Mike and Psmith Free

FREE MIKE AND PSMITH PDF

Rupert Psmith or Ronald Eustace Psmithas he is called in the last of the four books in which he Mike and Psmith is a recurring fictional character in several novels by British comic writer P. Wodehouse Mike and Psmith, being one of Wodehouse's best-loved characters. The P in his surname is silent "as in pshrimp" in his own words and was added by himself, in order to distinguish him from other Smiths. A member of the Drones Clubthis monocle-sporting Old Etonian is something of a dandy, a fluent and witty speaker, and has a remarkable ability to pass through the most amazing adventures unruffled. Wodehouse said that he based Psmith on Rupert D'Oyly Carte —the son of the Gilbert and Sullivan impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte, as he put Mike and Psmith "the only thing in my literary career which was handed to me on a silver plate with watercress around it". Carte was a school acquaintance of a cousin of Wodehouse at Winchester College, according to an Mike and Psmith to Leave it to Psmith. Rupert's daughter, Bridget D'Oyly Carte, however, believed that the Wykehamist schoolboy described to Wodehouse was not her father but his elder brother Lucas. Psmith appears in four novel-length works, all of which appeared as magazine serials before being published in book form. All these works also feature Mike JacksonPsmith's stolidcricket -playing friend and sidekick, the original hero and central character of Mike and Psmith in the Cityuntil eclipsed by Psmith's wit and force of personality. He is also referred to as Rupert twice in Psmith in the City. In Leave it to Psmithhowever, he introduces himself as Ronald Eustace. This is perhaps because Leave it to Psmith contains another character named Rupert, the efficient Baxter ; Wodehouse presumably thought having two Ruperts would be confusing for readers, and since Psmith is generally referred to by his surname only, it was not unreasonable for Wodehouse to assume that Mike and Psmith change would go largely unnoticed. In the U. A Prince For Hire is another blending of these stories. Leave it to Psmith differs somewhat in style from its predecessors. While Mike is a school story along the lines of much of Wodehouse's early output, and Psmith in the City and Psmith, Journalist are youthful adventures, Psmith's final appearance fits the pattern of Wodehouse's more mature period, a romantic comedy set in the idyllic, invariably imposter-ridden Blandings Castlewhere Psmith fulfils the role of ingenious, unflappable fixer, a part taken elsewhere by the likes of GallyUncle Fredor indeed the mighty Jeevesand finally shows a romantic streak of his own. Though predating both Jeeves and Uncle Fred by some years, Psmith seems to be a combination of both characters, on the one hand imbued with Jeeves' precision of speech and concern for being well turned out, and on the other hand replete with Uncle Fred's humorous self-expression and insouciant attitude, in Mike and Psmith Jeeves would never indulge. We first meet Psmith shortly after he has been Mike and Psmith from Eton, and sent to Sedleighwhere he meets Mikeand their long friendship begins. Mike and Psmith tall and thin a boy as he will later be a man, he is even then immaculately dressed, and sports his trademark monocle; his speech is fluid and flowery. His father, Mr Smithis a fairly wealthy man, although a little eccentric, who lives at Corfby HallLower Benfordin Shropshirenot Mike and Psmith from Crofton where his friend Mike grew up; he later moves to Ilsworth Hallin a "neighbouring county", mostly to find better cricket. Not the most active of youths, Psmith spends much of his time at Sedleigh lounging in deck chairs. His most notable talent, even at this age, is a remarkable verbal dexterity, which he uses to confound and confuse boys and masters alike; with his sombre, still face, it is often impossible to tell if he is being serious or mocking. This skill frequently comes in handy, to get himself and his friends out of difficulty. In such circumstances, he is even known to move fairly quickly too. While at Eton, he was a competent cricketer, on the Mike and Psmith of the first team - a slow left-arm bowler with a Mike and Psmith, his enormous reach also makes him handy with a bat when some fast hitting is required, such as in the match between Sedleigh and Wrykyn at the climax of Mike and Psmith. After a time there, he persuades his father he should study to become a lawyer, and goes to Cambridge, accompanied as ever by his friend and companion Mike. During the summer after their first year, Psmith travels to New York, accompanying Mike, who is on a cricketing tour with the M. There, he gets involved with the magazine Cosy Momentsbefriending its temporary editor Billy Windsor and helping in its crusade against slum housing, which involves clashes with violent gangsters. We discover in the last chapter, when the head editor returns, Mike and Psmith Psmith has persuaded his father to let him invest Mike and Psmith money he has inherited from an uncle and now, in fact, owns the magazine. After university, his father dies, having made some unsound investments. As a result, Psmith must work for a time for an uncle in the fish business, something which repels him. Mike and Psmith leaves the job shortly before meeting and falling for Eve Hallidaywhom he follows to Blandings Castle. Despite having entered the castle claiming to be Canadian poet Ralston McToddhe is eventually hired as secretary to Lord Emsworthwho knew his father by reputation. In a preface to the version of Mike and PsmithWodehouse informs us that Psmith went on to become a successful defence lawyer, in the style of Mike and Psmith Mason. Psmith is a somewhat selfish young man; however, he is generous towards those he likes. In a typical example from Leave it to Psmithhe perceives Eve, trapped by the rain under an awning, and decides, chivalrous gentleman that he is, to get her an umbrella. Unfortunately for Psmith, he does not, in point of fact, possess an umbrella. He solves this problem by appropriating another man's Mike and Psmith when confronted by the umbrella's owner, Psmith attempts to comfort him by Mike and Psmith it is for a good cause, and, later, when relating the story, says, "Merely practical Socialism. Other people are content to talk about the Redistribution of Property. I go Mike and Psmith and do it. Sign In Don't have an Mike and Psmith Start a Wiki. Contents [ show ]. Categories :. Cancel Save. The first half republishes the serial "Jackson Junior", in which Psmith does not appear. Psmith Mike and Psmith the City This rewritten story does not feature Psmith. The Saturday Evening Post. Psmith Series by P.G. Wodehouse Mike is a school story by P. Mike is the youngest son of a renowned cricketing family. Mike's eldest brother Joe is a successful first-class player, while Mike and Psmith brother, Bob, is on the verge of his school team. When Mike arrives at Wrykyn himself, his cricketing talent and love of adventure bring him success and trouble in equal measure. The second part, also known as Enter Psmith or Mike and Psmithtakes place two years later. Mike, due to poor academic reports, is withdrawn from Wrykyn by his father and sent to a smaller school called Sedleigh. On arrival at Sedleigh, he meets the eccentric Rupert Psmithanother new arrival who has arrived from Eton. The two become friends and decide not to play cricket, instead participating in other school activities. Mike is leaving his private school to go to Wrykyn. His sisters hope that he will get into the school team his first year, although his brother Bob and Saunders, the pro, are sceptical. On the train down to Wrykyn, Mike is joined by a stranger; seeing the boy get off the train without his bag, Mike throws it out onto the platform, but the boy returns at the next stop. It turns out that the stranger is Firby-Smithhead of Wain 's house, which Mike is to join. Mike meets and befriends Wyatt, Wain's stepson. Wyatt asks Burgessthe cricket captain, to allow Mike to try out; Mike performs well and gets on the third team. Mike is later allowed to play for the first after Wyatt is involved in a fight between some of the students and a gang from Wrykyn town, which ends up with a policeman being thrown into a pond. The policeman exaggerates the incident Mike and Psmith the headmaster, claiming several hundred boys had thrown him into the water, and the headmaster punishes the school by cancelling a forthcoming holiday. In retaliation, Wyatt organises a mass walk-out, taking most of the school with him to a nearby town. As punishment for this, the younger boys are canedand the older boys are all given " extra " during a cricket match against the M. As there are now several openings in the team, Wyatt persuades Burgess to let Mike play. Mike plays well in the M. However, in a later house match, Firby-Smith runs Mike out, and Mike insults him. Firby-Smith insists that Mike and Psmith be punished, but Bob persuades him not to. In gratitude, Mike, finding that he has squeezed Bob out of the team, feigns a sprained wrist so that Bob will get into the team Mike and Psmith of him. Soon after, a boy brings the Mike and Psmith to the school. The outbreak takes out one of the first-team players, giving Mike another chance; he plays reasonably in a poor game. Bob tells him he thinks the first-team place is now Mike's, but next day Mike again angers Firby-Smith by missing early morning fielding practice for the house. Neville-Smith, a bowler who has taken the other place in the team, plans a party Mike and Psmith his house he is a Mike and Psmith boy in celebration of his placement, and Wyatt sneaks out of school to attend. On his way out he is spotted by a master, who reports it to Wain; the housemaster waits in Mike's room until Wyatt returns, and tells him he is to leave the school at once, to take a job in a bank. Mike takes Wyatt's place in the team, and persuades his father to find Wyatt more interesting work, via his connections in Argentina. Wrykyn go into the match against their biggest rivals, Ripton, short on bowling but with both Jacksons. The wicket is sticky from rain and Ripton notch up a good Mike and Psmith, and taking the field reveal they having a strong bowler of googlies. After a bad start, Wrykyn's fortunes look up when the brothers bat together. Bob gets out, but has given Mike time to settle in; with the Mike and Psmith of the team accompanying him, he deftly collars the Mike and Psmith, finishing on 83 not out; Wrykyn wins. Mike has been at Wrykyn for another two years and is due to become cricket captain next term, but during the Easter holidays, his father, receiving Mike's poor performance report, removes him from Wrykyn and sends him instead to Sedleigha far smaller school. Arriving at Sedleigh in a bitter mood, he meets Mr Outwoodthe head of his house. Mike then meets a well-dressed boy with a monoclewho introduces himself as Psmith. The P in his surname is silent and was added by himself, in order to distinguish him from other Smiths. He is an ex- Etonian whose family lives near Mike's, and, like Mike, is a new boy. Mike and Psmith decide to avoid cricket and instead join Mr Outwood's archaeological society. Having made friends with a boy called Jellicoethe three take a dormitory together. The next day, they meet Adairschool cricket captain, and house-master Mr Downingboth of whom are disappointed by the new boys' refusal to play cricket. Both Psmith and Mike claim ignorance of cricket, a decision which Mike comes to regret. Bored by their archaeology trips, they wander off one day, and Mike runs into an old cricketing friend, who offers him Mike and Psmith place in a local village team. Mike enjoys the games, but keeps his village cricket career a secret. Mike eventually reveals his cricketing history, and is persuaded to play in an upcoming house match as revenge against Mr Downing, who unfairly favours his own house. The Mike and Psmith ends with Mike making not out, and Downing's not getting an innings at all. Mike agrees to deliver money to a pub owner in Wrykyn town for his roommate, Jellicoe. After discovering that the money was not owed, he returns to Wrykyn, attempts to return to his house, and is chased by Downing. He rings the school fire bell and escapes in the confusion. The next morning, Sammy, Mr. Downing's dog, turns up covered in Mike and Psmith paint. Downing is enraged and proceeds to investigate: he finds that a boy from Outwood's was seen abroad that night, and finds spilled red paint in the bike shed with a footprint in it. He gets Psmith to show him round Outwood's house, searching for boots with red paint on them, and he finds one of Mike's with paint on it. Psmith successfully hides the boot, but does not tell Mike, so Mike ends up wearing shoes to school, attracting Downing's attention. Meanwhile, Stone and Robinson, not pleased with Adair's proposal to hold an early-morning cricket practice, decide they can safely skip it. Mike and Psmith has other ideas, and fights Stone, bullying them both into playing. He Mike and Psmith visits Mike and invites him to either Mike and Psmith or fight. Despite being the better boxerAdair loses his temper, and loses the fight. Psmith persuades Mike to play, telling him that he also will be playing, revealing that he had been a very good bowler at Eton. Adair sprained a wrist Mike and Psmith the fight and is unable to play; the match is rained Mike and Psmith. Downing tells the headmaster that he suspects Mike of painting Sammy, but it is found out that it had been done by Dunster, an old student. Mike and Adair arrange a match between Sedleigh and Wrykyn, and Sedleigh wins. Several short stories are also set at Wrykyn, some of which are listed at List of short stories by P. Wodehouse School stories. Wodehouse reused the scene with the paint-splashed shoe in Something New : although the setting and characters are different, the scene is essentially the same as in Mike. This scene was omitted from the UK edition, Something Fresh. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wodehouse: A comprehensive bibliography and checklist. New York: James H. Heineman, p. Wodehouse: A Life. The Guardian. Retrieved 18 July Bibliography Short stories Characters Locations Songs. Tales of St. Bring On the Girls! Performing Flea Over Seventy. What Ho! Jeeves —81 Blandings — Categories : Novels by P. Namespaces Article Talk. Views Read Edit View history. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. Download as PDF Printable version. First edition. Psmith in the City. Mike at Wikisource. Psmith - Wikipedia

In Evelyn Waugh's book Decline and Fall his hero, applying for a post as a schoolmaster, is told by the agent, "We class schools in four grades— leading school, first-rate school, good school, and school. Waugh's Llanabba. It is one of those small English schools with aspirations one day to be able to put the word "public" before their name and to have their headmaster qualified to attend the annual Headmaster's Conference. All it needs is a few more Adairs to get things going. And there is this to be noted, that even at a "school" one gets an excellent education. Its only drawback is that it does not play the leading schools or the first-rate schools or even the good schools at cricket. But to Mike, fresh from Wrykyn a "first-rate school" and Psmith, coming from Eton a "leading school" Sedleigh naturally seemed something of a comedown. It took Mike some time to adjust himself to it, though Psmith, the Mike and Psmith, accepted the change of conditions with his customary equanimity. This was the first appearance of Psmith. He came into two other books, Psmith in the City and Psmith, Journalistbefore becoming happily married in Leave It to Psmithbut I have always thought that he was most at home in this story of English school life. To give full play to his bland clashings with Authority he needs to have authority to clash with, and there is none more absolute than that of the masters at an English school. Psmith has the distinction of being the only one of my numerous characters to be drawn from a living model. A cousin of mine was at Eton with the son of D'Oyly Carte, the man who produced the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and one night he told me about this peculiar schoolboy who dressed fastidiously and wore a monocle and who, when one of the masters inquired after his health, replied "Sir, I grow thinnah and thinnah. If anyone is curious as to what became of Mike and Psmith in later life, I can supply Mike and Psmith facts. Mike, always devoted to country life, ran a prosperous farm. Psmith, inevitably perhaps, became an equally prosperous counselor at the bar like Perry Mason, specializing, like Mike and Psmith, in appearing for the defense. Mike and Psmith must apologize, as I did in the preface to Mike at Wrykyn, for Mike and Psmith the cricket in this book. It was unavoidable. There is, however, not quite so much of it this time. If Mike had been in time for breakfast that fatal Easter morning he might have gathered from the expression on his father's face, as Mr. Jackson Mike and Psmith the envelope containing his school report and read the contents, that the document in question was not exactly Mike and Psmith paean of praise from beginning to end. But he was late, as usual. Mike always was late for breakfast in the holidays. When he came down on this particular morning, the meal was nearly over. Jackson had disappeared, taking his correspondence with him; Mrs. Jackson had gone into the kitchen, and when Mike appeared the thing had resolved itself into a mere vulgar brawl between Phyllis and Ella for the jam, while Marjory, recently affecting a grown-up air, looked on in a detached sort of way, as if these juvenile gambols distressed her. Thanks awfully. I say Marjory was bustling about, fetching and carrying for Mike, as she always did. She had adopted him at an early age, and did the thing thoroughly. She was fond of her other brothers, especially when they made centuries in first-class cricket, but Mike was her favorite. She would field out in the deep as a natural thing when Mike was batting at the net in the paddock, though for the others, even for Joe, who had played in all five Test Matches in the previous summer, she would do it only as a favor. Phyllis and Ella finished their dispute and went out. Marjory sat Mike and Psmith the table and watched Mike eat. The kidneys failed to retain Mike and Psmith undivided attention. He looked up interested. Father didn't say anything. Mike seemed concerned. I wonder if it was awfully bad. It's the first I've had from Appleby. Blake used to write when you were in his form. He couldn't! You're the best bat Wrykyn's ever had. Everybody says you are. Why, you got your first the very first term you were there—even Joe didn't do anything nearly so good Mike and Psmith that. Saunders says you're simply bound to play for England in another year or two. He bowled me a half volley on the off the first ball I had Mike and Psmith a school match. By the way, I wonder if he's out at the net now. Let's go and see. Saunders the professional was setting up the net when they arrived. Mike put on his pads and went to the wicket, while Marjory and the dogs retired as usual to the far Mike and Psmith to retrieve. She was kept busy. Saunders was a good sound bowler of the M. He had filled out in three years. He had always had the style, and now he had the strength as well, Saunder's bowling on a true wicket seemed simple to him. It was early in the Easter holidays, but already he was beginning to find his form. Saunders, who looked on Mike as his own special invention, was delighted. Henfrey, the Wrykyn cricket captain of the previous season, was not returning next term, and Mike was to reign Mike and Psmith his stead. Mike and Psmith liked the prospect, but it certainly carried with it a rather awe-inspiring responsibility. At night sometimes he would lie awake, appalled Mike and Psmith the fear of losing his form, or making a hash of things by choosing the wrong men to play for the school and leaving the right men out. It is no light thing to captain a public school at cricket. As he was walking toward the house, Phyllis met him. He seems Mike's jaw fell slightly. Mike's dealings with his father were as a rule of a most pleasant nature. Jackson was an understanding sort of man, who treated his sons as companions. From time to time, however, breezes were apt to ruffle the placid sea of good fellowship. Mike's end-of-term report was an unfailing wind raiser; indeed, on the arrival of Mr. Blake's sarcastic resume of Mike and Psmith shortcomings at the end of the previous term, there had been something not unlike a typhoon. It was on this occasion that Mr. Jackson had solemnly declared his intention of removing Mike from Wrykyn unless the critics became more flattering; and Mr. Jackson was a man of his word. It was with a certain amount of apprehension, therefore, that Jackson entered the study. Mike, skilled in omens, scented a row in the offing. Only in moments of emotion was Mr. Jackson in the habit of booting the basket. There followed an awkward silence, which Mike broke by remarking that he had carted a half volley from Saunders over Mike and Psmith on-side hedge that morning. I'll just show —". Jackson; "I want you to listen to this report. Jackson in measured tones, "your report; what is more, it is without exception the worst report you have ever had. Jackson, "'has been unsatisfactory in the extreme, both in and out of school. Remembering suddenly that what he had happened to do was to drop a cannonball the school weight on the form-room floor, not once, but on several occasions, he paused. Everybody says so. Appleby's remarks: 'The boy has genuine ability, which he declines to use in the smallest degree. Appleby was a master with Mike and Psmith definite ideas as to what constituted a public-school master's duties. As a man he was distinctly pro-Mike. He understood cricket, and some of Mike's strokes on the off gave him thrills of pure aesthetic joy; but as a master he always made it his habit to regard the manners and customs of the boys in his form with an unbiased eye, and to an unbiased eye Mike in a form room was about as near the extreme edge as a boy could be, and Mr. Appleby said as much in a clear firm hand. Jackson, folding the lethal document and replacing it in its envelope. Somewhere in the world the sun was shining, birds were twittering; somewhere in the world lambkins frisked and peasants sang blithely at their toil flat, perhaps, but still Mike and Psmithbut to Mike at that moment the sky was black, and an icy wind blew over the face of the earth. The tragedy had happened, and there Mike and Psmith an end of it. He made no attempt to appeal against the sentence. He knew it would be useless, his father, when he made up his mind, having all the unbending tenacity of the normally easygoing man. Mike and Psmith was sorry for Mike. He understood him, and for that reason he said very little now. Mike sat Mike and Psmith with a jerk. He knew Sedleigh by name—one of those schools with about a hundred boys which you never hear of except when they send up their gym team to Aldershot, or their Eight to Bisley. Mike's outlook on life was that of a cricketer, pure and simple. What had Sedleigh ever done?