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Cover of The Code of the Woosters by PG WodehouseThe Code of the Woosters
Classic · Fiction, Humor, Classics

The Code of the Woosters

by PG Wodehouse
1938 · 304 pages · Fiction
75.2Must-Read
Score Classic
Critics' pick
≈ 8 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Bertie Wooster's Aunt Dahlia orders him to steal a silver jug from Totleigh Towers, home of magistrate Sir Watkyn Bassett. First he must face Sir Watkyn's droopy daughter, Madeline, and would-be dictator Roderick Spode and his Black Shorts, with only Jeeves to save him.

Why it's worth reading

It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. Many consider it P. G. Wodehouse's comic masterpiece.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It stands alone and is pure comedy. It's a good first Jeeves book.

By the numbers

75.2Must-Read Score
  • Readers92 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller16 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

On the lists
Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read

Reads as

Funny, Uplifting

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Humor booksTop 25 · 37 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 924 rankedBooks of the 1930sTop 25 · 59 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 504 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 325 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 333 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Code of the Woosters worth reading?

Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #824 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.2 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Code of the Woosters about?

Bertie Wooster's Aunt Dahlia orders him to steal a silver jug from Totleigh Towers, home of magistrate Sir Watkyn Bassett. First he must face Sir Watkyn's droopy daughter, Madeline, and would-be dictator Roderick Spode and his Black Shorts, with only Jeeves to save him.

How long does it take to read The Code of the Woosters?

About 8 hours (304 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Code of the Woosters?

If you liked it, try Joy in the Morning by PG Wodehouse, Thank You, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse or Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.