Nothing Serious (short stories)
Encyclopedia
Nothing Serious is a collection of ten short stories
by P. G. Wodehouse
. It was first published in the United Kingdom
on 21 July 1950 by Herbert Jenkins
, London
, and in the United States
on 24 May 1951 by Doubleday & Co., New York
.
stories (the first about Bingo Little
and another about Freddie Widgeon), five Oldest Member
golf stories, one Blandings Castle
, one independent, and one Ukridge story.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
. It was first published in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 21 July 1950 by Herbert Jenkins
Barrie & Jenkins
Barrie & Jenkins was a small British publishing house that was formed in 1964 from the merger of "Herbert Jenkins" and "Barrie & Rockcliffe". One of their most notable authors was P. G...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on 24 May 1951 by Doubleday & Co., New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Overview
It is a mixed bag of stories, mostly featuring appearances from several of Wodehouse's recurring characters, including two Drones ClubDrones Club
The Drones Club is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a gentlemen's club in London. Many of his Jeeves and Blandings Castle stories feature the club or its members....
stories (the first about Bingo Little
Bingo Little
Richard P. "Bingo" Little is a recurring fictional character from the Drones and the Jeeves stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a friend of Jeeves's master Bertie Wooster and a member of the Drones Club.-Overview:...
and another about Freddie Widgeon), five Oldest Member
Oldest Member
The Oldest Member is a fictional character from the short stories and novels of P. G. Wodehouse. He narrates the majority of Wodehouse's golf stories from the terrace of a golf club whose location is unclear, and he never has a proper name....
golf stories, one Blandings Castle
Blandings Castle
Blandings Castle is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being the seat of Lord Emsworth , home to many of his family, and setting for numerous tales and adventures, written between 1915 and 1975.The series of stories which take place at the castle,...
, one independent, and one Ukridge story.
Contents
- "The Shadow Passes" (Drones ClubDrones ClubThe Drones Club is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a gentlemen's club in London. Many of his Jeeves and Blandings Castle stories feature the club or its members....
: Bingo LittleBingo LittleRichard P. "Bingo" Little is a recurring fictional character from the Drones and the Jeeves stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a friend of Jeeves's master Bertie Wooster and a member of the Drones Club.-Overview:...
)- First published in this volume
- "Bramley Is So Bracing" (Drones ClubDrones ClubThe Drones Club is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a gentlemen's club in London. Many of his Jeeves and Blandings Castle stories feature the club or its members....
: Freddie Widgeon)- US: Saturday Evening PostThe Saturday Evening PostThe Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
, 28 October 1939 - UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
: StrandStrand MagazineThe Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
, December 1940
- US: Saturday Evening Post
- "Up from the Depths" (Oldest MemberOldest MemberThe Oldest Member is a fictional character from the short stories and novels of P. G. Wodehouse. He narrates the majority of Wodehouse's golf stories from the terrace of a golf club whose location is unclear, and he never has a proper name....
golf)- First published in this volume
- "Feet of Clay" (Oldest Member golf)
- US: This Week, 18 June 1950 (as "A Slightly Broken Romance")
- "ExcelsiorExcelsior (short story)"Excelsior" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, which first appeared in the U.K. edition of Argosy magazine on July 1, 1948 under the title "The Hazards of Horace Bewstridge", and was later included in the collection Nothing Serious . It is one of Wodehouse's many golf stories, told by the Oldest...
" (Oldest Member golf)- US: ArgosyArgosy (magazine)Argosy was an American pulp magazine, published by Frank Munsey. It is generally considered to be the first American pulp magazine. The magazine began as a general information periodical entitled The Golden Argosy, targeted at the boys adventure market.-Launch of Argosy:In late September 1882,...
, 1 July 1948 (as "Hazards of Horace Bewstridge")
- US: Argosy
- "Rodney Has a Relapse" (Oldest Member golf)
- CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: National Home Monthly, February 1949 (as "Rupert Has a Relapse")
- Canada
- "Tangled HeartsTangled HeartsTangled Hearts is a 1916 silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and starring Lon Chaney, Sr.-Cast:* Louise Lovely - Vera Lane* Agnes Vernon - Lucille Seaton* Lon Chaney, Sr. - John Hammond* Marjorie Ellison - Enid Hammond...
" (Oldest Member golf)- US: CosmopolitanCosmopolitan (magazine)Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
, September 1948 (as "I'll Give You Some Advice")
- US: Cosmopolitan
- "Birth of a SalesmanBirth of a Salesman"Birth of a Salesman" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, which first appeared in the United States in the 26 March 1950 issue of This Week magazine...
" (Blandings CastleBlandings CastleBlandings Castle is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being the seat of Lord Emsworth , home to many of his family, and setting for numerous tales and adventures, written between 1915 and 1975.The series of stories which take place at the castle,...
)- US: This Week, 26 March 1950
- "How's That, Umpire?" (Conky Biddle cricket story)
- First published in this volume
- "Success StorySuccess Story (short story)"Success Story" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, which first appeared in the United States in the March 1, 1947 issue of Argosy, under the title "Ukie Invests in Human Nature"...
" (UkridgeStanley Featherstonehaugh UkridgeStanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge is a fictional character from the short stories and novels of P. G. Wodehouse.Ukridge is a schemer who will do anything to increase his funding -- except, of course, work. An alert and creative opportunist, he makes sure that no kindness shown to him, however...
)- US: Argosy, 1 March 1947 (as "Ukie Invests in Human Nature")
External links
- The Russian Wodehouse Society's page, with a list of characters
- Fantastic Fiction's page, with details of published editions, photos of book covers and links to used copies