A Gentleman of Leisure - Hardcover

Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (always known as `Plum') wrote more than ninety novels and some three hundred short stories over 73 years. He is widely recognised as the greatest 20th-century writer of humour in the English language. Perhaps best known for the escapades of Bertie Wooster and Jeeves, Wodehouse also created the world of Blandings Castle, home to Lord Emsworth and his cherished pig, the Empress of Blandings. His stories include gems concerning the irrepressible and disreputable Ukridge; Psmith, the elegant socialist; the ever-so-slightly-unscrupulous Fifth Earl of Ickenham, better known as Uncle Fred; and those related by Mr Mulliner, the charming raconteur of The Angler's Rest, and the Oldest Member at the Golf Club. In 1936 he was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for `having made an outstanding and lasting contribution to the happiness of the world'. He was made a Doctor of Letters by Oxford University in 1939 and in 1975, aged 93, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He died shortly afterwards, on St Valentine's Day.

Having joyfully awarded the coveted Earphones Award to two of Wodehouse's comedies (Jeeves Takes Charge and Heavy Weather), I must say that Davidson is not a masterful Wodehouse narrator like Edward Duke or Jeremy Sinden. Davidson has a urbane, British intonation, but his voice is just a shade too sardonic and bored to carry off Wodehouse. His light characterizations of the British male uppercrust come off well, but he's not successful with the women, who seem lifeless. However, the story is hilarious, and those who have not heard Wodehouse by the other narrators will enjoy it. D.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine