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4.0étoiles sur 5
Ukridge Arrives - Take 2, Oct. 5 2009
"Love Among the Chickens" is the first adult oriented Wodehouse story, and introduces Stanley Featherstonehaugh (changed from the original edition spelling: Featherstonhaugh) Ukridge. This is the updated edition of the Wodehouse classic, published originally in May of 1921. This is the better of the editions, as there was a considerable rewrite, tightening up the story, making it more humorous and improving what was already an enjoyable romp. This is the version to read, unless you have a desire to see what the original was like.
The general story in the two editions is the same. The main character is Jeremy Garnet, an author working on his new novel, who learns that an old acquaintance, i.e. Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge, whom he knew from when they were both masters at a school earlier in life, is looking for him. His desperate attempt to flee before Ukridge can find him fails, and he gets sucked into the newly married Ukridge's latest scheme to make money, chicken farming. Neither Ukridge, nor his wife Millie, nor Garnet know anything about chicken farming, but that doesn't deter Ukridge in the least, in fact he believes that simply means they aren't burdened down with pre-existing theories. On the way to the farm - a house which a friend of Millie's allows them to lease for free - Garnet sees, and falls for Phyllis, the daughter of a Professor. Naturally, there are plenty of landmines which stand between Garnet and happiness, perhaps the biggest one being Ukridge, but in what would become typical Wodehouse fashion he successfully navigates his way to a happy ending.
The difference between the two editions is in the details. There was an extensive rewriting of the book between the two editions, and Wodehouse clearly learned a lot about telling a story in the interim. In most cases, the rewrites tell the story in a more succinct and more humorous fashion. There are two significant changes: the first being Garnet confronting the Professor in chapter 19. In the original edition he does this by himself, but in this edition Ukridge goes with him. Naturally, having Ukridge there adds to the humor, especially when Ukridge was the cause of the problems between Garnet and the Professor to begin with. The other significant change is the elimination of an epilogue which simply wasn't needed and didn't improve the story, Instead, Wodehouse moves up the ending joke to the end of the last chapter, which makes it funnier.
Ukridge is a wonderfully annoying character, and this is the only novel in the Ukridge series. There is also a collection of Ukridge stories titled "Ukridge" from 1924 (also known as "He Rather Enjoyed It", and there are Ukridge stories in the collections "Lord Emsworth and Others" from 1937, "Eggs, Beans, and Crumpets" from 1940, "Nothing Serious" from 1950, "A Few Quick Ones" from 1959, and "Plum Pie" from 1966. Ukridge is large and loud, very opinionated and likes to give it at every opportunity. He often convinces people to lend him money, or give him credit, and then has difficulty paying them back, but with all those negatives he manages to not lose his companions, and so there is something worthwhile there which helps him persevere. The first edition is good, the rewrite is significantly improved. Four stars for the updated text.
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4.0étoiles sur 5
An early example of the author's style, Déc 17 2003
The original version of "Love among the chickens" was substantially revised by Wodehouse at the start of the 1920s, and it is the revised volume that has finally emerged from its long period out of print. The central character of Ukridge (remarkably, married by this stage) offers Wodehouse the ideal combination of farce and dialogue that has served him so well in the past. As ever, the plot is incidental to the overall enjoyment of the book. The fact that Wodehouse revised the work after his comic style had emerged (moving away from the schoolboy tales of his early years) does come through on occasions. Every once in a while a piece of dialogue or a phrase will jar slightly - noticeable only because of the generally smooth text surrounding it. It does not damage the enjoyment of the book, but it does remind the reader of how accomplished Wodehouse became in the post war era by highlighting the evolution of his style.
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