Saturday, August 13, 2011

Crazy for Book Blog Hop!

Book Blogger Hop
http://crazy-for-books.com/2011/08/book-blogger-hop-812-815.html

The hop question this week is:“Let’s talk crazy book titles! Highlight one or two (or as many as you like!) titles in your personal collection that have the most interesting titles! If you can’t find any, feel free to find one on the internet!”


My Answer:  This is a hard one because as alluring as many book titles are I don't buy a book according to its title.  In fact my favorite books have pretty unassuming titles.  I love "omnibus" books.  These are books that are the complete works of a particular author or at least of a particular character.  Two of my favorite omnibus books are, "The Father Brown Omnibus" by G.K. Chesterton and "The Jeeves Omnibus" by P.D. Wodehouse.






The Father Brown Omnibus; with a Preface by Auberon Waugh





Chesterton's Father Brown is a Catholic priest who is also a criminal detective.  A Catholic Sherlock Holmes if you will.  The mysteries are just as fascinating and suspenseful but the difference is-while Conan Doyle was simply writing a good brain teaser- Chesterton is always using the story as a medium to reveal a much deeper picture of the complexities of the human soul and its ultimate need for salvation.




The Jeeves Omnibus: Stiff Upper Lip / The Inimitable Jeeves / Carry On, Jeeves



Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster is just plain silly.  The formula for each story is about the same:  Bertie Wooster a rich young brainless socialite is forever getting himself in ridiculous predicaments that his butler Jeeves is getting him out of.  
    What makes these stories so fun is the rapid fire wit as Jeeves and the other characters parley with each other.  These stories are great fun.  Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry made a brilliant t.v. version of these stories.















3 comments:

Marilyn Litt said...

I blogged on Father Brown AND Wodehouse. I defy anyone to read about the newts and not just roll around on the floor laughing.

I only came over here to say that "The Importance of Being Earnest" may be the perfect play, but I think I will stay because I am a little mad myself.

Sharon Wilfong said...

Hi Marilyn Sue: Sorry to take so long getting back to you. My computer crashed and burned this weekend.
I'll have to go read your blogs about those two.
Speaking of wit, Wilde was not only out there but up there.

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