Fellow Wodehouse readers

By Does Your Duck Quack?

A good Wodehouse shelf ought to lead beyond itself. These are independent societies and specialist research desks; this fan site does not speak for them or accept submissions on their behalf.

Find the kind of company you enjoy

You do not need to have read a hundred books to take part in a Wodehouse conversation. A first encounter with Jeeves, a favourite television performance or a puzzling American title is enough to begin. Think about what you would most like to share: discussing a novel, hearing a talk, comparing editions or simply meeting people who understand why a pig can matter so much. Different groups and resources serve different purposes, and there is no obligation to turn a pleasure into a research project.

Societies and their publications

The UK society describes a programme of meetings and events, including guest speakers, and publishes the quarterly Wooster Sauce for members. Its own website is the best place to investigate joining or attending an event. Before making travel plans, check the current event details directly with the organisers. A society’s archive can also give you a feel for its interests before you decide whether membership would suit you.

The Wodehouse Society welcomes both recent discoveries and longstanding enthusiasts. Its website introduces local chapters, conventions and the quarterly Plum Lines, with an archive of older issues. Those routes offer different levels of involvement: you might begin by browsing an article, then look for a chapter or a discussion opportunity. Use the society’s own membership and contact pages for current arrangements; this library cannot register members or reserve places.

Bring a useful question

For a reading group, choose a manageable starting point and agree how far everyone will read before discussing the ending. Right Ho, Jeeves offers Bertie’s unreliable confidence and a memorable public performance; Something Fresh introduces the competing interests within Blandings. Ask which character misunderstands the situation most completely, or how a small object acquires an importance out of all proportion to its value. These questions leave room for disagreement without requiring specialist knowledge.

If your interest is bibliographical, bring the exact title, publisher, date and contents of your copy. A cover photograph alone may not identify a regional text or an abridgement. Our UK and US title cross-reference is a starting point, while Madame Eulalie’s specialist bibliographies help trace earlier publication and variant versions. Distinguish what your copy actually contains from what a bookseller’s description promises.

Read, compare and contribute thoughtfully

Madame Eulalie is especially useful when a conversation leads back to early texts and their publication histories. Follow a citation to the relevant work rather than assuming every modern collection uses the same selection. Keep a short note of the source and edition you consulted so that another reader can follow your reasoning. A correction accompanied by a specific page or contents list is more useful than a confident recollection of a title.

These organisations and archives are independent of this fan library. Membership questions belong with the relevant society, and rights questions should follow the rights holder’s published contact route. For a mistake on this site, use our contact and corrections page and identify the page concerned. The aim is a welcoming reading community in which enthusiasm and careful attribution support one another.

External activities, membership and availability may change. These descriptions and destinations were checked 17 October 2026. Read how this library evaluates sources.