Jeeves: A Gentleman's Personal Gentleman

This book tells the story of Reginald Jeeves, a valet to several forgettable members of Britains gentry. While Parkinsons account of Mr Jeeves life is entertaining, it falls just short of fascinating - the account assumes that the reader is already familiar with certain adventures and people.

Mr Jeeves is remarkable for his talent at manipulation and extraction. For instance, Jeeves spends a lot of his time saving one employer from marriage, by using an encyclopedic knowledge of human nature. But Jeeves is not above manipulating his employers into situations that will profit himself.

Mr Parkinson has done another admirable biography, even if his subject isn't as well-known as Admiral Hornblower. The lesson here is that while a person may not be a household name, the biography can still be quite entertaining. If only some writer would come along and tell us more about Mr Jeeves and his adventures!