The Code of the Woosters

By: P. G. Wodehouse

Narrated by: Nicolas Coster

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

This 1938 novel is off to a rollicking start when Aunt Dahlia demands that Bertie Wooster help her dupe an antique dealer into selling her an 18th-century cow creamer. Dahlia trumps Bertie's objections by threatening to sever his standing invitation to her house for lunch, an unthinkable prospect given Bertie's devotion to the cooking of her chef, Anatole.

A web of complications grows as Bertie's pal Gussie Fink-Nottle asks for counseling in the matter of his impending marriage to Madeline Bassett. It seems Madeline isn't his only interest; Gussie also wants to study the effects of a full moon on the love life of newts. Added to the cast of eccentrics are Roderick Spode, leader of a fascist organization called the Saviors of Britain, who also wants that cow-creamer, and an unusual man of the cloth known as Rev. H. P. "Stinker" Pinker.

As usual, butler Jeeves becomes a focal point for all the plots and cleverness can rescue Bertie from being arrested , lynched, and engaged by mistake!

©2009 Phoenix Audio (P)2009 Phoenix Audio

Women's Underwear, Newts, Weddings; A Creamer

What is that quote by Samuel Clements? It was something to the effect that anyone attempting to discover a moral to one of his stories should be shot. I think that is an excellent moral be applied to this and all P.G. Woodhouse stories. There are no life lessons to gleaned, no overarching principles just goofiness and fun. Bertie Wooster is just about the most pathetic bumbler in the most dysfunctional family ever. He stumbles into and out of one mishap into another like the character in the movie "Arthur" with Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. Naturally, it is the butler Jeeves, the only adult, who time after time pulls the bacon from fire. Nicolas Coster gives full scope for that stiff upper class British humor to take over. It was a joy to listen to him.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Not the best narration

Great classice Wodehouse but Nicolas Coster just misses the right sound. His voice is pleasant but he emphasizes the wrong words so the humor disappears, and he sounds a little elderly for young Bertram Wooster. I prefer the same stories, different voice.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

The best of all Jeeves novels

The language and plotting in this charming book are absolutely perfect. Wodehouse is at his best in this timely novel, with all of the story spinning around a cow creamer, a policeman's helmet, and a cast of characters shooting on and off stage. I have read many Wooster stories, but this is always the one I recommend.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Don't miss this!

Excellent performance of Bertie & Jeeves at their best! One of P G Wodehouse's finest - kept me in stitches from start to finish!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great book - I wasn't keen on the narrator

You know when you have an image of what a character looks and sounds like in your head? Well this narrator just *isn't* Bertie Wooster for me. He's too old for the character and sounds somewhat american. He also mispronounces a few words - for example he doesn't seem to know that olde english hunting cry 'View Halloo!'

Pity, because it's a great story but the narration really spoiled it for me.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Poor reading

One of my favourite Jeeves books, but a terrible reader. I absolutely agree with Margater about mispronounciations and emphasis. Such a disappointment after the wonderful Jonathan Cecil readings. What a pity he doesn't seem to have recorded this one.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Sheer Nectar

An absolute delight, not just for the story but the use of English and the strong characters. Expect nothing less from Plum.

Wonderful book - shame about the narrator.

What did you like best about The Code of the Woosters? What did you like least?

This is PG Wodehouse at his best. One of my favourite books by a favourite author.

What did you like best about this story?

I suppose it has to be the plot. The way it twists and turns to get poor Bertie deeper and deeper in the mire until he is finally rescued by Jeeves.and all ends well. The writing is brilliant and the similies are masterpieces.

What didn’t you like about Nicolas Coster’s performance?

I found the ultra affected style of the reading appalling . For instance Dahlia (as in Aunt Dahlia) became Darlia; crossed became crawssed and worst of all ass became arse. There were many more examples. This started off as comic, then began to grate a little and finally became very, very annoying. No one not even in the landed Edwardian era spoke in quite such an affected style.

Could you see The Code of the Woosters being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

This has already been done brilliantly with Hugh Lawrie and Stephen Fry taking on the two main roles in perfect performances.

Any additional comments?

I intend to download many more PG Wodehouse audio books but I will assiduously avoid any read by Nicolas Coster.

What a disappointment.

One of my favourite Jeeves stories but I feel that the reader is totally wrong for this. There is none of Wooster's ebullience and joie do vivre, no 30s upper class accent, little differentiation between the characters, Aunt Dahlia (Daaahlia ) sounds as if she had never hunted in her life. He makes Wooster sound like a tired 60 year old. I am afraid I gave up after an hour, it was annoying me so much. A huge disappointment.

Great book, hopeless narrator

What a shame. The narrator reads at too slow a pace, his pronunciation is completely wrong (he can't even pronounce Aunt Dahlia's name) and altogether gets it wrong. The first Jeeves chronicle I couldn't finish.