The Girl on the Boat

A Musical Comedy Without Music

That's how Wodehouse described the kind of stories he wrote. The alternative, he said, was "going right down deep into life and not giving a damn." Given the unbridled, nearly-unfailing enjoyment his 90+ books can be counted on to deliver, we should be glad he didn't choose the alternative.

Girl on the Boat is a fine example. Wodehouse had the ability to render almost anything into comedy. Here it starts with the book's forward, written to dispel the notion that a certain incident might have been cribbed from another contemporary writer's work. What could sound defensive or snarfy is instead funny, lighthearted and self-deprecating.

Then there's the story: In this corner, a young woman with impossibly high standards (her model is Tennyson's Galahad). And in the other corner, a young man who meets those standards by willfully manipulating the facts. This could easily become high tragedy. Instead, you get scenes like--well, I don't want to spoil it for you, so I'll just say it involves the girl, the young man's father's clerk, a few well-crafted fibs and an over-sized pistol.

Another wonder: Wodehouse keeps you interested, even empathetic toward these two essentially shallow, less-than-likable characters. Perhaps we like them as they are because that's what generates all the fun. His greatest triumph in this line is probably Ukridge, a man one can enjoy only through the medium of print (or audio book); get him at closer range and he starts trying to borrow a fiver.

Related to this is one of the oddest aspects of Wodehouse: though his tales play out in the never-never world of musical comedy (no one dies, the World Wars are barely mentioned and work, if it happens, takes place off stage) he creates characters that make us sit up and say, "I know that guy" or even "he's got my number". Tucked in among the fun are sharp observations of our motivations, fears and foibles.

Finally, there is Frederick Davidson. In one short story Wodehouse describes a woman striking a young man's fancy as if she had been constructed according to his exact specifications. I always feel Wodehouse would have felt the same way about Davidson's performances of his work.

5 people found this helpful

Utterly hilarious!

This is a brilliant book and totally hilarious. I loved every minute of it! Awesome read... ended too quickly.

1 person found this helpful

A good listen

It's PG Wodehouse. What can I say. 15 minutes later you won't remember the plot or the characters, but the book moves along briskly and is and funny and good listen for a rainy day chore. Davidson reads him well, with lovely variations in the accents and voices.

1 person found this helpful

Amusing but a little lacking.

I've long been a fan of PGW but found this story not to my particular fancy. Certainly, it has its amusing moments but I found both the lead characters (Sam & Billie) annoying, self- absorbed & not at all endearing. The narrator was quite expressive but I found his consistent use of a strong upward vocal inflection, at the end of all most phrases, very irritating. Give me Jonathon Cecil or Martin Jarvis as PGW narrators any day! I usually enjoy revisiting PGW books a number of times but The Girl On The Boat will be a one time only listen or read.

Pleasant

Loving P. G. Wodehouse as light relief during the pandemic. Still, this was too silly for me.

Fun Story - Loved It!

With elephant guns firing, the need for gun control was never so clear ;). It's no wonder that even the cake hound survived to the end. Everything I come to expect in a Wodehouse novel.

The Wit of the Brits

Frederick Davidson is the ideal narrator for books by P.G. Wodehouse; he captures the tone, pacing, and dry wit of each story.

More Wodehouse treasures

I still have a few ( very few) PG audible's I've yet to hear. The only negative thing about a PGW book can be the narrator. BUT I'm so thankful for any British narrator to tell me PGW stories... That they will get five stars just for effort!!!!

Silly, but a delightful afternoon's listen

P.G.W reflecta a very different time from ours. But if you suspend judgement and let yourself be carried along bt the narrator' I think you'll enjoy the break from reality.