This is probably the start of the saga of Wooster and Jeeves, since the first story features Wooster hiring Jeeves as his valet. It isn’t the first story ever to feature the iconic pair, but it is a great starting point. Several of the stories also appear in The Inimitable Jeeves, but it definitely was a pleasure the read them again.
In Jeeves takes charge, Wooster is given the task of stealing the manuscript of his uncle’s memoirs. The stories of Corky, Motty, Rocky and Freddie are also featured in the earlier tome, but the story of Sippy is a new one. Sippy’s shenanigans land him in the clink for thirty days without the option, and in a plot that Wodehouse would go on to use several times, repeatedly, over and over, Wooster pretends to be Sippy to fulfill a prior commitment.
The story of the forgetful Biffy is also quite amusing, and the story with Wooster being roped in to give a lecture at a girls’ school is another repeat.
The writing is excellent, as always. This contains several of the earlier, formative stories when Wodehouse was still fleshing out his characters. But, absolutely entertaining, nonetheless.