Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE (1881–975) was an English author and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Jeeves; the immaculate and loquacious Psmith; Lord Emsworth and the Blandings Castle set; the Oldest Member, with stories about golf; and Mr Mulliner, with tall tales on subjects ranging from bibulous bishops to megalomaniac movie moguls.
P. G. Wodehouse’s early period as a writer came to an end in 1908 with the serialisation of The Lost Lambs, published the following year in book form as the second half of the novel Mike. The work begins as a conventional school story, but Wodehouse introduces a new and strikingly original character, Psmith, whose creation both Evelyn Waugh and George Orwell regarded as a watershed in Wodehouse’s development. Wodehouse said that he based Psmith on the hotelier and impresario Rupert D’Oyly Carte—”the only thing in my literary career which was handed to me on a silver plate with watercress around it”. Wodehouse wrote in the 1970s that a cousin of his who had been at school with Carte told him of the latter’s monocle, studied suavity, and stateliness of speech, all of which Wodehouse adopted for his new character. Psmith featured in three more novels: Psmith in the City (1910), a burlesque of banking; Psmith, Journalist (1915) set in New York; and Leave It to Psmith (1923), set at
P. G. Wodehouse was a prolific writer throughout his life, publishing more than ninety books, forty plays, two hundred short stories and other writings between 1902 and 1974. He worked extensively on his books, sometimes having two or more in preparation simultaneously. He would take up to two years to build a plot and write a scenario of about thirty thousand words. After the scenario was complete he would write the story. Early in his career Wodehouse would produce a novel in about three months, but he slowed in old age to around six months. He used a mixture of Edwardian slang, quotations from and allusions to numerous poets, and several literary techniques to produce a prose style that has been compared to comic poetry and musical comedy. Some critics of Wodehouse have considered his work flippant, but among his fans are former British prime ministers and many of his fellow writers.
Blandings Castle.
Wodehouse received great praise from many of his contemporaries, including Max Beerbohm, Rudyard Kipling, A. E. Housman and Evelyn Waugh—the last of whom opines, “One has to regard a man as a Master who can produce on average three uniquely brilliant and entirely original similes on each page.”
In 1940 he was taken prisoner at Le Touquet by the invading Germans and interned for nearly a year. After his release he made six broadcasts from German radio in Berlin to the US, which had not yet entered the war. The talks were comic and apolitical, but his broadcasting over enemy radio prompted anger and strident controversy in Britain, and a threat of prosecution. Wodehouse never returned to England. From 1947 until his death he lived in the US.
In 1955 Wodehouse became an American citizen, though he remained a British subject, and was therefore still eligible for UK state honours. He was considered for the award of a knighthood three times from 1967, but the honour was twice blocked by British officials. In 1974 the British prime minister, Harold Wilson, intervened to secure a knighthood (KBE) for Wodehouse, which was announced in the January 1975 New Year Honours list. The Times commented that Wodehouse’s honour signalled “official forgiveness for his wartime indiscretion. … It is late, but not too late, to take the sting out of that unhappy incident.”
The following month Wodehouse entered Southampton Hospital, Long Island, for treatment of a skin complaint. While there, he suffered a heart attack and died on 14 February 1975 at the age of 93. He was buried at Remsenburg Presbyterian Church four days later.
P. G. Wodehouse – First Editions Identification Guide
First editions points for both the UK and US edition. Please refer to the Dust Jackets section Dust Jackets identification.
| Year | Title | Publisher | First edition/printing identification points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1902 | The Pothunters | A & C Black, London, 1902 | First edition. Bound in royal blue cloth, lettered and decorated in silver with a frontispiece and nine illustrations by R. Noel Pocock. No advertisements. A later edition was issued with sheets of the first, but it contains eight pages of advertisements. |
| 1903 | A Prefect's Uncle | A & C Black, London, 1903 | First edition. Bound in red cloth, lettered and decorated in gold, black, lavender, and pink with a frontispiece and seven illustrations by R. Noel Pocock. |
| 1903 | Tales of St. Austin | A & C Black, London, 1903 | First edition. Bound in light red pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in gold, yellow, black, and lavender with a frontispiece and eleven illustrations by T.M.R. Whitwell, R. Noel Pocock, and E.F. Skinner. |
| 1904 | The Gold Bat | A & C Black, London, 1904 | First edition. Bound in dark red pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in gold, black, light blue and yellow with a frontispiece and seven illustrations by T.M.R. Whitwell. No advertisements. A novel of public school life, Wrykyn, the school where the story is laid, is based on Wodehouse’s alma mater. |
| 1904 | William Tell Told Again | A & C Black, London, 1904 | Bound in brown pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in gold, black, green, and yellow with frontispiece and illustrations in full color by Philip Dadd. Reprints which at first glance resemble the first edition are undated and give the publisher’s address on the title page. |
| 1905 | The Head of Kay's | A & C Black, London, 1905 | First edition. Bound in dark red pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in gold, black, yellow, and grey-blue with a frontispiece and seven illustrations by T.M.R. Whitwell. No advertisements. |
| 1906 | Love Among the Chickens | George Newnes Ltd., 1906 | Bound in stone-colored cloth, lettered and decorated in stone, green, and orange with a frontispiece and three illustrations by H.M. Brock. Wodehouse’s first novel for adults contains humor in a love story. The only novel featuring Ukridge. ALSO: Circle Publishing Company, NY, 1909. First American edition. Bound in light brown cloth, lettered and decorated in blue-black and red with a frontispiece and five illustrations by Armand Both. This edition has numerous small changes in the text. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, MCMXXI. Bound in blue cloth, lettered and decorated in dark blue, identifiable by the list of six Wodehouse titles on the verso of the half-title page which must end with Indiscretions of Archie. "Entirely rewritten for this edition" appears on the title page. |
| 1907 | The White Feather | A & C Black, London, 1907 | First edition. Bound in light brown cloth, lettered and decorated in black, gold, and white with frontispiece and eleven illustrations by William Townend. No advertisements at the end of the book. A sequel to The Gold Bat (1904), and the best novel of school life, with characters fully drawn. |
| 1907 | Not George Washington | Cassell and Co., 1907 | First edition. Bound in red-brown cloth, lettered in gold with a colored frontispiece by John E. Sutcliffe. |
| 1908 | The Globe by the Way Book | Globe Pub. Co., 1908 | First edition. A paperback issued in vermillion pictorial wrappers, lettered and decorated in white with illustrations by W.K. Haselden of the Daily Mirror. Subtitle: "A Literary Quick-Lunch for People Who Have Got Five Minutes to Spare." |
| 1909 | The Swoop! | Alston Rivers Ltd., 1909 | First edition. A paperback issued in white pictorial wrappers with an orange-red background, lettered and decorated in black and white with illustrations by C. Harrison. Subtitle: "How Clarence Saved England." The story of the invasion of England by the Germans and how England was saved by a boy scout. |
| 1909 | Mike | A & C Black, London, 1909 | First edition. Bound in olive-green cloth, lettered and decorated in black, red, and white with a frontispiece and eleven illustrations by T.M.R. Whitwell. Published separately under the title Enter Psmith in 1935. |
| 1910 | The Instrusion of Jimmy | W.J. Watt and Co., NY, 1910 | First edition. Bound in black, lettered in gold with circular portrait in color pasted-on. Frontispiece and four illustrations by Will Grefe. ALSO: Alston Rivers Ltd., London, 1910. First English edition. Published under a new title "A Gentleman of Leisure". Bound in prussian blue cloth, lettered in gold. Minor changes in the text. |
| 1910 | Psmith in the City | A & C Black, London, 1910 | First edition. Bound in blue cloth, lettered and decorated in buff, white, and black with frontispiece and eleven illustrations by T.M.R. Whitwell. |
| 1912 | The Prince and Betty | W.J. Watt and Co., NY, 1912 | First edition. Bound in black cloth, lettered in gold with two oval color portraits pasted on the front cover and with a frontispiece and four illustrations by Will Grefe. ALSO: A & C Black, London, 1915. First English edition. Published under a new title "PSmith Journalist". Bound in blue cloth, lettered and decorated in gold, black, yellow, and cream with a frontispiece and eleven illustrations by T.M.R. Whitwell. In this version the love interest has been dropped and it becomes strictly a novel of adventure with Psmith and Mike Jackson in New York from Cambridge as members of their touring cricket team. Minor changes in the text |
| 1912 | The Prince and Betty | Mills & Boon, London, 1912 | First edition. Bound in red cloth, lettered in gold and black. Aside from the romance in the Mervian plot, this is a completely different story from the US edition above. The main scene is laid in a country house in Hampshire with a romantic setting. In this story, John Maude is English. |
| 1913 | The Little Nugget | Methuen & Co., London, 1913 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered and decorated in gold on spine. ALSO: W.J. Watt and Co., NY, 1914]. First American edition. "Published January" stated on © page. Bound in black cloth, lettered and decorated in gold with a frontispiece and two illustrations by Will Grefe. |
| 1914 | The Man Upstairs | Methuen & Co., London, 1914 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in brown cloth, lettered and decorated in gold on spine. Wodehouse’s first book of short stories for adults. |
| 1915 | Something New | D. Appleton & Co., NY, 1915 | First edition. Numeral "1" on the bottom of the last page of the text. Bound in red cloth, lettered and decorated in gold and turquoise with a frontispiece and three illustrations by F.R. Gruger. The first of the Blandings Castle books, and often overlooked in discussions of the Blandings Saga, perhaps because it was published by Methuen in England, whereas Jenkins published the rest in the series. ALSO: Methuen & Co., London, 1915. First English edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Something Fresh". Bound in green cloth, lettered in black. This edition differs slightly from the American edition. |
| 1916 | Uneasy Money | D. Appleton & Co., NY, 1916 | First edition. Numeral "1" on the bottom of the last page of the text. Bound in red cloth, lettered and decorated in gold with a frontispiece and seven illustrations by Clarence F. Underwood. ALSO: Methuen & Co., London, 1917. First English edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in light red cloth and lettered in black. This differs slightly from the American edition. |
| 1917 | Piccadilly Jim | Dodd, Mead & Co., NY, 1917 | First edition. Bound in light orange cloth, lettered in black with a frontispiece and seven illustrations by May Wilson Preston. A partial sequel to The Little Nugget (1913). ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, 1918. First English edition. Bound in mustard yellow cloth, lettered in black. The first Wodehouse title to be published by this firm, who have with few exceptions remained his English publishers. There are few minor changes in the text. |
| 1917 | The Man With Two Left Feet | Methuen & Co., London, 1917 | First edition. Bound in light red cloth and lettered in black. Wodehouse’s second short story collection for adults. ALSO: A.L. Burt Co., NY, [1933]. First American edition. Bound in orange cloth and lettered in black. Contains three stories not in the English edition. |
| 1919 | My Man Jeeves | George Newnes, Ltd., London, 1919 | First edition. Bound in light red cloth and lettered in black. Only four of the eight stories are about Jeeves. They were slightly altered when republished in Carry On, Jeeves (1925). |
| 1919 | Their Mutual Child | Boni & Liveright, NY, 1919 | First edition. Bound in grey-blue cloth and lettered in white. The only Wodehouse title published by this firm. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, 1920. First English edition. Published under a new title "The Coming of Bill"(1920). Bound in red cloth and lettered in black. |
| 1919 | A Damsel in Distress | George H. Doran, NY, [1919] | First edition. Bound in brown cloth, lettered and decorated on front and back covers in black and orange. The first of 39 titles published over 33 years. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, 1919. First English edition. Bound in dark red cloth and lettered in black. A few minor changes in the text. |
| 1920 | The Little Warrior | George H. Doran, NY, [1920] | First edition. Bound in tan cloth, lettered in green and tan. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, 1921. First English edition. List of 6 titles on the verso of the half-title page, the last being Indiscretions Of Archie, costing 7/6d. Published under a new title "Jill the Reckless". Bound in blue cloth, lettered in black. The Mayflower Press printed this edition. The text is the same as the above except that Freddie’s valet here is named Horace Barker. |
| 1921 | Indiscretions of Archie | Herbert Jenkins, London, , MCMXXI | First edition. List of 6 titles on the verso of the half-title page , ending with Jill The Reckless. Bound in light blue cloth and lettered in dark blue. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1921]. First American edition. Bound in light brown cloth, lettered and decorated in green. |
| 1922 | The Clicking of Cuthbert | Herbert Jenkins, London, 1922 | First edition. List of 8 titles on the verso of the half-title page, the last being The Girl on the Boat. Bound in green pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in dark green. There is a slight possibility that copies exist with seven titles only, ending with Indiscretions of Archie, but none are now known. The first collection of The Oldest Member golf stories. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1924]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Published under a new title "Golf Without Tears". Bound in green cloth, lettered in dark green. Differences from number the English edition are slight, in the altering of place names, golfers, shops from English to American. |
| 1922 | Three Men and a Maid | George H. Doran, NY, [1922] | First edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Bound in brown cloth, lettered in dark brown on spine. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, 1922. First English edition. List of 8 titles on the verso of the half-title, the last being The Clicking of Cuthbert. Published under a new title "The Girl on the Boat". Bound in orange pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in brown. A beneficially revised work containing a preface, several added scenes, and a sub-plot not in the American version. |
| 1922 | The Adventures of Sally | Herbert Jenkins, London, 1922 | First edition. List of 9 titles on the verso of the half-title, the last being The Girl on the Boat. Bound in orange pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in brown. The publisher postdated this book 1923 on the title page. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1923]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Published under a new title "Mostly Sally". Bound in green cloth, lettered in dark red on spine. |
| 1923 | The Inimitable Jeeves | Herbert Jenkins, London, 1923 | First edition. List of 10 titles on the verso of the half-title, ending with The Clicking of Cuthbert. Bound in green pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in dark green. A short story collection featuring the greatest Wodehouse creations, Bertie Wooster and Jeeves. This collection first introduces Bingo Little. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1923]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Published under a new title "Jeeves". Bound in light brown cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1923 | Leave It to Psmith | Herbert Jenkins, London, 1923 | First edition. List of 11 titles on the verso of the half-title, the last being Love Among the Chickens. Bound in green pictorial cloth, lettered and decorated in dark green. The second in the Blandings series and the last of Psmith. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1924]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Bound in blue cloth and lettered in black. |
| 1924 | Ukridge | Herbert Jenkins, London, 1924 | First edition. List of 13 titles on the verso of the half-title, the last being Leave it to Psmith. Bound in green cloth, lettered in dark green. Ukridge is personally Wodehouse’s favorite character. Although other short story collections include Ukridge stories, this is the only collection solely devoted to him. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1926]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Published under a new title "He Rather Enjoy It". Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1924 | Bill the Conqueror | Methuen & Co., London, 1924 | First edition. "First Published in 1924" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1925]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Bound in yellow cloth, lettered in green. |
| 1925 | Carry On, Jeeves | Herbert Jenkins, London, 1925 | First edition. List of 13 titles on the verso of the half-title page, the last being The Coming of Bill. Bound in green pictorial cloth, lettered in black. The second short story collection about Bertie Wooster and Jeeves. Five of the ten stories previously appeared in My Man Jeeves (1919) and were substantially revised for this collection. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1927]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Bound in pictorial brown cloth, lettered and decorated in orange. |
| 1925 | Sam the Sudden | Methuen & Co., London, 1925 | First edition. "First published in 1925" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1925]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Published under a new title "Sam in the Suburbs". Bound in green pictorial cloth, lettered in dark green. |
| 1926 | The Heart of a Goof | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1926] | First edition. List of 14 titles on the verso of the half-title page, the last being The Coming of Bill. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1927]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Published under a new title "Divots". Bound in orange pictorial cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1927 | The Small Bachelor | Methuen & Co., London, 1927 | First edition. "First Published in 1927" stated on the © page. Bound in blue cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: George H. Doran, NY, [1927]. First American edition. Publisher's monogram present on the © page. Bound in yellow pictorial cloth, lettered in brown. |
| 1927 | Meet Mr. Mulliner | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1927] | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in green cloth, lettered in black. The first of three collections of Mr. Mulliner stories. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1928. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in orange-yellow cloth, lettered in dark red. |
| 1928 | Money for Nothing | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1928] | First edition. "First Printing 1928" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. Introduces Hugo Carmody and Ronald Fish, met again in Fish Preferred (1929). ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1928. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in blue pictorial cloth, lettered in orange. |
| 1928 | Mr. Mulliner Speaking | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1929] | First edition. "First Printing 1929" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. The second collection of short stories all about Mr. Mulliner. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1930. First American edition. Bound in blue pictorial cloth, lettered in dark blue. |
| 1929 | Fish Preferred | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1929 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in dark brown cloth, lettered in yellow. This is the third novel in the Blandings series and deals humorously with the kidnapping of the Empress. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London,, [1929]. First English edition. "First Printing 1929" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Summer Lightning". Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1930 | Very Good Jeeves | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1930 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. The third collection of short stories featuring Bertie Wooster and Jeeves. It contains some of their most famous adventures. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London,, [1930]. First English edition. "First Printing 1930" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1931 | Big Money | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1931 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, title on dark green background lettered in orange. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1931]. First English edition. "First Printing 1931" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1931 | If I Were You | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1931 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in dark brown. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1931]. First English edition. "First Printing 1931". Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1932 | Louder and Funnier | Faber & Faber, London, [1932] | First edition. "First published in mcmxxxii" stated on © page. Bound in yellow cloth, lettered in green. Wodehouse’s only book of humorous articles. Sheets of this first edition have also been bound in other colors, but are of later issue. |
| 1932 | Doctor Sally | Methuen & Co., London, [1932] | First edition. "First Published in 1932" stated on © page. Bound in blue cloth, lettered in black. A short novel taken from Wodehouse’s play, Good Morning, Bill. Published in the United States under the title "The Medicine Girl". |
| 1932 | Hot Water | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1932] | First edition. "First Printing 1932 stated on © page. bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. Published simultaneously with the American edition. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1932. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in black pictorial cloth, lettered in orange, with six illustrations by Rea Irvin. |
| 1933 | Mulliner Nights | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1932] | First edition. "First Printing 1933" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. The third and last volume of stories dealing exclusively with Mr. Mulliner. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1933. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in orange pictorial cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1933 | Heavy Weather | Little Brown & Co., Boston, 1933 | First edition. ‘‘Published July, 1933" stated on © page. Bound in black pictorial cloth, lettered in red. The fourth in the Blandings series is a direct sequel to Fish Preferred (1929). ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1933. First English edition. "First Printing 1933" stated on © page. Bound in blue cloth, lettered in orange. |
| 1934 | Thank You, Jeeves | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1934] | First edition. "First Printed 1934" stated on © page. Bound in stone-colored cloth, lettered in red. The first of the Jeeves novels. ALSO: Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1934. "Published April, 1934’’ stated on © page. Bound in plum pictorial cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1934 | Right Ho, Jeeves | Herbert Jenkins, London, MCMXXXIV | First edition. Date MCMXXXIV on title page. The second novel to feature Bertie and Jeeves. ALSO: Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1934. First American edition. "Published October, 1934" stated on © page. Bound in red pictorial cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1935 | Blandings Castle | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1935] | First edition. "First printing 1935" stated on © page. Bound in light green cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1935. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in green cloth, lettered in dark green. |
| 1935 | The Luck of the Bodkins | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1935] | First edition. "First Printing 1935" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. The novel, the scene of which takes place on a transatlantic liner, continues one of the several plots of Heavy Weather (1933). ALSO: Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1936. First American edition. "Published January, 1936" stated on © page. Bound in light green cloth, lettered in dark blue. Although the plot and characters remain the same, the story has been re-worked for this edition. |
| 1936 | Young Men in Spats | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1936] | First edition. "First Printing 1936" stated on © page. Bound in green cloth, lettered in black. An outstanding collection of Short stories featuring the classic "Uncle Fred Flits By" and one of Wodehouse’s personal favorites, "The Amazing Hat Mystery." ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1936. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in light green cloth, lettered in dark green. Three new stories in this edition appear for the first time in volume form. |
| 1936 | Laughing Gas | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1936 | First edition. "First Printing 1936". Bound in plum cloth, lettered in black. A sort of humorous science fiction novel with an English peer and a child movie star switching bodies. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1936. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1937 | Lord Emsworth and Others | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1937] | First edition. "First Printing 1937" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1937. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in green pictorial cloth, lettered in dark green. |
| 1938 | Summer Moonshine | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1937 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in yellow pictorial cloth, lettered in green. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1938]. First English edition. "First Printing 1938" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1938 | The Code of the Woosters | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1938] | First edition. "First Printing 1938" stated on © page. Published simultaneously with the American edition. Bound in green cloth, lettered in black. The third in the Bertie-Jeeves series. A first-rate sequel to Right Ho, Jeeves carrying forward the romance of Gussie and Madeline and beginning another with Stiffy and Stinker. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1938. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in yellow pictorial cloth, lettered in blue. |
| 1939 | Uncle Fred in the Springtime | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1939 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in green pictorial cloth, lettered in brown. The fifth Blandings Castle novel and the first starring Uncle Fred. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1939]. First English edition. "First Printing 1939’’ stated on © page. Bound in dark red cloth, lettered in gold. |
| 1940 | Eggs, Beans and Crumpets | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1940] | First edition. "First Printing 1940" stated on © page. Bound in pale orange cloth, lettered in black. A short story collection containing four about Bingo Little, two Mulliner’s, and three very fine Ukridge’s. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1940. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in green pictorial cloth, lettered in dark green. |
| 1940 | Quick Service | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1940] | First edition. "First Printing 1940" stated on © page. Bound in dark red cloth, lettered in gold. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1940. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in beige pictorial cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1942 | Money in the Bank | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1942 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in plum pictorial cloth, lettered in black. For the first time we encounter the word for Wodehouse’s Psmith like hero when he describes Jeff as a "buzzer." ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1946]. First English edition. ‘‘First Printing " stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. Wyman & Sons, Ltd., were the printers (p. 253). Other existing copies in other bindings stating "First Printing" on the verso are second impressions, some printed in Holland. |
| 1946 | Joy in the Morning | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1946 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in grey pictorial cloth, lettered in green, illustrated throughout by Paul Galdone. The fourth Bertie-Jeeves novel. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1947]. First English edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. Wyman & Sons, Ltd., must be the printers. |
| 1947 | Full Moon | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1947 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in turquoise cloth, lettered in black, illustrated throughout by Paul Galdone. The sixth novel about Blandings Castle. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1947]. First English edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. Wyman & Sons, Ltd., must be the printers. |
| 1948 | Spring Fever | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1948] | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published simultaneously with the American edition. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1948. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in reddish-brown decorated cloth, lettered in white, illustrated throughout by Paul Galdone. |
| 1948 | Uncle Dynamite | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1948] | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. The second Unde Fred novel containing a fully complex set of plots with a like amount of embarrassing moments. ALSO: Didier, NY, 1948. First American edition. Bound in dark red cloth, lettered in silver, illustrated throughout by Hal McIntosh. |
| 1949 | The Mating Season | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1949] | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. The fifth Bertie-Jeeves novel, and the first appearance of Catsmeat Pirbright. ALSO: Didier, NY, 1949. First American edition. Bound in dark red cloth, lettered in silver, illustrated throughout by Hal McIntosh. |
| 1950 | Nothing Serious | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1950] | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in yellow-orange cloth, lettered in black. A diverse collection of short stories featuring assorted Drones, The Oldest Member, and Ukridge. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1951. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1950 | The Old Reliable | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1951] | First edition. "First Published by. . . 1951" stated on © page. Bound in orange cloth, lettered in black. This novel is a considerable re-working of Spring Fever, set in Hollywood. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1951. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in tan cloth, lettered in red. |
| 1952 | Barmy in Wonderland | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1952] | First edition. "First Published. . .1952" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1952. First American edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Angel Cake". Bound in tan cloth, lettered in green. |
| 1952 | Pigs Have Wings | Doubleday, Doran, NY, 1952 | First edition. "First edition" stated on © page. Bound in grey cloth, lettered in white. The seventh in the Blandings Castle series. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1952]. First English edition. "First Published. . . 1952" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1953 | Ring for Jeeves | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1953] | First edition. "First Published. . .1953" stated on © page. A novelized version of Guy Bolton’s play, Come On, Jeeves. The sixth Jeeves novel, the only one without Bertie. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1954. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published under a new title "The Return of Jeeves". Bound in tan cloth, dark grey boards, lettered in brown. A reconstructed version, much tidier. Slight names changes. |
| 1953 | Bring on the Girls | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1953 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in green cloth, black boards, lettered and decorated in red and dark green. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1954. First English edition. "First Published in Great Britain. . .1954" stated on © page. Bound in plum cloth, lettered in gold. Rewritten and containing a more detailed section on the authors' life in musical comedy in England. The sixteen pages of photographs differ from the American edition. |
| 1953 | Performing Flea | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1953] | First edition. "First Published. . .1953" stated on © page. Bound in blue cloth, lettered in gold. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1962. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Author! Author!". Bound in yellow cloth, yellow boards, lettered in red. An extensively revised version with new material. |
| 1954 | Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1954] | First edition. "First Published. . . 1954" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. The seventh Jeeves novel, the sixth with Bertie. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1955. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Bertie Wooster Sees It Through". Bound in tan cloth, grey-green boards, lettered in brown and gold. |
| 1956 | French Leave | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1956] | First edition. "First Published. . .1956" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1959. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in light blue cloth, lettered in dark blue, pictorial design in dark blue and chartreuse. |
| 1956 | America, I Like You | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1956 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in ivory cloth, grey-blue boards, lettered in red, illustrated by Marc Simon throughout. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1957]. First English edition. "First Published. . .1957" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Over Seventy". Bound in red cloth, lettered in gold. |
| 1957 | Something Fishy | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1957] | First edition. "First Published. . .1957" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1957. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published under a new title "The Butler Did It". Bound in green cloth, black boards, lettered in silver. |
| 1958 | Cocktail Time | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1958] | First edition. "First Published. . .1958" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. The third Uncle Fred novel. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1958. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in pink cloth, black boards, lettered in green and black. |
| 1959 | A Few Quick Ones | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1959 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in white cloth, greenish grey boards, lettered in pink and black. A collection of short stories, three re-written from other collections. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1959]. First English edition. "First Published. . .1959" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in black. |
| 1960 | How Right You Are, Jeeves | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1960 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in white cloth, orange and white decorated boards, lettered in black. The eighth Jeeves novel, harking back to "Jeeves and the Yuletide Spirit" ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1960]. First English edition. "First Published. . .1960" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Jeeves in the Offing". Bound in red cloth, lettered in gold. In the first issue of the first edition the half-title reads A Few Quick Ones. The second issue carries a collected half-title. |
| 1961 | Ice in the Bedroom | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1961 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in black cloth, black boards, lettered in white, yellow, and red. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1961]. First English edition. "First Published. . .1961" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in gold. |
| 1961 | Service with a Smile | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1961 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in lavender-blue cloth, black boards, lettered in white. The eighth Blandings novel, the second to feature Uncle Fred. Also the fourth Uncle Fred book. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1962]. First English edition. "first Published. . .1962" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in gold. |
| 1963 | Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1963 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in grey cloth, grey boards, lettered in dark blue and yellow. The ninth Jeeves novel is a direct sequel to The Code of the Woosters, as the Bertie-Madeline-Gussie-Spode romance comes to a conclusion. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1963]. First English edition. "First Published. . .1963" stated on © page. Bound in red cloth, lettered in gold. |
| 1964 | Biffen's Millions | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1964 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in red-orange cloth, yellow boards decorated in black, lettered in black. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1964]. First English edition. "First Published. . .1964" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Frozen Assets". Bound in red cloth, lettered in gold. |
| 1965 | The Brinkmanship of Galahad Threepwood | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1956 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in yellow cloth, mustard boards with blue decoration, lettered and decorated in blue and gold. The ninth Blandings Castle book, a direct sequel to Full Moon (1947), with references to the subsequent Blandings volumes. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1965]. First English edition. "First Published. . .1965" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Galahad at Blandings". Bound in red cloth, lettered in gold. |
| 1966 | Plum Pie | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1966] | First edition. "First Published 1966" stated on © page. Bound in plum cloth, lettered in silver. A collection of miscellaneous short stories. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1967. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in plum cloth, blue boards, lettered and decorated in silver. |
| 1967 | The Purloined Paperweight | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1967 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in yellow cloth, blue-grey boards, lettered and decorated in dark blue. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1967]. First English edition. First Published 1967" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Company for Henry". Bound in rust colored cloth, lettered in white. |
| 1968 | Do Butlers Burgle Banks? | Simon & Schuster, NY, 1968 | First edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in blue cloth, yellow boards, lettered in gold. ALSO: Herbert Jenkins, London, [1968]. First English edition. "First Published 1968" stated on © page. Bound in dark green cloth, lettered in silver. Minor text changes. |
| 1969 | A Pelican at Blandings | Herbert Jenkins, London, [1969] | First edition. "First Published 1969" stated on © page. Bound in black cloth, lettered in silver. This is the tenth book in the Blandings Castle series. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1970. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published under a new title "No Nudes is Good Nudes". Bound in orange-brown cloth, orange boards and lettered in black. |
| 1970 | The Girl in Blue | Barrie & Jenkins, London, [1970] | First edition. "First Published 1970" stated on © page. Bound in blue cloth, lettered in silver. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1971. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Bound in decorative blue cloth, lettered in silver. |
| 1971 | Much Obliged, Jeeves | Barrie & Jenkins, London, [1971] | First edition. "First Published 1971" stated on © page. Bound in blue cloth, lettered in gold. Published simultaneously with the American edition. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1971. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published under a new title "Jeeves and the Tie That Binds". |
| 1972 | Pearls, Girls and Monty Bodkin | Barrie & Jenkins, London, [1972] | First edition. "First Published 1973" stated on © page. Bound in green cloth, lettered in gold. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1973. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published under a new title "The Plot That Thickened". |
| 1973 | Bachelors Anonymous | Barrie & Jenkins, London, [1973] | First edition. "First Published 1973" stated on © page. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1974. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. |
| 1974 | Aunts Aren't Gentlemen | Barrie & Jenkins, London, [1974] | First edition. "First Published 1974" stated on © page. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1975. First American edition. "First Printing" stated on © page. Published under a new title "The Catnappers" |
| 1977 | Sunset at Blandings | Chatto & Windus, 1977 | First edition. Date 1977 on title page. Bound in light blue cloth. ALSO: Simon & Schuster, NY, 1978. First American edition. Printing number from "1 … 10" stated on © page. |
P. G. Wodehouse – Dust Jackets Identification Guide 1903-1919
P. G. Wodehouse – Dust Jackets Identification Guide 1920-1929
P. G. Wodehouse – Dust Jackets Identification Guide 1930-1939
P. G. Wodehouse – Dust Jackets Identification Guide 1940-1949
P. G. Wodehouse – Dust Jackets Identification Guide 1950-1977
Gallery of First state Dust Jackets of ‘s works. Only includes the first appearance in book form. Either the UK or US edition and does not include later printings. It’s far from complete, but I do as much as I can with the time and resources I’ve access to.
Reference:
- Wikipedia
- David A. Jansen – A Biliography and Reader’s Guide to the First Editions of P. G. Wodehouse, 1970.
