One of my favorite writers of all time is P.G. Wodehouse, the man who gave us so many memorable comedic characters as the airheaded, idle rich aristocrat Bertie Wooster and his unflappable butler Jeeves (only late in the series did we find out that his first name was Reginald).
But beneath the characters and the innocent world that Wodehouse created, lies some of the finest writing ever undertaken. His beautiful words flowed like warm honey over the our insatiable desire for more. His fellow British writer, Evelyn Waugh, called him the finest writer of English prose in the 20th century. I could not agree more.
His characters and stories poked great fun at the British aristocracy, all the while ignoring the realities of life like sex and World War I. They just didn't exist in his world. The only sickness his characters suffered was the occasional hangover.
So what does Wodehouse have to do with the great childhood favorite, Winnie the Pooh? Pooh's creator A.A. Milne and Wodehouse were friends for many years. That is until World War II and Wodehouse's naive broadcasts while a German prisoner broke them apart, never to reunite.
It is an interesting story and I recommend you read the recent article that appeared in the Boston Globe by James Parker. After that, I recommend you pick up a Wodehouse book and let the joy of his unforgettable world wrap you up for the hours to come.
Go to:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2004/12/26/jeeves_vs_pooh?pg=full
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