Psmith Journalist
P.G. Wodehouse
First published 1915.
Project Gutenberg Ebook # 2607.
The story takes off from the end of 'Psmith in the City'. Psmith accompanies Mike who is part of an MCC cricketing tour to the US. Psmith stays behind in New York, and to keep himself occupied helps a newly-found friend Billy Windsor, sub-editor of the journal 'Cosy Moments', to run it while the editor is away. The two transform the magazine from one offering mild, boring reading to mild, boring householders into a sensationalist tabloid that takes up public causes, the chief one being to bring about improvements in a set of wretched slum dwellings, owned by a corrupt politician. Wodehouse's descriptions of New York at the beginning of the twentieth century, with its gangs and slums and corrupt policemen and politicians are all too familiar from life as lived in Chennai today (and maybe in New York today too). The writing shows Wodehouse getting into his stride - the mastery over the language is almost complete by now. It is the plotting that becomes better and better in his later books. This is almost the only book by PGW with a theme that may be called serious - namely the sorry state of the slums. I cannot recall any such theme in any of his other books.
The passage that stuck to my mind is the following:
The story takes off from the end of 'Psmith in the City'. Psmith accompanies Mike who is part of an MCC cricketing tour to the US. Psmith stays behind in New York, and to keep himself occupied helps a newly-found friend Billy Windsor, sub-editor of the journal 'Cosy Moments', to run it while the editor is away. The two transform the magazine from one offering mild, boring reading to mild, boring householders into a sensationalist tabloid that takes up public causes, the chief one being to bring about improvements in a set of wretched slum dwellings, owned by a corrupt politician. Wodehouse's descriptions of New York at the beginning of the twentieth century, with its gangs and slums and corrupt policemen and politicians are all too familiar from life as lived in Chennai today (and maybe in New York today too). The writing shows Wodehouse getting into his stride - the mastery over the language is almost complete by now. It is the plotting that becomes better and better in his later books. This is almost the only book by PGW with a theme that may be called serious - namely the sorry state of the slums. I cannot recall any such theme in any of his other books.
The passage that stuck to my mind is the following:
One of the contributors to 'Cosy Moments' when it was 'the sort of paper which the father of the family is expected to take home with him from his office and read aloud to the chicks before bed-time' is an 'alleged humorist of the name of B. Henderson Asher' who writes 'a "Moments of Mirth" page,which is about the most painful production ever served up to a confiding public'. When the editor goes away and Psmith makes all the changes in the magazine, Asher and the other authors confront Psmith, and this is what takes place.
[Asher says,] "What's he mean by it? That's what I want to know. And that's what these gentlemen want to know--See here--"
"I am addressing--?" said Psmith.
"Asher's my name. B. Henderson Asher. I write 'Moments of Mirth.'"
A look almost of excitement came into Psmith's face, such a look as a visitor to a foreign land might wear when confronted with some great national monument. That he should be privileged to look upon the author of "Moments of Mirth" in the flesh, face to face, was almost too much.
"Comrade Asher," he said reverently, "may I shake your hand?"
The other extended his hand with some suspicion.
"Your 'Moments of Mirth,'" said Psmith, shaking it, "have frequently reconciled me to the toothache."
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