PG Wodehouse and Ransome?


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Posted by Mountaineer on October 27, 2008 at 08:38:47 user Mountaineer.

Let me start with a rather accidental common feature: As a foreigner both authors seem very british to me and they are very popular in the UK, somewhat less in the US (I think) and not very well known in Germany (and probably most of continental Europe, with some notable exceptions). Even more accidental is that yours truly discovered Wodehouse about two years ago, Ransome this spring and in both cases I have rarely ever been so completely enthralled after a short time and had to keep getting those books.
More seriously, the young Uncle Jim shares some features with pals of Bertie Wooster, like stealing policeman's helmet on boat race night, a somewhat distinguished background, but failure at Oxbridge and oddball businees ideas.
And the respective universes are similar: they have something of ideal idyllic landscapes. Ransome is far more realist, of course.

But what really made me see a connection (it may well be just some common strain of British humor) is the plot of Pict&Martyrs. Not only because an aunt plays an important role, but scenes like the burglary (how often are Wodehousian characters forced into similar situations!) and The one thing that must not happen.

Both authors were born only a few years apart, did they know each other? Each others books?





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