| The Societys
quarterly journal, Wooster Sauce, is 24 pages
sometimes more of articles, information,
photos, graphics and quotes. It is a cornerstone of the P
G Wodehouse Society (UK) and a real bargain for the
Societys £15 annual membership fee. For its first
decade, Wooster Sauce was edited by Wodehouse
scholar Tony Ring. The present editor is past president
of The Wodehouse Society (US) Elin Murphy, and
contributions come from members and occasionally
non-members from all over the world. What are you likely to read in Wooster
Sauce, you ask? In a nutshell, a variety of articles
on Wodehouse-related topics, ranging from the
impressively scholarly to the purely humorous. Through
the Sauce pages, you will obtain information on
both Wodehouse and the Society while also being
thoroughly entertained. Regular and semi-regular features
include:
- Reports on Society
doings, such as our thrice-yearly meetings,
annual cricket matches, and biennial formal
dinner. The September 2007 issue included a
12-page supplement devoted to the Societys
unforgettable Week With Wodehouse in July,
including coloured photographs.
- Future Events,
detailing what lies ahead for Society members, so
that you can mark your calendar now.
- The latest in Society
news, including our all-important Back the
Berkshire campaign (click
here for
online details).
- "My First
Wodehouse Experience" articles from
members describing the moment they discovered
Wodehouse and the effect it had on their lives.
- Poets Corner,
wherein we are treated to an original PGW poem,
often seen in print only once previously.
- Recent Press Comment
a cross-section of the innumerable
references to Wodehouse in the press.
- Bibliographic Corner,
a column offering insights into the world of
Wodehouse book collecting.
- Profiles of
well-known and not-so-well-known names and
personalities in the Wodehouse world.
- Letters to the
Editor, a chance to comment on past articles or
pose questions to other members.
- Up-to-date
information and reviews on the latest
Wodehouse-related books, audio-books, CDs, and
theatre productions.
- "Quick ones"
from members describing personal experiences,
unusual sightings of Wodehouse works or
references, or intriguing informational snippets.
Humour is our watchword,
but we occasionally examine the serious aspects of
Wodehouses life and work as well. For example, the
four issues published in 2007 included:
- "Our Last Visit
to Plum" a reminiscence by Wodehouses
grandson, Sir Edward Cazalet, on the last time he
and his wife visited the Wodehouses in Remsenburg.
- "The Fun of
Flying" an article by Dutch member
Hetty Litjens about the Wodehouse Google Earth
Project.
- Four chapters in a
series by one of our Russian members, Masha
Lebedeva, on Russian references in Wodehouse
stories.
- "The Lady and
the Duke" in which PG Wyndham Brooks
offers intriguing ideas on the sources of two PGW
characters.
- Reprints of articles
by well-known media figures: "Dash it,
Jeeves! Why are we so funny?" by Telegraph
literary editor Sam Leith; and "Carry on,
Jeeves! And on, and on ..." by columnist and
Radio 4 presenter James Naughtie.
- "Whirlwind
Wodehouse Weddings" Norman Murphy
explains how PGW characters managed fast-track
weddings.
- "Books on
Wodehouse in Print" as explained by Tony
Ring.
- "Jivusu in the
Offing" another article by Hetty
Litjens, this time on the Jeeves phenomenon in
Japan.
- "A Late Delivery"
a PGW letter that never made it to its
recipient.
- Random House editor
(and Society member) Tony Whittome describes the
newest Wodehouse publishing venture.
- "A Letter from
Aunt Agatha" in which Indian member
Ranjitha Ashok defends Berties infamous
aunt against some foul charges.
- "Berties
Uncles George" by American member Charles E
Gould, Jr, who examines which Uncle George was
which.
- "Impending Doom
Revisited" an account of a meeting
with an angry swan by Paul Rush.
- "A Sermon on
Brotherly Love" written by Stephen Persing
and delivered at the October 2007 convention of
The Wodehouse Society (US) at Providence, Rhode
Island.
- "Plum Did His
Bit" a description by Murray Hedgcock
of Wodehouses contribution to the WWII-era Shelter
Book.
Contributions to Wooster
Sauce come from Wodehouse scholars and from those
who are simply fans of The Masters work. We welcome
all of them, whether original articles, additions to
series such as "My First Wodehouse Experience",
or simple snippets of information.
By The Way, a
2-page supplement that accompanies the March, June and
September issues of Wooster Sauce, offers a
different perspective on aspects of Wodehouses life
and work. Through By The Way we have enjoyed
"What the Well-Dressed Man Is Wearing", learned
the names and breeds of Wodehouse pets, and seen how
Jeeves has been depicted in book illustrations over time,
among many other articles. There is also a bonus "Christmas
collectible", republishing rare pieces of Wodehouses
writing that members may not otherwise be able to read.
Trust us and read Wooster
Sauce for a thoroughly Wodehousean experience. And Wooster
Sauce needs you, too! In addition to welcoming
articles of both humorous and scholarly natures, we are
always looking for reviewers of plays, books, CDs, and
audio-books, as well as reporters of Society events. If
you think you can contribute or if you simply want
to know more about the journal get in touch with
Elin Murphy at editor@pgwodehousesociety.org.uk.
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