The Wodehouse novels

As with my story page, this compilation is designed to show the origins and versions of Wodehouse’s novels. I follow Daniel H. Garrison’s Who’s Who in Wodehouse (see this page for details of the new third edition) and Eileen McIlvaine’s Wodehouse bibliography in generally giving precedence to the title of the first hardcover edition, whether English or American. Because most current editions in print follow the British titles, I’ve added cross-references to alternate titles in the table below in their proper alphabetical order. The letter-and-number codes are Garrison’s and McIlvaine’s, in that order. Dates of the initial magazine appearances are shown in year/month/day or year/month format.

This is a work in progress, and in many cases relies on initial or partial examinations of the variant versions of the books. It seems best to share information to the extent I have it rather than waiting until this research is completed many years in the future. References to David Jasen are to A Bibliography and Reader’s Guide to the First Editions of P. G. Wodehouse, 2nd Edition (Greenhill Books, 1986). In some cases his information is not to be relied upon; see Cocktail Time below for one such instance. As time permits, I intend to examine his claims.

The symbol † after a magazine title indicates a magazine publication which ran (or at least concluded) after the hardcover book publication date on the same side of the Atlantic; in many cases these are abridged versions. Many other later newspaper and magazine serializations are omitted here as not relevant to the original texts of the novels.

I’m not attempting to show publishers and issue dates of the various hardback and paperback editions, as that would make this table too unwieldy to take in at a glance. Dates of British and American first editions can be found in Terry Mordue’s annotated bibliography now hosted at Madame Eulalie, which has much additional information and some insights not present here.

Many of the serializations published through 1928 (and thus in the public domain under USA copyright laws) are available at Madame Eulalie’s Rare Plums; if the magazine name is formatted as a hyperlink, the story is available there.

Please send corrections and additional information to me at the Contact link.

Neil Midkiff
1 January 2024

THE ADVENTURES OF SALLY
(US: Mostly Sally)
AS22 A29 theatre US Collier's 1921/10/08 1921/12/31 The Adventures of Sally about 72,000 words; American book Mostly Sally is somewhat longer. David Jasen claims that American and British books differ only in the title; I have not verified this.
CA Maclean's 1921/10/15 1922/03/01 Mostly Sally Not yet compared in full with other texts; opening scene matches American book.
UK Grand 1922/04 1922/10 The Adventures of Sally shortened to about 61,000 words; British book is over 77,000 words
US Household Magazine† 1925/11 1926/04 Mostly Sally Considerably abridged, even shorter than Grand; starts in Roville (chapter 2 of other versions)
Angel Cake see Barmy in Wonderland
AUNTS AREN'T GENTLEMEN
(US: The Cat-Nappers)
AA74 A97 Jeeves/Bertie not serialized Last of the Bertie and Jeeves series. American title is drawn as The Cat-nappers in dust-jacket artwork, but in the list of Wodehouse books preceding the title page in the Simon & Schuster editions of this book and of Sunset at Blandings, it is typeset as The Cat-Nappers.
BACHELORS ANONYMOUS BA73 A96 Ikey Llewellyn not serialized British and American books very similar; minor differences in spelling and punctuation, and a few transatlantic translations like letter-carrier vs. mailman. Some minor cuts and edits, more than Jasen suggests: opening of ch. 7 is shorter in UK book; “will write me off as a wash-out” becomes “and that’ll be the end of our association” in US book.
BARMY IN WONDERLAND
(US: Angel Cake)
BW52 A72 theatre CA Toronto Star Weekly† 1952/09/13 one issue (condensed) Angel Cake Adapted by permission from George S. Kaufman’s 1925 play The Butter and Egg Man (also the source of at least three films); the American book is dedicated to Mr. G. S. K.  Book versions substantially similar; a few transatlantic rewordings (e.g. knickerbockers/pants). Chapters 5–6 adapted from Wodehouse’s story “Joy Bells for Barmy.” Star Weekly condensation omits Chapters 4–6 of book.
Bertie Wooster Sees It Through see Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit
BIFFEN'S MILLIONS
(UK: Frozen Assets)
BM64 A87 Drones US Playboy 1964/02 1964/03 Biffen's Millions (condensed) Playboy serial rather roughly shortened from book version, occasionally leaving matters unexplained (such as mentioning the twenty francs in ch. 1 but leaving out the official stamps which cost that sum). British and American book versions appear substantially similar upon a quick overview; David Jasen says they are identical except for the title and an additional concluding sentence in the British book. US first edition has "P. J. Wodehouse" on spine of hardcover binding.
BIG MONEY BM31 A43   US Collier's 1930/09/20 1930/12/06   Based on first chapter, Collier’s seems very similar to book versions; Strand serial has slight cuts.
UK Strand 1930/10 1931/04  
BILL THE CONQUEROR BC24 A33   US Sat. Eve. Post 1924/05/24 1924/07/12   SEP serial seems essentially full-length upon spot checks and indeed has short passages not in books, as well as a very few tiny cuts (missing 22 words in the first two episodes). Grand serial is heavily cut; the first episode, corresponding to the first two book chapters, is posted at Madame Eulalie for comparison, showing that 28% of the text has been omitted.
Other sources have incorrect dates for the Grand serial; these dates have been confirmed against the original magazine by Charles Stone-Tolcher. Book versions similar; American first edition has four notable printer’s errors: “joyous” for “joyless” in ch. 2, §4; “forty” for “fourteen” and “westward” for “eastward” in ch. 4, §1; in ch. 7 Flick’s question “What has become of Mr. Coker?” is omitted. Chapter divisions slightly differ in magazines; SEP has 23 chapters, Grand has 25; both books have 21.
UK Grand† 1924/09 1925/04  
Brinkley Manor see Right Ho, Jeeves
THE BRINKMANSHIP OF GALAHAD THREEPWOOD
(UK: Galahad at Blandings)
BG65 A88 Blandings Castle not serialized Follows Service with a Smile closely in story time. British edition omits dedication to Scott Meredith, literary agent; David Jasen says that otherwise the British and American books differ only in the title. Not quite true; UK edition omits sentence about mortgage on the Bagshott home in ch. 2, §2; I have only compared the first few chapters in detail. Author of On the Care of the Pig is Whipple rather than the Whiffle of other books, and the caloric content of four pounds five ounces of proteins and twenty-five pounds of carbohydrates is undercalculated by a factor of ten.
The Butler Did It see Something Fishy
By Order of the League! see The Gold Bat
The Cat-Nappers see Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
COCKTAIL TIME CT58 A81 Uncle Fred US Ladies' Home Journal 1958/04 one issue (condensed)   More than the usual differences between British and American book, though most are minor, for instance: word substitutions (safari/shikari); slight cuts in British version (missing “Youth, said Shakespeare...manifestly low” in ch. 1). More substantial rewriting at the start of ch. 2, in which the Pongo–Uncle Fred discussion in the taxi is considerably different; also, in American versions Jimmy Crowe was killed in the war; in British text Barbara Crowe’s husband was an unnamed motor accident victim. Bunny Farringdon’s career as a commercial artist is named only in American versions. And so forth. LHJ text is abridged from American book version; Bastable’s pen name is Anthony Blunt rather than Richard Blunt as in books. As a point of reference, David Jasen claims that British and American books are identical, so his trustworthiness on other such comments may be questioned.
THE CODE OF THE WOOSTERS CW38 A60 Jeeves/Bertie US Sat. Eve. Post 1938/07/16 1938/09/03   Third Jeeves novel, following Right Ho, Jeeves (which took place “last summer”) by a few months in story time. David Jasen notes no differences between the US and UK books, both published 1938/10/07, but UK book is missing “like Caesar in his tent the day he overcame the Nervii” in ch. 12, and this is just from a spot check. Daily Mail serial is somewhat abridged; SEP serial is slightly abridged.
UK Daily Mail† 1938/09/08 1938/10/21  
The Coming of Bill see The White Hope
Company for Henry see The Purloined Paperweight
A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS DD19 A24   US Sat. Eve. Post 1919/05/10 1919/06/28   David Jasen says "a few minor changes" between US and UK book texts. Similar in spirit and setting to a Blandings Castle novel, before Wodehouse had decided to expand Something New/Something Fresh into a saga.
DO BUTLERS BURGLE BANKS? DB68 A91   not serialized American book set mostly in Wallingford, Worcestershire; British book in Wellingford. Horace’s Valley Fields home is Restharrow in US book; Resthaven in UK book. Upon spot checks, versions otherwise seem substantially similar.
DOCTOR SALLY DS32 A46   UK Yorkshire Weekly Post Illustrated 1932/01/02 1932/02/27   Based on Wodehouse’s 1927 play Good Morning, Bill!, based on a Hungarian play by Ladislaus Fodor. I have not seen the British serial, previously listed on these dates in 1931, which has proved to be wrong; 1932 is consistent with the Saturday publication date of the weekly. Collier’s serial, American book appearance as “The Medicine Girl” in The Crime Wave at Blandings (see CWB in list of collections at end of my story page), and British book of Doctor Sally seem essentially identical at a quick overview.
US Collier's 1931/07/04 1931/08/01 The Medicine Girl [Garrison 31MG]
The Eighteen-Carat Kid see The Little Nugget
FISH PREFERRED
(UK: Summer Lightning)
FP29 A41 Blandings Castle UK Pall Mall 1929/03 1929/09 Summer Lightning Book versions seem substantially similar upon a rapid overview. American first edition book has a few notable misprints, including one “Hugh” for Hugo, and “Leopard’s” for Leopold’s in two places. Collier’s serial begins as if only very slightly cut, but chapter divisions are different from book and some paragraphs and speeches are missing; a quick estimate is that the serial may be some 10% shorter than the book. Pall Mall serial seems to be full-length upon spot checks; McIlvaine’s listing omitted seventh (concluding) episode in September 1929. Both magazine versions have a few phrases omitted from books. In story time, follows Leave It to Psmith by two years; the six Blandings short stories collected in Blandings Castle and Elsewhere (1935) also take place during this two-year interval; they originally appeared in magazines from 1924 to 1931.
US Collier's 1929/04/06 1929/06/22 Summer Lightning
FRENCH LEAVE FL56 A78   UK John Bull 1955/11/12 1955/12/03   Adapted from Guy Bolton’s play Three Blind Mice, also the source of three films. Star Weekly condensation seems to represent an earlier stage in the writing process, with some differences of plot [both Jo and Terry initially plan to catch rich husbands, as noted by Ian Michaud]. John Bull serial seems to derive from longer book text by simple cuts with almost no rewriting. US book publication delayed until 1959; the girls get $3,000 each from the television sale rather than $2,000. Other wording differences between UK and US books (Jasen claims they are identical); in ch. 3, UK book says Jeff had “gone to America [and] supported himself in a fashion till the outbreak of the war.” US book changes that to “gone to America, to his deceased mother’s family,” and mentions that he was only fourteen when in the Maquis. Several other rewordings: governess/teacher; flannel/washcloth; bed-sitting-room/one-room apartment; dagoes/sharpers; many more.
CA Toronto Star Weekly 1955/09/24 one issue (condensed)  
Frozen Assets see Biffen's Millions
FULL MOON FM47 A66 Blandings Castle US Liberty† 1947/11 one issue (condensed)   In story time, this follows Uncle Fred in the Springtime and is still less than one year later than Heavy Weather. Jasen claims that US and UK book are identical; spot checks show only minor differences.
  US first edition has notable typo “Thropshire” in ch. 6, §5; omits a “not” in ch. 6, §2: “found himself [not] in complete sympathy”.
  UK first omits a “not” in ch. 2: “I had [not] omitted to take that into my calculations”; leaves out the statement “Seeing things.” between two short questions about seeing things in E. Jimpson Murgatroyd’s office in ch. 3. And so forth.
Liberty condensation, appearing after book publication and very much abridged, has not been examined.
Galahad at Blandings see The Brinkmanship of Galahad Threepwood
The Gem Collector see The Intrusion of Jimmy
A Gentleman of Leisure see The Intrusion of Jimmy
THE GIRL IN BLUE GB70 A93   CA Toronto Star Weekly† 1971/04/24 one issue (condensed)   US and UK book texts appear substantially identical, with occasional differences in a phrase or two here and there; I have not examined Star Weekly condensation or Australian serial. Ian Michaud notes minor differences in the spelling of Chippendale’s Cockney accent and two different locations for Mellingham Hall, near Canterbury in US book but near Salisbury in UK book (both different from its location in Pearls, Girls, and Monty Bodkin in Sussex an hour from Brighton).
AU Australian Women's Weekly 1970/12/16 1970/12/30  
The Girl on the Boat see Three Men and a Maid
THE GOLD BAT GB04 A4 school UK Captain 1903/10 1904/03   Book text appears to be essentially identical to Captain serial upon spot checks. The original book edition included eight of the T. M. R. Whitwell illustrations from the serial. Added April 2020: Two episodes of the Boys’ Friend serial have been shared; the first, transcribed on Madame Eulalie, shows slight cuts but few other changes.
UK The Boys’ Friend 1923/01/06 1923/02/24 By Order of the League!
THE HEAD OF KAY'S HK05 A6 school UK Captain 1904/10 1905/03   The Preface of the book mentions corrections to the camp chapters; as far as I can tell the only change is that all but one of the references to cutting tent ropes were amended to loosing them. See my end notes to episode 2 of the Captain serial. The original book edition included eight of the T. M. R. Whitwell illustrations from the serial.
HEAVY WEATHER HW33 A50 Blandings Castle US Sat. Eve. Post 1933/05/27 1933/07/15   Follows Fish Preferred/Summer Lightning by some ten days in story time. All versions appear substantially similar based on opening chapters; for instance, SEP serial has just one tiny cut in first chapter. The children’s weekly Tiny Tots is called Just Tots in SEP. Both UK and US first editions have in Chapter 8 “So it was he who had been egging young Mr. Bodkin on to bungle!”; SEP has “burgle” here which makes a great deal more sense. US book omits the British idiom “Near the Knuckle” from the title of Lady Wensleydale’s memoirs.
HOT WATER HW32 A47   US Collier's 1932/05/21 1932/08/06   Both US and UK books published 1932/08/17; David Jasen claims the contents are identical, but there are some word substitutions (Brodie/dive) and some US passages missing in the UK book (Knickerbocker Ice Company) in a quick comparison of chapter 11 as an example. Much editorial intervention in spelling, hyphenation of compound words, italics, punctuation, and other mechanical details; most of these changes are attributable to UK publisher, as US magazine serial generally agrees with US book text, though serial is somewhat abridged. References to Notre Dame omitted in US book and magazine.
HOW RIGHT YOU ARE, JEEVES
(UK: Jeeves in the Offing)
HR60 A83 Jeeves, Bertie, Bobbie Wickham US Playboy 1960/02 one issue How Right You Are, Jeeves (condensed) US first edition has three notable typographical errors: Lady Wickham is misspelled “Wickman” on first mention, p. 3; the word “not” is omitted on p. 54, which should read “It is most unusual for me not to be able to make up my mind....”; on p. 120 Bertie’s usual encomium to beauty is spelled “pipperino” instead of “pipterino.” August 2016: I had previously dated the John Bull serialization in 1960; thanks to Joseph Miller for pointing out the error.
CA Toronto Star Weekly† 1960/04/23 one issue
UK John Bull 1959/08/29 1959/09/19
THE ICE IN THE BEDROOM
(UK: Ice in the Bedroom)
IB61 A84 Freddie Widgeon CA Toronto Star Weekly 1960/11/05 one issue Ice in the Bedroom Also featuring Soapy & Dolly Molloy and Chimp Twist, next appearing in PG72. David Jasen claims that US and UK books differ only in the title, but Ian Michaud notes two changes: “In the U.S. book Dolly gave it as her opinion that Soapy ‘was practically the twin brother of Mortimer Snerd’ while in the U.K. book he ‘was practically solid concrete from the neck up.’ Presumably Edgar Bergen’s ventriloquist act wasn’t well known in Britain. Also in the U.S. book the good news travelled from Aix to Ghent which is probably how PGW wrote it. But his U.K. editor corrected the error and sent the news from Ghent to Aix as Browning wrote it.” Other minor word substitutions (e.g. head clerk/managing clerk, ch. 2) and spelling and punctuation adjustments.
IF I WERE YOU IW31 A44   US American 1931/04 1931/07   Based on an unproduced play of the same title by Wodehouse and Guy Bolton; the movie rights were sold to MGM in 1931 but never filmed. A later revision of the play under the title Who’s Who? had a brief run in London in 1934. American serial seems only very slightly abridged compared to book; Daily Mail serial also has very minor cuts and revisions, based on opening episodes. David Jasen claims the plot is taken from F. Anstey’s Vice Versa, which in reality is a source for the idea of Laughing Gas and has nothing to do with this story, which is much more closely allied with H.M.S. Pinafore’s story of a nursemaid mixing up two baby boys. Jasen says that UK book is identical to US book other than lacking the dedication; a comparison of Chapters 1–4 shows only differences in punctuation, hyphenation, italics, paragraphing, and similar copy-editorial choices. The UK book has one additional sentence at the end of paragraph 1 of Chapter 5, not found in any other version. In Ch. 8, the UK book leaves out a paragraph of Freddie’s speech beginning “Well, don’t have it in here”; this is as far as the comparison has yet been made.
UK Daily Mail 1931/06/05 1931/07/03  
INDISCRETIONS OF ARCHIE IA21 A26 Archie UK Strand 1920/03 1921/02 as 11 individual stories Reordered and somewhat rewritten to link stories into a novelization; see story page for details of individual stories
US Cosmopolitan 1920/05 1921/02 Series title "Archie in America"; only 10 of the 11 Strand stories
THE INIMITABLE JEEVES
(US: Jeeves)
IJ23 A30 Jeeves/Bertie UK Strand 1918/08 1922/11 as individual stories Slightly rewritten to link stories into a novelization; see story page for details of individual stories
US Cosmopolitan 1921/12 1922/12 as individual stories
THE INTRUSION OF JIMMY
(UK: A Gentleman of Leisure)
IJ10 A13   US Ainslee's 1909/12 one issue The Gem Collector (earlier novella version) [09GC] Title artwork in Ainslee’s shows author as “R. G. Wodehouse”; correctly credited to P. G. Wodehouse in Index to Vol. 24 of the magazine. This version is much shorter, omitting the New York scenes at the opening of the full-length version, and the names, backstories, and motivations of some characters are rather different; e.g., Jimmy Pitt has recently inherited a baronetcy along with his fortune, and really had worked as a jewel thief in New York, rather than burgling once to win a bet as in the full-length novel.
UK Tit-Bits 1910/06/11 1910/09/10 The Intrusions of Jimmy Some minor differences between the full-length versions: Tit-Bits (55,073 words), US book (Watt, 1910), UK first (Alston Rivers, 1910), UK reprints (Herbert Jenkins, 1921 on, slightly abridged by simple cuts of sentences and phrases, totaling about 731 words, and with some word substitutions), but all these tell substantially the same story. Jimmy Pitt is an American in US book but English in all other versions. Patrick McEachern’s English background is omitted in US book. Sept. 2014: Tit-Bits title corrected to "Intrusions"; earlier sources have always assumed this was "Intrusion" like the US book title.
JEEVES AND THE FEUDAL SPIRIT
(US: Bertie Wooster Sees It Through)
JF54 A77 Jeeves/Bertie CA Toronto Star Weekly 1954/12/04 one issue (condensed) Double Jeopardy Sixth of the Jeeves novels (omitting Ring for Jeeves from the story sequence, as described in its listing). Takes place in July, perhaps immediately after The Mating Season in story time or possibly a year afterward. US and UK books differ in a few phrases here and there, in addition to the usual transatlantic differences in spelling and punctuation, despite Jasen’s claim that the text is identical other than the inclusion of a dedication to Peter Schwed in the US edition.
Jeeves see The Inimitable Jeeves
Jeeves and the Tie that Binds see Much Obliged, Jeeves
Jeeves in the Morning see Joy in the Morning
Jeeves in the Offing see How Right You Are, Jeeves
Jill the Reckless see The Little Warrior
JOY IN THE MORNING JM46 A65 Jeeves/Bertie not serialized Fourth Jeeves novel, taking place in late spring or early summer of the year after Right Ho, Jeeves. Some paperback editions issued as Jeeves in the Morning. Jasen says that UK edition (Jenkins, 1947) is identical to US (Doubleday, 1946), but there are small deletions and additions in each version, besides typical transatlantic differences in spelling, punctuation, and hyphenation. For the British reader still under postwar rationing in 1947, a reference to steak is omitted and fried eggs are replaced by sardines.
LAUGHING GAS LG36 A56 Hollywood US This Week 1935/03/24 1935/04/28   Magazine versions are novelette length, omitting some subplots and characters, and with a few different names and situations; for instance, Ann Bannister is working as a dentist’s assistant, and Eggy Mannering and the Temple of the New Dawn are omitted. Joey Cooley is called Teddy Flower in This Week. Pearson’s text has a very few passages not in This Week, but the two serials have the same simplified plot. Book versions much expanded; US and UK books apparently identical except that the name “Brinkmeyer” becomes “Brinkwater” in US book. End date of Pearson’s serial was marked ? in previous versions of this page, but [as of Feb. 2016] confirmed as ending in the October 1935 issue.
UK Pearson's 1935/08 1935/10  
LEAVE IT TO PSMITH LP23 A31 Blandings Castle, Psmith US Sat. Eve. Post 1923/02/03 1923/03/24   The two magazine texts are very similar on a rapid overview, although there are minor cuts, mostly in Grand, e.g. the paragraph in ch. 1 mentioning super-super-films. Magazines are substantially identical to the book for the vast majority of the story; in the magazines, Psmith recognizes Freddie as a familiar face at the hotel meeting and remembers him while at the Senior Conservative Club as a somewhat junior fellow Old Etonian. Major differences in the scene in the cottage where Eddie and Liz hold up Psmith and Eve (ch. 13, §4); in magazines Psmith negotiates that Mr. Keeble should buy the necklace from Miss Peavey for substantially more than a fence would pay for the stolen goods; altered for book so that the professional criminals do not profit. Dates of Grand Magazine serialization confirmed as June–December 1923, not beginning in April as previously stated.
UK Grand 1923/06 1923/12  
THE LITTLE NUGGET LN13 A16   UK Captain 1913/01 1913/03 The Eighteen-Carat Kid [13EC] Captain story expanded with a love interest for Munsey's and book version
US Munsey's 1913/08 one issue The Little Nugget
THE LITTLE WARRIOR
(UK: Jill the Reckless)
LW20 A25 theatre US Collier's 1920/04/10 1920/08/28 The Little Warrior Collier’s text is very slightly abridged from the American book text, and spellings, hyphenation, and some other punctuation are frequently Americanized for the magazine.
CA Maclean's 1920/05/01 1920/11/15 The Little Warrior December 2017: Dates corrected for serial; Maclean’s archive online is missing part of May 15, all of June-July, November 15 issues. I have not examined in full; opening scene is similar to Collier’s text with minor spelling and hyphenation changes.
UK Grand 1920/09 1921/06 Jill the Reckless Grand serialization is considerably shortened in places, but occasionally has material not present in other versions. British book has some deletions compared to the American book.
LOVE AMONG THE CHICKENS LC06 A7 Ukridge US Circle 1908/09 1909/03   A transcription of the 1906 original UK edition is now online at Madame Eulalie. At some 42,200 words it is the fullest of the early editions and deserves to be taken as the canonical early text. The Circle serial, at some 38,000 words, is significantly abridged from the full-length book text; the 1909 US book is slightly abridged at some 39,000 words. David Jasen says the US book has “numerous small changes in the text” but that is an inadequate description of the cutting and rewording done for the American versions. A revised UK version of the book was published in 1921, in which Jeremy Garnet narrates the book starting from the opening, with revisions to place names, prices, incidental references, and some rewriting, along with additional nifties, as well as some cuts, resulting in a book of somewhat under 40,000 words; many passages are substantially the same as in the earlier editions. The epilogue of Garnet’s wedding is omitted in the 1921 revision, and Ukridge expounds on his duck farm idea at the end of Chapter XXIII. New third edition of Garrison uses new code of LC21 for the revision.
THE LUCK OF THE BODKINS LB35 A54 Monty Bodkin, Ivor Llewellyn US Redbook 1935/08 1936/01   In story time, takes place only a few weeks after Heavy Weather. Both American and British magazine versions reworked in a shorter form from PGW’s original, though with minor additions; magazine text also used for USA book publications 1936–41. UK book published 1935/10/11 at full length; the source of all known modern reprints.
UK Passing Show† 1935/09/21 1935/11/23  
THE LUCK STONE
(as “Basil Windham” jointly with Wm. Townend)
LS08 A109 school UK Chums 1908/09/16 1909/01/20   Not published in book form until 1997, with text and illustrations taken from the serial.
A MAN OF MEANS
(with C. H. Bovill)
MM14 A107   UK Strand 1914/04 1914/09 as individual stories Not published in book form until 1991, based on Strand texts. See my story page for details of differences in the American appearances of the individual stories.
US Pictorial Review 1916/05 1916/10 as individual stories
THE MATING SEASON MS49 A69 Jeeves/Bertie CA Toronto Star Weekly 1949/11/12 one issue (condensed)   Fifth Jeeves novel, taking place not much more than a year after Right Ho, Jeeves; its events are described as occurring “the previous summer” in chapter 4. An examination of the first seven chapters shows that UK and US books are very similar, other than transatlantic changes in spelling and punctuation; the only differences of substance so far are that Nurse Hogg’s villa is named Balmoral in UK book and is unnamed in US book, and that where UK book has Little Lord Fauntleroy, US book has Mahatma Gandhi.
The Medicine Girl see Doctor Sally
MIKE MK09 A12 Mike Jackson
Psmith
UK Captain 1907/04 1907/09 Jackson Junior
  [=Mike at Wrykyn]
Book text is substantially identical to the two Captain serials, with the addition of a transitional sentence between halves and the omission of an explanatory phrase about Saunders. In story time, some two years elapse between the two halves, and the first half apparently predates many of the other Wrykyn tales. Twelve of the serial illustrations by T. M. R. Whitwell were used in the original editions of the book. Second half published as Enter Psmith in 1935; Mike divided into Mike at Wrykyn and Mike and Psmith in 1953, with some updating of references such as to sporting celebrities.
UK Captain 1908/04 1908/09 The Lost Lambs
  [=Mike and Psmith]
MONEY FOR NOTHING MN28 A39   UK London Calling 1928/03/03 1928/07/28   British serial is abridged (compared to the first episode of the American serial, British serial is shortened by more than 21 percent); American serial appears to be nearly full-length and substantially similar to book versions. Because of the abridgement, only the first episode of British serial is transcribed on this site.
Although Jasen claims that US and UK books are identical, American book has numerous passages not in British book, totaling about 1,065 words, such as substantial discussions in ch. 5.3 about expenses of running a dairy farm. Many other minor word substitutions, e.g. Nordic (American serial and British book) vs. Caucasian (British serial and American book) in book chapter 2. Only UK book has chapter titles. Some minor variants between UK and US book in section numbering in chapters 2, 10, 13.
US Liberty 1928/06/16 1928/09/22  
MONEY IN THE BANK MB42 A64   US Sat. Eve. Post 1941/11/08 1941/12/27   Spot checks show British and American books to be quite similar; American book uses British spellings (e.g. colour, realise). American serial is cut by over 16%, from sbout 77,108 words (US book including chapter headings) to about 64,478 words.
Mostly Sally see The Adventures of Sally
MUCH OBLIGED, JEEVES
(US: Jeeves and the Tie That Binds)
MO71 A94 Jeeves/Bertie not serialized According to McIlvaine, the American title was given by Wodehouse’s editor Peter Schwed at Simon & Schuster, who rewrote the last page to justify the new title. Indeed, the last paragraph of Bertie’s narration and two short speeches (one of which is “Much obliged, Jeeves”) in the British version are replaced by about a page worth of Schwed’s new material, in which Jeeves tells Bertie that “There is a tie that binds, sir.” American first edition has misprint “chain” for “chair” on p. 155.
No Nudes is Good Nudes see A Pelican at Blandings
NOT GEORGE WASHINGTON (with Herbert Westbrook) NG07 A9   not serialized An unusual semi-autobiographical novel about young writers told with multiple narrators; James Orlebar Cloyster has much in common with Wodehouse himself; Julian Eversleigh is much like Westbrook, who seems to have devised the basic plot. The actual writing was ostensibly done by Wodehouse, although John Dawson concludes (in P. G. Wodehouse’s Early Years) that Westbrook was responsible for it.
THE OLD RELIABLE OR51 A71 Hollywood US Collier's 1950/06/24 1950/07/22 Phipps to the Rescue Collier’s serial seems to be nearly full-length, with a few minor cuts, rewordings, and substitutions; Jane Shannon, the Old Master in serial, becomes Wilhelmina (“Bill,” the Old Reliable) in books. British and American books seem very similar upon spot checks; American first edition has misprint “stage” for “stake” in first paragraph of ch. 5.
PEARLS, GIRLS, AND MONTY BODKIN
(US: The Plot That Thickened)
PG72 A95 Monty Bodkin, Ivor Llewellyn AU Australian Women’s Weekly 1973/01/17 1973/01/31 Pearls, Girls, and Monty Bodkin British and American books apparently differ principally in minor styles of spelling, capitalization, hyphenation, punctuation, etc., based on a scan of opening chapters. In ch. 3 “the proprietress of his first kindergarten” becomes “his kindergarten teacher” in US book. Other small wording differences and occasional omissions of phrases lead to the surmise that the book editors made independent changes from Wodehouse’s original text. Gertrude’s father is J. B. in British book (and one place in American book) though he had been J. G. Butterwick in HW33 and LB35. I have not examined in detail the Australian serial nor the much shorter Star Weekly condensation, published after the British book but before the American book.
CA Toronto Star Weekly 1973/04/28 one issue (condensed)
A PELICAN AT BLANDINGS
(US: No Nudes Is Good Nudes)
PB69 A92 Blandings Castle not serialized In story time, follows The Brinkmanship of Galahad Threepwood closely. Based on first six chapters, US and UK books appear substantially identical. John Halliday’s father’s initials are J. D. in UK book and G. J. in US book. Vanessa Polk’s real father is named P. P. Polk in UK book and G. P. Polk in US book. The “fictitious” reclining nude in ch. 7 of UK book is “fake” in US edition. [Jasen claims the books are identical except for the title, which is clearly not quite correct.]
Phipps to the Rescue see The Old Reliable
PICCADILLY JIM PJ17 A20   US Sat. Eve. Post 1916/09/16 1916/11/11   British and American books differ only in a few minor wordings from each other and from serial text. American book has some twenty typographical errors, most of them minor such as had/has, an/and, would/could, and missing commas.
PIGS HAVE WINGS PW52 A73 Blandings Castle US Collier's 1952/08/16 1952/09/20   In story time, follows Full Moon and is just one year after Heavy Weather. Magazine serial is significantly but carefully trimmed for length; only a few sections are missing (book ch. 8, §2; ch. 11, §1,4) and a few references to minor characters (Pirbright, Edwin Pott, Plug Basham, Buffy Struggles, Inspector Jarvis, Percy Ovens, Ezekiel Wellbeloved) are dropped. Eight of the Shakespeare allusions are omitted. Two name changes compared with book text: Pride of Matchingham becomes Monarch of Matchingham; Miss Horwitt becomes Miss Phillips. Serial follows Browning in bringing the good news from Ghent to Aix; reversed in books, as Wodehouse usually does. David Jasen claims that the US and UK book versions are identical except for revisions to the newspaper account in poetic prose of the Empress’s third medal at the end of the book. (Magazine serial typesets that account as poetry, slightly abridged from US book version.) Spot checks elsewhere show a few differences in added or omitted phrases here and there, some minor alterations in word order, and a few typos spotted so far: US book omits “knocking” between Swan and Edgar in ch. 3; UK book has “C. J.” for Fruity Biffen’s initials in ch. 9 but G. J. in ch. 10. Jasen’s claim that the books are identical except for the last page is unfortunately not correct.
The Plot that Thickened see Pearls, Girls and Monty Bodkin
THE POTHUNTERS PH02 A1 school UK Public School Magazine 1902/01 1902/03   The serialization was not yet finished when PSM ceased publication; the plot of the last portion of the story [chs. 11–18] was quickly summarized in a letter from Jim to Allen Thomson labeled “Conclusion” in the March 1902 final issue. The full-length book contained ten illustrations by R. Noel Pocock which had appeared with the serial.
A PREFECT'S UNCLE PU03 A2 school not serialized Eight illustrations by R. Noel Pocock were included in the original edition.
THE PRINCE AND BETTY (New York: Watt, 2/14/12) PA12 A15a "Smith" Serialized after book publication in the Saturday magazine section of the New York Evening Mail (1912/09/14 to 1912/12/28) and in the Washington Post (1920/02/15 to 1920/05/02); also see note at right Wodehouse extended an Americanized adaptation of the New York plot of Psmith, Journalist (including a "Rupert Smith" obviously rewritten from Psmith) with the John Maude/Betty Silver/Mr. Scobell story of Mervo and its casino, to make the first full-length novel version (over 67,000 words), before the Morrisons/Lord Arthur Hayling subplot was written for the British editions as a replacement for the New York journalism story. The Mervo-New York combination of plots was later substantially revised, with many new sensational scenes and changes to character actions and motivations, as a five-episode serial of novella length (26,000 words) called "A Prince for Hire" in Illustrated Love Magazine, April–August 1931, and was published by Galahad Books in 2003; the new third edition of Garrison codes this as PH31.
THE PRINCE AND BETTY (London: Mills & Boon, 5/1/12) PB12 A15b   US Ainslee's 1912/01 one issue   Mostly a love story, involving an unexpected heir to the throne of a Mediterranean island principality and the daughter of a financier who wants to control the island to emulate the gambling success of Monte Carlo. The New York journalism plot of the American book was replaced by Betty’s involvement with the Morrison family and Lord Arthur Hayling. Ainslee’s version (like the American book) starts a few days after "The Matrimonial Sweepstakes" ends in that story’s American setting, with Elsa and Marvin as friends of the financier’s daughter, and with most of the characters as Americans; Strand version and British book follow "The Good Angel" similarly, opening at English country house just after Elsa and Martin become engaged; in British editions only the Morrisons are American, and nearly everyone else is English. Strand text is under 20,000 words, considerably cut from British book text, but having some passages that don’t appear in Ainslee’s; Ainslee’s text is over 31,000 words; British book is longer than either at about 40,000 words.
UK Strand 1912/02 1912/04  
A Prince for Hire see The Prince and Betty (New York) [PA12] above
PSMITH IN THE CITY PC10 A14 Psmith
Mike Jackson
UK Captain 1908/10 1909/03 The New Fold Book appears to be essentially identical to Captain serial, based upon multiple comparisons but not a complete review. Twelve of the T. M. R. Whitwell illustrations from the serial were used in original editions of the book. In story time, this takes place about a month after Mike and Psmith have left Sedleigh, according to Wodehouse’s preface.
PSMITH
JOURNALIST
PJ15 A15c Psmith
Mike Jackson
UK Captain 1909/10 1910/03 Psmith, Journalist Cover and title page of book have "Psmith" and "Journalist" on two lines without a comma; the half-title of the 1923 A.&C. Black edition is "PSMITH, JOURNALIST" on one line. Note that the Captain serialization was the first published version of this story, written while Wodehouse was living in New York in 1909; much of it was revised and incorporated into the American book version of The Prince and Betty in 1912. Its standalone British book edition had to wait until 1915, but that was essentially the same text as the 1909–10 serial. It should not be regarded, as Jasen does, as a revision of The Prince and Betty but as a predecessor to it.
THE PURLOINED PAPERWEIGHT
(UK: Company for Henry)
PP67 A90   CA Toronto Star Weekly 1967/04/29 1967/05/06 The Purloined Paperweight (condensed) A lively book, with many new elements but a lot of nostalgia as well. The cat-in-tree episode in ch. 1, §3 is largely based on ch. 17 of Sam the Sudden. Butler Ferris from The Small Bachelor reappears with a new first name but has memories of that earlier book, in which we previously have read J. Hamilton Beamish’s advice on the Marriage Sane now reappearing in ch. 5. Stealing heirlooms to raise money is revisited from Money for Nothing. Lionel Green returns from Money in the Bank; Algy Martyn from The Little Warrior. British and American editions seem substantially identical based upon spot checks. I have not seen the Star Weekly condensation. The introduction to the Paperweight Press reprint of the American first edition notes that the collectible glass paperweights described in the book were made in France from 1840–60, so Wodehouse’s description of them as eighteenth-century is in error. One more unusual note: it is never explained why Henry Paradene cannot sell heirlooms such as the paperweight but is apparently able to sell Ashby Hall itself; one would have expected the real estate to be entailed as well.
QUICK SERVICE QS40 A63   US Sat. Eve. Post 1940/05/04 1940/06/22   All versions apparently substantially similar (only spot-checked); SEP omits naming the other big car as a Packard, and substitutes “forest of Birnam” for “forest of Dunsinane” of book versions; serial has some tiny cuts.
The Return of Jeeves see Ring for Jeeves
RIGHT HO, JEEVES
(US: Brinkley Manor)
RH34 A52 Jeeves/Bertie UK Grand 1934/04 1934/09   Second Jeeves novel, following Thank You, Jeeves. In American book, the Travers’ country home is Brinkley Manor instead of Brinkley Court as in all other editions. Jasen claims this is the only difference between British and American book; I have seen a few spelling changes and word substitutions but have not yet done a detailed side-by-side comparison between book editions and serializations. I have not seen the Yorkshire Weekly Post serial; dates have been confirmed by Tony Ring. New, May 2019: British first edition has error “Bingley” for “Brinkley” in chapter 23, p. 301; an odd foretaste of the Bingley/Brinkley name confusion in MO71.
US Sat. Eve. Post 1933/12/23 1934/01/27 Right-Ho, Jeeves
UK Yorkshire Weekly Post† 1934/07/21 1934/10/27  
RING FOR JEEVES
(US: The Return of Jeeves)
RJ53 A74 Jeeves (no Bertie) CA Toronto Star Weekly 1953/09/05 one issue (condensed) Ring for Jeeves Originally a play, Come On, Jeeves by Guy Bolton and PGW, novelized by PGW; Bertie is offstage throughout. Some rewriting and some character and location names slightly changed for American magazine and book publication. US book retains one reference to Northamptonshire which should have been changed, like other mentions, to Southmoltonshire after the Chief Constable of the real county threatened to sue. American book’s first four chapters are essentially chapters 2–5 of British book, then British chapter 1 is chapter 5 of American book. From chapter 6 onward the two editions run essentially in parallel. The story takes place after World War Two, and is thus out of the sequence of the other Bertie & Jeeves novels.
US Ladies' Home Journal 1954/04 one issue (condensed) The Return of Jeeves
Sam in the Suburbs see Sam the Sudden
SAM THE SUDDEN
(US: Sam in the Suburbs)
SS25 A35   US Sat. Eve. Post 1925/06/13 1925/07/18 Sam in the Suburbs Based on opening episodes, Sunny version is slightly cut, SEP version has tiny cuts (some of which are also cut in US book of Sam in the Suburbs). A very few differences of names (Spike Delaney/Murphy) or wording (e.g. water-cooler or wastebasket) between magazine and book versions. New info 2019: Sunny serial concludes with 1926/03, not 1926/02 as in Addendum to McIlvaine.
UK Sunny Magazine† 1925/07 1926/03 Sam the Sudden
SERVICE WITH A SMILE SS61 A85 Blandings Castle CA Toronto Star Weekly 1961/08/26 1961/09/02 (condensed) Despite Jasen’s claim that the books are identical, there are several small key differences; the Star Weekly serial appeared first, then US book (on PGW’s 80th birthday), followed by the UK book several months later. Assuming the serial was shortened from PGW’s original, some items were changed for the US book and others changed for the UK book. Myra’s telephoned instruction to meet at Milton Street registry office was changed to Wilton Street in ch. 1, §3 of the US book; this plays fair with the plot and gives the reader a chance to recognize the mishearing when Bill goes to Milton Street. US edition corrects a misquote of Longfellow by changing “thtormy” to “wintry” and changes one 57,500 to 57,800 for consistency. UK editors removed most references to George’s camera being a motion-picture camera, but left one mention in ch. 7. Critically for the plot, Clarence’s “I’ve had to give her to him” is altered in the UK edition to “I’ve got to”; since the Empress is never physically moved, without knowing that a verbal transfer of ownership has already occurred, later plot elements such as the Duke selling her to Tilbury or back to Clarence seem to be without foundation.
THE SMALL BACHELOR SB27 A37   US Liberty 1926/09/18 1926/12/25   Liberty version has a very few minor cuts; New magazine (whose dates are corrected here March 2016, previously listed as two months earlier) appears to be full length upon spot checks. Book versions seem substantially identical other than misprints (such as towinedos for tournedos in ch. 14 of American book, suggesting a handwritten original MS, as does the Giuseppe/Guiseppe error in ch. 16). Part of the plot is reused from the Bolton-Wodehouse-Kern musical Oh, Lady! Lady!! of 1918.
UK New Magazine 1926/12 1927/07  
SOMETHING FISHY
(US: The Butler Did It)
SF57 A80   US Collier's 1956/08/31 1956/09/14 Something Fishy (condensed in two parts) Magazine serials are simplified by omitting minor characters and scenes and considerably shortened by abridging descriptions and dialogue. The Stanhope Twine subplot is reduced to the basics of Jane’s initial engagement and his releasing her when she will get no money from the sale of the fake Uffenham pictures; there is no Keggs subterfuge of suggesting Twine as a tontine candidate to be bought off by Roscoe Bunyan. Both serials follow the same scenario but are shortened slightly differently, each with text not present in the other condensation. Keggs is named Harold in the magazine serials. US and UK book versions have minor differences in spelling, punctuation, and a few transatlantic translations like derby/bowler and drugstore/chemist’s; also, US version is the only one which names William Harrison Dempsey. Each book version has a number of obvious editing or typographical errors as well, more than usual from Wodehouse’s regular publishers.
UK John Bull 1956/09/29 1956/10/13 Something Fishy (condensed in three parts)
Something Fresh see Something New
SOMETHING NEW
(UK: Something Fresh)
SN15 A18 Blandings Castle US Sat. Eve. Post 1915/06/26 1915/08/14 Something New It has been well known that US versions include an episode involving a splash of paint on a shoe as a clue; this plot device had been used in the second half of Mike and so was omitted from the UK Something Fresh; not so widely known is that this episode is told in the serialization almost exactly as in Mike and is somewhat rewritten for the US book. Besides this variant, there are many other small differences (including a mistaken reference in the serial to Freddie as “Lord Threepwood”) between the American serial (74,936 words) and American book (74,880 words), and larger differences from the British book, including material added and material omitted in the rewriting for UK audiences. In US versions, Ashe Marson, Joan Valentine, and George Emerson are American-born.
SPRING FEVER SF48 A67   CA Toronto Star Weekly† 1948/10/09 one issue   Written originally in novel form in 1943 while Wodehouse was in German-controlled Europe; reworked in play form several times, with a 1945 first draft similar to the novel. A later play with the same title but much reworked with an American setting was not produced and became the source for The Old Reliable. British and American books appear substantially identical upon spot checks; I have not seen Star Weekly condensation.
STIFF UPPER LIP, JEEVES SU63 A86 Jeeves/Bertie US Playboy 1963/02 1963/03 (condensed)
Summer Lightning see Fish Preferred
SUMMER MOONSHINE SM37 A59   US Sat. Eve. Post 1937/07/24 1937/09/11   All versions begin substantially similarly upon a quick comparison, with occasional tiny trims or insertions. For instance, Pearson’s serial has a reference to One-Eyed Connolly in part 3 (book ch. 8) missing from all other versions; American editions have Tubby tell Joe that he can’t “come in on an Annie Oakley” (complimentary ticket) a few sentences later. In later chapters, SEP serial has larger cuts, including a long chunk at the end of chapter 8.
UK Pearson's 1937/09 1938/04  
SUNSET AT BLANDINGS SB77 A100 Blandings Castle not serialized Not completed at Wodehouse’s death; first typescript draft of sixteen chapters published 1977 with his notes for the final chapters and commentary by Richard Usborne; commentary revised in 2000 by Tony Ring and Norman Murphy. In story time, follows A Pelican at Blandings by one week.
THE SWOOP! SW09 A11   US Vanity Fair 1915/07 1915/08 in revised form as The Military Invasion of America Originally appeared as a shilling paperback in 1909; facsimile reprint 1993.
THANK YOU, JEEVES
(US: Thank You, Jeeves!)
TY34 A51 Jeeves/Bertie UK Strand 1933/08 1934/02 Thank You, Jeeves! First of the Bertie & Jeeves novels, following thirty-three short stories from 1915 to 1930. Only the UK book lacks an exclamation point in the title. UK book, at 65,443 words, is slightly cut for Strand (64,103 words) although two or three sentences from Strand do not appear in UK book. Cosmopolitan serial has many cuts, and some cuts are different than the Strand ones; also some passages appear here that are not in British versions, such as the reference to Pongo, cats, and adages at the opening of episode 5, also in chapter 17 of US book. Based on opening chapters, US book seems substantially similar to UK book, with tiny changes; US book has no chapter titles. All versions differ in punctuation, hyphenation, and the like in inconsistent ways, suggesting much intervention of editors at each publication.
US Cosmopolitan 1934/01 1934/06 Thank You, Jeeves!
Their Mutual Child see The White Hope
THREE MEN AND A MAID
(UK: The Girl on the Boat)
TM22 A28   UK Pan 1921/02 1921/09 Three Men and a Maid Same basic plot, but American and British texts have significant differences. WHC serial, at 42,543 words, is somewhat abridged from US book (Gutenberg text has 55,337 words); Pan serial seems upon rapid checking to be slightly abridged from longer UK book (67,636 words in Gutenberg text including chapter titles but not preface), but UK serial includes a small section (the end of US Ch. 4) which is not in UK book. US text has some material not present in UK versions, especially in opening chapters and in the description of the griminess of the law office, but the storytelling of the middle of the book is condensed somewhat, especially by having Eustace visit Sam at Bingley-on-the-Sea to summarize the initial story of the disagreements at Windles. The US version spends less time on the Jane-Eustace romance and Jane’s backstory, and has Eustace in bed with a broken ankle rather than the mumps of the British version. Also omitted in US versions are the dinner at Sir Mallaby’s home, Mr. Bennett’s attempted swim, and a few other smaller sections. Ch. 11 of US book is Ch. 12 of UK book, and so on through the multiple-part final chapter, Ch. 16 US and Ch. 17 UK.
US Woman's Home Companion 1921/10 1921/12 Three Men and a Maid
UNCLE DYNAMITE UD48 A68 Uncle Fred US Liberty† 1949/04 one issue (condensed)   British and American books substantially similar but not identical as Jasen claims; minor differences such as “Mr. Johnston” or “Eric Johnston” of the Hollywood Production Code office, and a different list of publishers who would not kiss authoresses in Ch. 14.
CA Toronto Star Weekly† 1949/04/30 one issue (condensed)  
UNCLE FRED IN THE SPRINGTIME UF39 A61 Uncle Fred, Blandings Castle US Sat. Eve. Post 1939/04/22 1939/05/27   Follows Heavy Weather in story time by less than a year. Magazine version was shortened and simplified at editor’s request, in part by removing the Valerie Twistleton–Horace Pendlebury-Davenport subplot from PGW’s novel-length original, as published in book form; other adjustments and additions made in the process of covering the cuts, e.g. Polly becomes Mustard Pott’s stepdaughter Polly Halliday; Sir Roderick sends a wire to Blandings upon his return to London. Jasen says British and American books are identical, but though that is true for initial chapter, British book has significant cuts in later chapters: 91 words missing in Chapter 3 describing Pott as Ickenham’s batman in the war; 27 words about dinner on the train in Chapter 7; 527 words missing in the Horace–Lord Ickenham scene that ends Chapter 10, e.g., in the American book “Sir Roderick” has further prescriptions for Horace including not going to too many Marx Brothers pictures; 101 words missing in Chapter 15 (part of a paragraph spoken by Mustard Pott to Ricky, including the sentences from “stable information” to “selling plater” and a bit more).
UNEASY MONEY UM16 A19   US Sat. Eve. Post 1915/12/04 1916/01/15   Although McIlvaine says that English book is considerably cut from American and Strand versions, Tony Smith suggests that English book seems to follow Strand which is cut down from SEP. He’s right: American book and SEP versions are nearly identical and run about 69,000 words. British book and Strand versions, themselves nearly identical, are about 65,000 words.
UK Strand 1916/12 1917/06  
THE WHITE FEATHER WF07 A8 school UK Captain 1905/10 1906/03   I have not seen first editions, but later reprints appear to be substantially the same text as the Captain serial. According to McIlvaine, the UK book included twelve illustrations by William Townend rather than the illustrations by T. M. R. Whitwell used in the Captain serial. (McIlvaine is correct about this in Section D but in Section A incorrectly states that the serial was illustrated by Townend.) In story time, this is a year and a term later than The Gold Bat, and many of the Wrykyn short stories take place during the interval, according to Wodehouse’s preface.
THE WHITE HOPE
(US book: Their Mutual Child, 1919;
UK book: The Coming of Bill, 1920)
WH14 A23   US Munsey's 1914/05 one issue The White Hope All versions extremely similar.
WILLIAM TELL TOLD AGAIN WT04 A5   not serialized Wodehouse’s only book written for the children’s Christmas-gift book market; even the dedication is “To Biddy O’Sullivan for a Christmas present.” The publishers already had commissioned the color illustrations by Philip Dadd, with short (eight-line) verses by John W. Houghton for each illustration. Wodehouse amusingly recounts the legend of the Swiss hero to fill out a short book of some 15,000 words. A color scan of the illustrated book can be viewed at the Library of Congress web site.