The Coming of Bill

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Summary: A Lighthearted Look at Love and the Battle of the Sexes
Review: Many authors today find it interesting to write novels about the early part of the 20th century. I prefer generally to read novels written at the same time by fine authors. The period details are ever so much more accurate and convincing that way. With the long and distinguished career of that brilliant comic author, Mr. P.G. Wodehouse, there are many treasures to be enjoyed in this vein.

In The Coming of Bill, Mr. Wodehouse wrote a classic about the troubled nature of wooing, family influences and rivalry among spouses for the upper hand. Into all of this turmoil comes one delightful little boy, Bill, who turns out to have the right stuff to be a future boxer.

The Coming of Bill is the unlikely story of how Ruth Bannister and Kirk Winfield came to meet and marry, abetted by Ruth's Aunt Lora Porter and Kirk's friend, Steve. Banished by an angry John Bannister, Ruth's father, they live in bliss as their marriage begins and Bill is born. Kirk abandons his feeble artistic efforts to spend time with Ruth and Bill. But unexpected setbacks in his investments make him take the desperate gamble to leave for a year to find his fortune in South American gold mines. He returns, lucky to be alive, with a greatly changed personal situation. His wife's father has died, leaving her wealthy and bored, and she soon finds Kirk and Bill boring, too. To save herself from distasteful duties, Ruth has turned over her parenting duties to a nanny and Mrs. Porter's obsessive fear of germs. To come near Bill, you have to be bathed in boric acid. The marriage is about as friendly.

Then, the marriage is rocked by Kirk's unwillingness to play along any more. Can this marriage be saved?

In most of Mr. Wodehouse's books, the plots are very predictable and the humor mostly comes in specific comic situations and funny dialogue. The Coming of Bill has all the usual comic elements, but has a quite surprising plot that takes many intriguing turns. I found myself wondering right up until the end how in the world all the problems could possibly sort themselves out.

At the bottom of all the humor, you will enjoy Mr. Wodehouse's fine sense that people are basically good and admirable . . . if you just let them do what comes naturally. Society and civilization just tend to misdirect the natural instincts, usually in the most ridiculous ways.

Bill himself is quite a charmer, as he struggles to learn how to speak and deal with all those "goims" that his Godfather Steve warns him not to worry about.

If you've liked any of Mr. Wodehouse's books, you will probably find The Coming of Bill will be one of your favorites.

I had the pleasure of listening to the Blackstone AudioBooks version which is read by Frederick Davidson. I found the reading to be an especially entertaining one that emphasized the humor effectively with many different funny voices. If you can find this version, I highly recommend it to you.

After you have finished, think about where you could show your love more clearly. Act naturally!!