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What is The Wodehouse Society?
The Wodehouse Society is a membership-based social organization devoted to promoting interest in and research into the life and works of the British humorist P. G. Wodehouse (1881–1975). According to its own description, it has a global following and welcomes both serious researchers—authors, academics and scholars—and ordinary fans who simply enjoy the comedy and "sweetness and light" of his writing.
What it offers
- A starting point for newcomers. The site is designed as an introduction to Wodehouse himself, his books and his world, with a Resources section for further browsing.
- Local chapters. Members can join regional groups for in-person company with other fans.
- A quarterly journal, Plum Lines. A venue for essays, research and commentary, open to member contributions.
- A website blog and announcements. Short updates on events, publications and Wodehouse-related news.
- Biennial conventions. Social, celebratory gatherings; the site lists the next one for November 2026 in Garden City, with registration open.
- Related publications and events. The site notes a guide to Wodehouse's New York City and Long Island by Norman Murphy with Amy Plofker, and a touring show by Hal Cazalet, the author's great-grandson.
Who it suits
| Reader | Fit |
|---|---|
| Curious newcomer who has never read Wodehouse | Good—the site is explicitly framed as an entry point |
| Long-time fan wanting community and events | Strong—chapters, conventions, journal |
| Researcher or collector | Useful—journal, resources, a scholarly membership base |
| Someone wanting free full texts or episode guides | Limited—this is a society, not a library or wiki |
A practical next step
If you are new to Wodehouse, read one of the Jeeves and Wooster stories or Leave It to Psmith first, then use the site's Resources page to decide whether the society's journal and convention would add anything to your reading. If you already know the books well and want company, the local chapters and the 2026 convention are the most direct routes in. For a broader reference on the author's life and bibliography, Wikipedia covers the basics, and Project Gutenberg hosts some of his earlier public-domain works.
Should I join The Wodehouse Society, and what do members get for their dues?
Join if you want a reading community around P. G. Wodehouse rather than a formal literary credential. The Society describes itself as a social organization that promotes interest in and research into Wodehouse's life and works; its members range from prominent authors, researchers and academics to, in its own words, "simply fans—in it for the laughs." The site's welcome page presents joining as a way to support that mission and to take part in the group's activities.
What the site says members can take part in
- Local chapters: the Society invites members to join the "fun and camaraderie" of a chapter near them.
- Plum Lines: a quarterly journal that members can contribute to.
- The website blog: another outlet for member writing.
- Biennial conventions: celebratory gatherings; the next is listed for November 2026, with registration open and details on the convention event page.
- Resources: a section for newcomers and browsers covering Wodehouse, his works and his world.
The page does not state a dues amount or list member benefits item by item, so treat dues and the exact membership package as something to confirm on the Society's membership page before paying.
How to decide
Join if you would use at least one of the participatory benefits—a local chapter, the journal, the convention—or simply want to fund a society devoted to Wodehouse. If you only want reading guidance, the free resources and blog browsing may be enough; membership adds the social and publishing side.
A practical next step: read the Resources page and the convention page first, then check the membership page for the current dues and what they cover. If a chapter exists near you, its activities are the clearest test of whether the dues buy something you will actually use. For background on the author before deciding, see The Wodehouse Society.
Where can I find a local chapter of The Wodehouse Society near me?
The society's own site points members toward local chapters but does not publish a searchable chapter directory on its home page. The practical route is to start at The Wodehouse Society and look for the chapters section, then contact the society directly with your city or region; the site describes chapters as the main way members connect with fellow fans nearby.
How to narrow it down
- Check the site's chapters page first. The home page names local chapters as a member benefit, so a dedicated list or contact route is the natural next stop.
- Ask about the nearest chapter, not the nearest city. Chapters are organized by region, and a chapter may draw members from a wide area around a metro area.
- Consider the biennial convention as a fallback. The site notes the next convention is in November 2026 in Garden City, New York, which is useful if no chapter is close by.
- Use the quarterly journal and blog if you want the community without a local group; the site describes Plum Lines and the blog as ways members contribute and stay connected.
For a reader in, say, a mid-sized city with no listed chapter, the sensible step is to email the society with your location and ask whether any members or informal gatherings exist nearby before assuming you need to travel.
How do I register for the 2026 convention, Sitting Pretty in Garden City?
Registration for the 2026 convention, Sitting Pretty in Garden City, is handled through the convention event page on The Wodehouse Society site. The society's announcement says the event page has full details plus the link to register, so that page—not the homepage announcement—is the place to start.
A practical next step: open the convention event page and check three things before signing up—the dates and venue in Garden City, the registration options and deadlines, and whether any events require separate booking. If you're travelling in, confirm accommodation and transport after you've registered, since the event page is the authoritative source for schedule details.
If you can't find the link, the society also invites inquiries through its general contact channels, which is the simplest route for questions about registration status or group bookings.
Which P. G. Wodehouse books should a complete beginner read first?
The best starting point is usually a Jeeves and Wooster story collection rather than a novel: the short stories are self-contained, funny within a page or two, and don't require you to keep track of a long plot. The Inimitable Jeeves and Carry On, Jeeves are the conventional first recommendations; if you'd rather try a full novel, Right Ho, Jeeves and The Code of the Woosters are the ones most often named as favourites.
For a different flavour, Leave It to Psmith mixes the Blandings world with a charmingly inept impostor, and Something Fresh is the first Blandings novel and a good entry to that series. Uneasy Money and Piccadilly Jim are standalone novels that show his lighter romantic-comedy side without requiring series knowledge.
A practical way to choose: read one short story first (any Jeeves story will do) to see whether the prose style clicks. If you enjoy the narrator's voice, continue with a collection; if you prefer a sustained plot, move to Right Ho, Jeeves. If country-house silliness appeals more than London clubs, start with Something Fresh instead.
For background, reading order suggestions and a sense of which characters belong to which series, The Wodehouse Society is a useful orientation, and its resources point newcomers toward the man and his works before they commit to a full shelf.
How can I submit writing to Plum Lines or the society's blog?
The site doesn’t state a submission procedure for Plum Lines or the blog. It presents both as ways members can contribute and participate, but it does not publish an editor’s email address, submission form, or contributor guidelines on the page provided.
A practical next step
Use the society’s own contact route to ask for the current editor or blog coordinator. In your message, specify:
- Whether you are proposing a Plum Lines article or a blog post.
- The subject and approximate length.
- Whether the piece is a personal essay, research note, review, or event report.
- Any images or quotations you plan to include, and their permissions.
- Whether you are already a member.
That last point matters: the page describes contributing to Plum Lines and the blog in the context of joining the society, so membership may be the expected starting point. Ask directly rather than assuming.
What to expect from each outlet
Plum Lines is described as a quarterly journal, which suggests a planned editorial schedule and longer lead times. The blog is presented alongside announcements and current items, so it is likely better suited to timely pieces—an event report, a discovery, or a short appreciation. These are reasonable inferences from how the site presents each outlet, not stated submission rules.
For a first approach, send a short pitch rather than a complete manuscript. A paragraph describing the idea and why it suits that outlet lets the editor tell you whether it fits before you spend time writing to an unknown length or style.
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