Welcome back to Wodehouse Wintertime here at Close Reads, where David, Heidi, and Sean are discussing Summer Lightning. And in this episode—after sharing some favorite passages—conversation gets into how to discuss and think about a writer like Wodehouse on a podcast that takes reading seriously. Happy listening!
I can't find the thread to the Q&A episode, maybe I'm too late, but just had to mention/ask that Wodehouse reminds me so very much of the comedy and screen writing of the 1930's Fred and Ginger movies, i.e. Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, Shall We Dance, Swing Time. Is there a connection? And can I just suggest and request one of the above for a Close Reads at the Movies episode?!
I’m behind on the reading, so I’ve not yet listened to the episode. However, I was just reading an article on Spectator World about the numerous literary references in the books. A lot of the humor in Wodehouse are characters like Wooster bungling lines from Shakespeare, the Bible, Keats, etc that most readers (at the time) would recognize from school. I wonder how many modern readers get the jokes?
Re. the discussion on humor/seriousness of the book, I feel like it’s in the same vein as really good stand-up comedy, which might parody society but doesn’t necessarily - probably shouldn’t - merit too much analysis.
It’s funny y’all used the (my) word “earnest” because I thought if The Importance of Being Earnest a few times while reading this, which is of course “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People”. I read it in college so don’t remember it well, but surely Wilde is much more earnest than Wodehouse.
I can't find the thread to the Q&A episode, maybe I'm too late, but just had to mention/ask that Wodehouse reminds me so very much of the comedy and screen writing of the 1930's Fred and Ginger movies, i.e. Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, Shall We Dance, Swing Time. Is there a connection? And can I just suggest and request one of the above for a Close Reads at the Movies episode?!
I’m behind on the reading, so I’ve not yet listened to the episode. However, I was just reading an article on Spectator World about the numerous literary references in the books. A lot of the humor in Wodehouse are characters like Wooster bungling lines from Shakespeare, the Bible, Keats, etc that most readers (at the time) would recognize from school. I wonder how many modern readers get the jokes?
https://thespectator.com/book-and-art/pg-wodehouse-literary-canon/
Re. the discussion on humor/seriousness of the book, I feel like it’s in the same vein as really good stand-up comedy, which might parody society but doesn’t necessarily - probably shouldn’t - merit too much analysis.
It’s funny y’all used the (my) word “earnest” because I thought if The Importance of Being Earnest a few times while reading this, which is of course “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People”. I read it in college so don’t remember it well, but surely Wilde is much more earnest than Wodehouse.