Heavy Weather

Fans of P. G. Wodehouse's comic genius are legion, and their devotion to his masterful command of the hilarity borders on an obsession.

It's Heavy Weather for Lord Emsworth and the Empress, especially with the appalling Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe snooping around with designs on the prize pig.

Library Journal

Of the many books that should never be abridged, Wodehouse's brief novels lead the pack; people read them for their brilliant dialog and verbal imagery and are in no rush to get to the end. Case in point is this hilarious fifth "Blandings Castle" title, first published in 1933, whose delightfully convoluted plot needs more, not less, exposition. Actor Martin Jarvis's narration lends this production the feel of a feast, but listeners will be aggrieved not to be getting the full meal. As good as this recording is, Blackstone Audio's unabridged version, read by Frederick Davidson and currently available only on cassette, is the better of the two. [A Pelican at Blandings (1969), the 14th title in this series, is also available from CSA Word.—Ed.]—R. Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA

Comic timing would seem less of the essence in literature until you read the English wit of P. G. Wodehouse, who shows just how a well-placed comment or properly inflected phrase can create a response that is often all too rare during a reading session: A loud, hearty laugh.