P.G. Wodehouse

 

I'm not sure where literary comedy stands in the pecking order of Great Art, but having recently finished P.G. Wodehouse's Joy In The Morning, let me say that Wodehouse deserves a place on the pantheon. Joy is a fabulous book: it's funny, and swift, and light-hearted. But more than that, it's highly evolved: this isn't cheaper humor; it's comedy which is earned. Wodehouse was a superb stylist: his sentences are immaculate, and his dialogue, especially, achieves something great. There's a Shakespearean quality to his sense of character and plot -- which I mean as a compliment. Wodehouse is not derivative, but the symmetry of his work is reminiscent of Shakespeare's comedies: all of these interwoven and intersecting events gradually come together in a crescendo of fun and satisfaction. Of course the connections with Shakespeare imply a theatrical quality, and Joy could certainly be imagined as a play. Which again, is intended as a compliment: this novel straddles a number of genres -- not least theatre and even cinema. Joy In The Morning is, well, it's a joy to read. It's a timeless piece of work that remains funny, playful, and pitch perfect. My hat is off to Wodehouse.