P. G. Wodehouse (1881–1975)

This fine collection consists of a dozen tales by the masterful PG Wodehouse, first published between 1921 to 1967. On the whole, the selections are variable in appeal, with a focus on crime, criminals, and cunning detectives. Isaac Asimov presents them in an introduction, one written in Wodehouse's inimitable style, Below are the selections, with my personal rankings (on a 5 star scale).

Strychnine in the soup -- 1*
The crime wave at Blandings -- 3*
Ukridge starts a bank account -- 1*
The purity of the turf -- 2*
The smile that wins -- 3*
The purification of Rodney Spelvin -- 1*
Without the option -- 3.5*
The romance of a bulb squeezer -- 1*
Aunt Agatha takes the count -- 4*
The fiery wooing of Mordred -- 4*
Ukridge's accident syndicate. -- 3*
Indiscretions of Archie -- 3*… (more)

This is a collection of boarding-school stories after the manner of [b:Stalky & Co.|45057|Stalky & Co.|Rudyard Kipling|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347932389l/45057._SX50_.jpg|44367], but not in the same class.

It suffers from an excess of cricket, unless you're a fan of the game, which I'm not.

It introduces the character of Psmith, as a rather precocious schoolboy. Psmith is definitely a character and worth meeting, but you don't have to meet him here, as he appears in three other books as an adult, after leaving school.

I give it three stars only for the presence of Psmith, without whom it would be rather dull.

Although this is the first in the series, I'd recommend reading the other Psmith books, and only then coming to this one if you feel you can't leave it out.… (more)

I have in the past read a number of Wodehouse's books, though only a minority of them. This seems to me at least one of his best, and my personal favourite so far.

We have the distinctively humorous writing style (usually present), the endearing if exaggerated characterization, the remarkably adept plotting (present in his best books), Psmith (who particularly appeals to me), the pleasant location of Blandings Castle, and on top of it all a rather appealing love story.

The early chapters are agreeable if perhaps a wee bit slow; the later chapters are better paced and hilarious in places, enough to make me laugh out loud, which I don't often do over books.

Wodehouse's fantasy world of upper-class England isn't to everyone's taste, but Psmith is a vaguely subversive figure in it. Unlike other Wodehouse characters, he belongs to that world but lacks respect for its conventions, exploiting and undermining them for his own advantage. He has almost the intellect of Jeeves without being limited to the status of a servant. What he lacks is money, but he doesn't allow that to depress him; indeed, he doesn't seem very concerned about money, except that unfortunately he needs some of it to get by.… (more)