P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, better known as P. G. Wodehouse, was about as English as a cucumber sandwich at a cricket match. Born to a civil servant in Guildford, Surrey, his lineage was thoroughly gentile, featuring vicars, barristers, and landowners, with nary a rabbi or a bar mitzvah in sight. His early life and education at Dulwich College cemented his very British sensibilities, far removed from any menorah-lit celebrations or gefilte fish suppers. As such, his Jewish Identity and Origin scores remain firmly at zero. He was, to put it mildly, not a Jew.
However, the man's output was simply prodigious. Over 90 novels, 40 plays, 200 short stories, and countless articles flowed from his pen, creating a literary universe populated by bumbling aristocrats, formidable aunts, and impeccably resourceful valets. His intricate plots, sparkling prose, and sheer comedic genius earned him fans across the globe, including fellow writers like George Orwell and Evelyn Waugh. His ability to craft such consistently delightful absurdity certainly merits a high Kvell-worthiness score.
Despite his literary triumphs, Wodehouse found himself in hot water during WWII, broadcasting lighthearted talks from Berlin after being interned by the Germans. This ill-advised venture led to accusations of collaboration and a lasting controversy, though he was eventually knighted for his services to literature. Still, one cannot deny the enduring nachas derived from phrases like "as pie-eyed as a newt" or the eternal wisdom of Jeeves.




