Piccadilly Jim

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

2005

Title

Piccadilly Jim

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

P. G. Wodehouse's *Piccadilly Jim* offers a rollicking comedy of manners set in New York high society. Following the chaotic marriage of financier Mr. Pett, the story centers on his stepson Ogden and the arrival of Jimmy Crocker, a former boxer and poet with a colorful past. Blending slapstick violence, witty dialogue, and romantic entanglements, the novel explores themes of identity, redemption, and the absurdities of domestic life with characteristic charm and humor.

Summary up to 500 words

In P. G. Wodehouse's *Piccadilly Jim*, the narrative unfolds within the chaotic, opulent mansion of financier Mr. Peter Pett on New York's Riverside Drive. The household is a sanctuary for unrecognised geniuses and poets, but peace is constantly disrupted by Mr. Pett's exasperated wife, Nesta, and her precocious, undisciplined stepson, Ogden Ford. Ogden's torment of the staff reaches a breaking point when Jerry Mitchell, a gym instructor and suitor of Ann Chester, is fired for beating the boy after Ogden mocks him. Jerry flees, leaving Ann to manage the fallout. Enter Jimmy Crocker, a former boxer and poet living in a boarding house. Revealed to be the son of Lord Percy Whipple and a former friend of Ann's father, Jimmy possesses a rough exterior and a criminal past. Despite his history as a 'heartless brute,' he is drawn into the Pett household. He attempts to reform to win Ann's affection, though his past clashes with her current role as an amateur kidnapper planning to remove Ogden to a dogs' hospital. Complications arise when Jimmy decides to stay in America to follow baseball rather than return to England, much to the dismay of his wife, Eugenia. However, he eventually secures a job in Mr. Pett's office, transforming from a rogue into a sober businessman. The plot culminates in a confrontation between Jimmy and Ann regarding their past grievances. After a heated exchange where Jimmy admits his past faults, Ann accepts him, declaring that his rough nature is exactly what she needs for a happy marriage. The novel concludes with the resolution of family tensions, Jimmy's acceptance into the fold, and a general sense of happiness for the Pett household, maintaining a lighthearted and farcical tone throughout.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2005.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg2005.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-08-13 09:22 UTC

Categories

• Fiction
• Humor