Rating: 
Summary: Doesn't the Arrow Collar ad guy look like Stephen Fry?
Review:
In a world congested to overflowing with books, _Leave It to Psmith_ stands alone.
My only complaint is Sheed's introduction--how can you bash the author of the book you're introducing?? I suppose it is higher literary criticism, but its effect on me was to make me feel like I'm reading trash only consumed by the undiscriminating public. "Nobody ever struggled harder to suppress his genius in the interests of amiable tripe. . . . Wodehouse wrote first and last for money. If he finally became a sort of artist, it was only because it paid to," etc., etc. It's really too much. Couldn't Random House find someone better to introduce the book?
Rating:
Summary: The best of the Psmith series
Review: "Leave it to Psmith" concludes the evolution of the Psmith character, from Wodehouse's earliest style of writing with the "Schools" genre, to a comic character whose dialogue keeps the reader entertained throughout. This story sees Psmith enter into Blandings Castle, and though Lord Emsworth is not the dominant character he later becomes, flashes of brilliance are visible in his appearances (and in those of Lady Constance, who plays an important role in this book). "Leave it to Psmith" is packed full of witty dialogue, readily suited to Psmith's character, and the traditional Wodehouse farce for the plot (misunderstandings, a stolen necklace, and so forth). The ending is predictable, of course, but this is hardly the point. It is the use of language that makes this such an enjoyable tale. Wodehouse connoisseurs all have their own favourite phrases, or particular sections of books that strike them as humorous from the prolific collection of Wodehouse's works. Suffice to say, several of my personal favourite sections appear in this book - Psmith at the employment agency, or describing his career as a fishmonger spring to mind. Those who enjoy the Blandings or Jeeves and Wooster series would do well to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: The best of the Psmith series
Review: "Leave it to Psmith" concludes the evolution of the Psmith character, from Wodehouse's earliest style of writing with the "Schools" genre, to a comic character whose dialogue keeps the reader entertained throughout. This story sees Psmith enter into Blandings Castle, and though Lord Emsworth is not the dominant character he later becomes, flashes of brilliance are visible in his appearances (and in those of Lady Constance, who plays an important role in this book). "Leave it to Psmith" is packed full of witty dialogue, readily suited to Psmith's character, and the traditional Wodehouse farce for the plot (misunderstandings, a stolen necklace, and so forth). The ending is predictable, of course, but this is hardly the point. It is the use of language that makes this such an enjoyable tale. Wodehouse connoisseurs all have their own favourite phrases, or particular sections of books that strike them as humorous from the prolific collection of Wodehouse's works. Suffice to say, several of my personal favourite sections appear in this book - Psmith at the employment agency, or describing his career as a fishmonger spring to mind. Those who enjoy the Blandings or Jeeves and Wooster series would do well to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: even wodehouse couldn't better this!
Review: Definitely the Wodehouse at his best. If you haven't read this, you haven't seen what Wodehouse can do! I don't remember any other book leaving me feeling happier than this.
Rating:
Summary: Anyone for an umbrella?
Review: From the moment when Psmith disappears into the Senior Conservative Club to steal an umbrella for Eve Halliday - a beautifully understated comic scene - the reader is launched into a story that should be compulsory reading for anyone with even a passing interest in Wodehouse. An exquisite combination of romance and farce in which that most debonair of Wodehousian heroes finally falls in love. It has been argued that an impecunious Psmith is a mere shadow of his former self but I couldn't disagree more strongly. Penury only makes searingly obvious what the true Psmith afficianado has always known: that Psmith is never more magnificent than when confronted with adversity.
Rating:
Summary: Correction: Psmith
Review: I beg your pardon, I don't mean to be rude,
but the esteemed reviewer seems to be confused. Psmith
is pronounced with a silent P, and he does have
an optimistic and energetic outlook towards life,
but there the accuracy ends. Psmith does not
wear a ginger beer wire monocle - nor do his ears
stick out like windmills - the gentleman (and I use the
term loosely) who fits that description is Ukridge,
a completely different character who appears nowhere
in the novel Leave it to Psmith. Psmith, by the
way, does wear a monocle, but not one made of ginger beer wire - his costume, like his repartee, is at all times
flawless. Thank you. (P.S. - I do agree with the
reviewer's rating however - this book is definitely
a ten, one of the best).
Rating: 
Summary: Very nice, but ........
Review: I love just about anything written by Wodehouse - i'm a big fan. But i can't bring myself to give this book five stars. Why ? Well, Lord Emsworth is a favourite character of mine, and Blandings is the setting for many a well-loved tale. The introduction of Psmith, another big favourite, raised my expectations, perhaps a bit too much. Basically, even though it was a light, breezy read, it didn't make me laugh aloud too many times, which is unusual for a Wodehouse novel. If you're new to Wodehouse or Emsworth/Psmith, i'd suggest you try 'Summer Lightning' for an introduction to Lord Emsworth (and the great 'Uncle Fred'), and 'Psmith in the city' for Psmith. If you're a fan, chances are you'll lap this up anyways ......
Rating:
Summary: Another world of prose.
Review: If you like Wodehouse you will probably enjoy Saki too. The forward in the book was of interest, especially after just finishing Byron who Sheed claims created an anti-artist movement in England due the general disfavor Byron had among much of the public. Gilbert and Sulivan as well as Wodehouse, among others, are the resultant anti-artist artists. School Masters throughout England were on guard to make sure they did not produce another Shelly or Byron, drowning would be pretenders to the thrown in ridicule and derision. The likes of Wodehouse, not Flauberts, were the result according to Sheed, who introduced the book. I laughed hardily some four times, chuckled some six times, felt soporific inducement twice, phantom retching feelings thrice. The plot's believability qualifies for the realm of sci-fi. Wodehouse creates a world of unique language and sophomoric hijinks, his anti-hero has a manner of speaking to everyone as if they were an affable child, without condescension, but with a co-conspirital flavor that is approving and jocund -- possibly Wodehouse's greatest quality. The book could be shorter, by some 50 pages, some jokes and jovial flavors of feeling were wrung out for everything they were worth.
Rating:
Summary: Unlike olives, Psmith is not an acquired taste!
Review: If you own 10 Wodehouse books, this should be one of them. For years I have been a huge fan of the farcical Bertie & Jeeves stories. This book also throws some romance and a touch of mystery into the brew. Be careful that you are not in public or that you are not in the middle of having a drink when you reach page 198, because I am warning you - you will erupt into a fit of freakish laughter which probably won't subside for another 5 or 10 minutes, with intermittent relapses thereafter. The eccentric and congenially self-absorbed Wodehousian hero of this novel is Psmith - pronounced with a silent P as in Ptarmigan (he finds that his birth name, Smith, is just too boring). Although he holds a membership to London's six most exclusive clubs and never a wrinkle or misplaced crease did find its way into his impeccable attire, he finds himself in dire financial straits. To make it worse, while lounging in the smoking-room window of the Drones Club, he instantly falls in love with a passing young dainty - but he has no idea how to introduce himself into her society. Yet there might be a solution to his problems through the ad for work-wanted that he recently placed in the Morning Globe. In the caption he expresses the sentiment that he will take on any job whatever (including assassinating Aunts) except for anything relating to fish. You have a problem? "Leave it to Psmith!" He ends up impersonating a well-known Canadian poet in order to introduce himself onto the guest list at beloved Blandings Castle, presided over by the eminent Lord Emsworth. While there he must steal a diamond necklace from under the tireless eye of The Efficient One - Emsworth's flower-pot-wielding secretary Baxter. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: The best of 'em all....
Review: It's real hard to actually say whether a particular Wodehousian novel is better than any other, but this one really takes the cake (and eats it too!) A marvellous story of the mayhem, chaos and utter confusion wreaked by the suave, amiable Psmith, this book leaves you gasping for more (even if you don't smoke a gasper). For Wodehousian fans, if you haven't read this one, well, what on earth have you been doing all these years!?! And for people who have no idea who or what or when a Wodehouse is, there's no better place to start than this bundle of craziness.
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