The Luck Stone
The Luck Stone is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, written under the pseudonym Basil Windham. It was compiled from a serial which appeared in Chums: An Illustrated Paper for Boys between 16 September 1908 and 20 January 1909, when Wodehouse was 27 years old.
It was first published as a book long after Wodehouse's 1975 death, on 31 March 1997 by Galahad Books, in a limited run with the ISBN 1-898549-13-3. It has subsequently been published in paperback by Odbody & Marley (2006), ISBN 1-4196-2321-4, and in hardcover by Everyman's Library (2014), ISBN 978-1-84159-195-7.[1]
Like much of Wodehouse's writing of the period, the story is set in a public boys' school. But it departs from that usual form as described by Wodehouse in a letter written to a friend: "I've been commissioned by Chums to do a 70,000-word serial by July. They want it not so public-schooly as my usual stuff and with a rather lurid plot."
It was his only such novel of mystery, high adventure, and danger, given the term "blood and thunder" by Wodehouse scholar Richard Usborne. Usborne observed, "Doubtless Wodehouse enjoyed writing The Luck Stone. …He had shown, in breezy asides throughout his school novels, …that he had read acres of catchpenny fiction, had enjoyed it all and knew all the tricks of it." Though a departure for him, The Luck Stone is thoroughly "Wodehouse," with his trademark sticky situations, quirky characters, sly humor and wit, and renowned prose. Usborne had a high view of this Wodehouse offering: "You're fortunate to have discovered The Luck Stone. Read it."
All published versions of The Luck Stone include the illustrations (numbering around ten) from the original serial in Chums. The illustrations below demonstrate the two seemingly divergent aspects that Wodehouse weaves together in this novel: a truly dark, suspenseful main plot relieved with several humorous situations and subplots.
References
- ^ the verso of the title page of the book in question
External links
- The Luck Stone at Amazon.co.uk
- A list of parts, with first publication dates, from pgwodehousebooks.com
- Chums serial, page-by-page reproduction of the original serial, from madameulalie.org (Madam Eulalie’s Rare Plums, devoted to the early works of P. G. Wodehouse)
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- Jeeves
- Blandings Castle
- Psmith
- Uncle Fred
- Mr. Mulliner
- Oldest Member
- Drones Club
- Ukridge
- School stories
- The Pothunters
- A Prefect's Uncle
- The Gold Bat
- William Tell Told Again
- The Head of Kay's
- Love Among the Chickens
- The White Feather
- Not George Washington
- The Swoop!
- Mike
- A Gentleman of Leisure
- Psmith in the City
- The Prince and Betty
- The Little Nugget
- Psmith, Journalist
- Something Fresh
- Uneasy Money
- Piccadilly Jim
- A Damsel in Distress
- The Coming of Bill
- Jill the Reckless
- The Girl on the Boat
- The Adventures of Sally
- Leave It to Psmith
- Bill the Conqueror
- Sam the Sudden
- The Small Bachelor
- Money for Nothing
- Summer Lightning
- Big Money
- If I Were You
- Doctor Sally
- Hot Water
- Heavy Weather
- Thank You, Jeeves
- Right Ho, Jeeves
- The Luck of the Bodkins
- Laughing Gas
- Summer Moonshine
- The Code of the Woosters
- Uncle Fred in the Springtime
- Quick Service
- Money in the Bank
- Joy in the Morning
- Full Moon
- Spring Fever
- Uncle Dynamite
- The Mating Season
- The Old Reliable
- Barmy in Wonderland
- Pigs Have Wings
- Ring for Jeeves
- Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit
- French Leave
- Something Fishy
- Cocktail Time
- Jeeves in the Offing
- Ice in the Bedroom
- Service with a Smile
- Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
- Frozen Assets
- Galahad at Blandings
- Company for Henry
- Do Butlers Burgle Banks?
- A Pelican at Blandings
- The Girl in Blue
- Much Obliged, Jeeves
- Pearls, Girls and Monty Bodkin
- Bachelors Anonymous
- Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
collections
- Tales of St. Austin's
- The Man Upstairs
- The Man with Two Left Feet
- My Man Jeeves
- Indiscretions of Archie
- The Clicking of Cuthbert
- The Inimitable Jeeves
- Ukridge
- Carry On, Jeeves
- The Heart of a Goof
- Meet Mr Mulliner
- Mr Mulliner Speaking
- Very Good, Jeeves
- Mulliner Nights
- Blandings Castle and Elsewhere
- Young Men in Spats
- Lord Emsworth and Others
- Eggs, Beans and Crumpets
- Nothing Serious
- A Few Quick Ones
- Plum Pie
published books
- The Beauty of Bath
- Nuts and Wine
- Oh, Boy!
- Leave It to Jane
- The Riviera Girl
- Miss 1917
- Oh, Lady! Lady!!
- The Girl Behind the Gun
- Kissing Time
- Oh, My Dear!
- Sally
- The Cabaret Girl
- The Beauty Prize
- Oh, Kay!
- Show Boat
- Rosalie
- The Three Musketeers
- Anything Goes
- The Play's the Thing
- Good Morning, Bill
- Leave It to Psmith
- Come On, Jeeves
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