Rating: 5 out of 5
Mr Wodehouse’s style, 1920’s through and through, is enough to make anyone laugh. Contrary to my previous experience, I listened to this version and though the audiobook take on the great author made me hesitate, I still ended up laughing again and again at the ridiculousness of the situations that are described.
Mr Mulliner’s stories have the added advantages of taking place in a pub. This reminds me of the other great English writes, sir Arthur C Clarke, whose best stories originated in the White Hart. The pub setting of telling a tale works perfectly for the short story, and it is in this medium that Mr Mulliner presents to the reader tales of what happened to his extended family.
In many a case, these tales are simply outrageous. It is difficult to listen, or to read, to these without bursting out in laughter, especially as the author’s style captures so very perfectly the style and propriety of the English gentleman. Of course, along with this goes Mr Wodehouse’s curated language. It is weird to read that style because outside of the context of the story it is clear that almost none of his sayings would make any sense at all, but within that context everything is absolutely crystal clear.
Right ho!
