Eggs, Beans and Crumpets - P.G. Wodehouse

A collection of Wodehouse short stories are always a delight to read. Bingo Little, Bertie’s childhood friend stars in many of the stories in his book. He is married to a novelist named Rosie M. Banks. How he managed to pull that one off, I will never really understand. Anyways, granting that as one of those things that have to be for a story to be told – like superman can fly for all the superman stories – Bingo has developed this gambling habit (don’t remember him having that in any of Wooster/Jeeves stories) and keeps getting into trouble by betting on horses which finish last and those sort of things. Of course at times he does win, like this historic moment at the roulette table which you can read about in the book and it really makes you feel happy for him, regardless of his dog-napping antics. Eventually he does turn a good leaf and finds himself a respectable job. Wonder if he would ever publish a book that I might write.
There are some other stories featuring one time stars – or at least people who I don’t really recognize from other stories – in their romantic tangles and trust funds and inheritances. These are as rib tickling as any Wodehouse stories.
And then to top it off the book concludes by some stories of the most delightful conman, Ukridge. Corky and him make a great inseparable twosome. His “Buttercup day” day scam in the book is pure genius. Not that he is too well off after that, but what the heck, Corky will keep him afloat so no worries. Had the Ukridge-Corky stories been popularized enough they might have rivaled Laurel and Hardy in their own way. Well for now, I am fine with enjoying them in the books.