Something New
What is Something New about?
Something New (1915), published in Britain as Something Fresh, is the first of P. G. Wodehouse's Blandings Castle novels and the book that introduced one of fiction's most beloved settings. The story centers on the absent-minded Clarence, Earl of Emsworth, who has absent-mindedly pocketed a valuable Egyptian scarab belonging to the irascible American millionaire J. Preston Peters. Two young adventurers--Ashe Marson, a writer of detective stories, and Joan Valentine, a resourceful young woman fallen on hard times--independently infiltrate Blandings Castle as servants, each hired by different parties to recover the stolen scarab. Their rival missions lead to midnight adventures, romantic sparks, and encounters with the magnificent cast of characters who inhabit the castle. The novel establishes the world of Blandings--its lazy summer atmosphere, its eccentric inhabitants, its feuding siblings--that Wodehouse would return to for the next sixty years. Something New also introduced the Efficient Baxter, Lord Emsworth's ruthlessly competent secretary, who became a memorable recurring antagonist.
Main themes in Something New
Blandings Castle origins
In Something New, blandings castle origins provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
The caper plot
The theme of the caper plot weaves through Something New, adding depth to its narrative.
Servants and masters
The presence of servants and masters in Something New connects readers to its enduring relevance.
Anglo-American encounters
The theme of anglo-american encounters weaves through Something New, adding depth to its narrative.
Why Something New is still relevant today
Something New holds a special place in literary history as the novel that launched the Blandings Castle saga, one of the longest-running and most beloved series in English comic fiction. It was also Wodehouse's first novel to be serialized in The Saturday Evening Post, beginning his long and lucrative association with American magazine publishing. The book's dual-protagonist structure and its setting in a grand English country house established a template that Wodehouse would perfect over decades. For readers interested in the origins of the Blandings world, Something New is essential reading and a thoroughly delightful novel in its own right.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Something New about?
Two young adventurers independently infiltrate Blandings Castle as servants to recover a stolen Egyptian scarab, leading to midnight escapades, romantic sparks, and encounters with the castle's eccentric inhabitants.
Is Something New the first Blandings novel?
Yes, it is the first novel set at Blandings Castle and introduces Lord Emsworth, the Efficient Baxter, and the world that Wodehouse would revisit for sixty years.
Why does this book have two titles?
It was published as Something New in America and Something Fresh in Britain, a common practice for Wodehouse's transatlantic publications.
Do I need to read the Blandings novels in order?
No, each Blandings novel is largely self-contained. However, starting with Something New provides a wonderful introduction to the setting and recurring characters.
When was Something New published?
It was published in 1915 and was the first Wodehouse novel serialized in The Saturday Evening Post.