write a Kindle user guide and make it funny.

Mike

pendragginp · 03-15-2013, 12:11 AM

I won't expect too much from this. After all, when you read a book you touch the writer's mind. No one can successfully imitate that. Remember how anemic the 'new' Lucia book was?

Or more recently, P.D. James' attempt to bring back Jane Austen's world and characters.

I've not seen this kind of thing reproduced by another mind convincingly.

Quote:

What makes Wodehouse unique is not the plots or even the characters, but the language. If he was alive today, he could write a Kindle user guide and make it funny.

Yes.

jbjb · 03-15-2013, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pendragginp

I won't expect too much from this. After all, when you read a book you touch the writer's mind. No one can successfully imitate that. Remember how anemic the 'new' Lucia book was?

Or more recently, P.D. James' attempt to bring back Jane Austen's world and characters.

I've not seen this kind of thing reproduced by another mind convincingly.

I've rarely seen it work well, but I very much liked Anthony Horowitz's Sherlock Holmes novel "The House of Silk". He really got the feel right, IMHO.

/JB

basschick · 03-17-2013, 06:39 PM

i'll try it, but i hated the new peter wimseys, which didn't capture any of the feel of the originals, while trying to mimic the speech patterns and doing a poor job. i disliked poodle springs, which felt just like another robert b. parker, and while i like spenser, i wasn't thrilled that marlowe sounded just like him. and i despised the gone with the wind sequel ***SPOILER ALERT*** scarlet learning magic? really???

JaneD · 03-17-2013, 08:10 PM

When I heard this news, I just thought, "The guy who wrote angsty wartime melodrama Birdsong?" My mind just boggled.

But it was the Wodehouse estate that reached out to him, so they must have seen something in his writing that made them think he could do justice to the world of Wooster. Having read one of his books, I'm not sure what that was, but I'll be interested to see what he does with it.

03-12-2013, 11:43 AM	#1
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 6,351 Karma: 18574228 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Solihull, UK Device: Sony 650, Sony T2, Xoom, Nexus 7, Nook ST	'New' Jeeves and Wooster book coming Not sure if anybody has posted this already, but as a keen Wodehouse fan I was interested to read this weekend that a Wodehouse family sanctioned Jeeves and Wooster book is being written by Sebastian Faulks. Not sure what I expect from it, other than I shall read it with interest and, if it's half as good as the originals, I'll enjoy it immensely. Full story from the Guardian, here. __________________ The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them. Mark Twain My early and invincible love of reading, . . . I would not exchange for the treasures of India. Edward Gibbon

03-12-2013, 11:57 AM	#2
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,175 Karma: 2962988 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3	I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope for this project. If he just writes a novel featuring Jeeves and Wooster, it might just be worth reading, but I doubt he'll be able to capture Wodehouse's turn of phrase. As Robert McCrum said, it's "a bit like asking a devout Christian to come up with a fifth gospel". We'll see. Mike __________________ Currently reading: Why Was Queen Victoria Such a Prude? (David Haviland); Payment Deferred (C.S. Forester)

03-12-2013, 12:13 PM	#3
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 6,351 Karma: 18574228 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Solihull, UK Device: Sony 650, Sony T2, Xoom, Nexus 7, Nook ST	Yes, it is a difficult one. Any attempt to duplicate the Wodehouse style is probably doomed to failure. A novel featuring the characters with a Wodehouse flavour is probably the best we can hope for. __________________ The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them. Mark Twain My early and invincible love of reading, . . . I would not exchange for the treasures of India. Edward Gibbon

03-12-2013, 12:29 PM	#4
Prestidigitweeze Fledgling Demagogue Posts: 1,475 Karma: 17090111 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New York Device: Aura HD; PRS-950; PRS-350; Kindle K; Epic 4G; NC-10; MBP 15".	It isn't just a question of style. It's also a matter of capturing the turns of thought and the perversity of the humor and ideas, all of which never read exactly as you remember them (unless you've committed several pages to memory). The only hope would be if the author chose not to imitate Wodehouse. But then he'd be garroted by fans for inflicting the Trauma of the Unfamiliar. __________________ The more we acquire, the greater our chance of disappointment. Less is not only more. It is also more fulfilling. "Schmuecke dich, O liebe Seele."

03-12-2013, 12:44 PM	#5
poohbear_nc Spring Chicken! Posts: 22,640 Karma: 36892274 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made + KoboGlo + Kobo Aura!	Hmmmm ... he's already penned a "new" James Bond novel (Devil May Care) that had widely mixed reviews. Now onto humor? __________________ "If possible please provide picture of Mr. Chickens new home or field. Proof that you will not eat him would help too." (Craigslist)

03-12-2013, 09:25 PM	#6
Barty Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 2194177 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle 3 graphite	Why not keep reading the old ones? They are essentially all the same. I'm fact, I am never sure when reading one if I have or have not read it already. It's part of their charms.

03-12-2013, 09:50 PM	#7
WT Sharpe Grand Muckity-Muck Posts: 26,608 Karma: 70641104 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindles: Paperwhite/K-3/Touch, Sony PRS-600, iPod (audio books), iPad1	I've read a Sherlock Holmes novel by Ellery Queen that I rather liked, and a Hitchhiker's Guide novel by Eoin Colfer that I thought fell a bit short. I'll take a wait and see on this effort to channel Wodehouse. __________________

03-17-2013, 06:39 PM	#11
basschick Guru Posts: 891 Karma: 3957973 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Cybook Gen 3, Kindle 3 WiFi, iPod Touch with Stanza	i'll try it, but i hated the new peter wimseys, which didn't capture any of the feel of the originals, while trying to mimic the speech patterns and doing a poor job. i disliked poodle springs, which felt just like another robert b. parker, and while i like spenser, i wasn't thrilled that marlowe sounded just like him. and i despised the gone with the wind sequel *SPOILER ALERT* scarlet learning magic? really??? __________________

03-17-2013, 08:10 PM	#12
JaneD Addict Posts: 277 Karma: 998895 Join Date: May 2010 Location: LA, CA Device: Kindle DX, Kindle 3 (Keyboard)	When I heard this news, I just thought, "The guy who wrote angsty wartime melodrama Birdsong?" My mind just boggled. But it was the Wodehouse estate that reached out to him, so they must have seen something in his writing that made them think he could do justice to the world of Wooster. Having read one of his books, I'm not sure what that was, but I'll be interested to see what he does with it. __________________ Sign up for Dropbox via my link and we'll both get an extra 500 MB of bonus space! http://db.tt/2eLPmTo

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