Galahad at Blandings is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United States on 31 December 1964 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York under the title The Brinkmanship of Galahad Threepwood, and in the United Kingdom on 26 August 1965 by Herbert Jenkins, London.[1]
It forms part of the Blandings Castle saga, being the ninth full-length novel to be set there.
Plot summary
Galahad Threepwood is in residence at Blandings Castle, where his sister, Lady Hermione Wedge, has hired a secretary, Sandy Callender. Galahad finds himself dealing with Sandy and her now-ex-betrothed Sam Bagshott, who needs £700 to fix up his inherited family seat and sell it.
Sam comes down to Blandings to plead his case with Sandy, but his first accidental encounter with her proves disastrous. Gally brings Sam into the Castle under the name of Augustus Whipple, noted author.
Meanwhile, Lady Hermione has learned that her prospective son-in-law Tipton Plimsoll has lost all his money in the stock market crash and is now impoverished. She rushes up to London to instruct her daughter Veronica to break the engagement. When Colonel Wedge receives Tipton, he asks Gally to intercept the letter, which Gally is pleased to do. On Hermione's return, Gally threatens to deliver the letter to Tipton unless Hermione allows Sam to stay. Sandy confronts Galahad, but ends up persuaded by him to take Sam back.
Meanwhile, Emsworth discovers the fatal letter in his desk and has it delivered to Tipton. Gally convinces Tipton that Veronica meant not a word of it, and the two couples head to the registrar's for a double wedding.
Lady Hermione, having discovered that the letter was delivered and nullified, exposes Sam, declares Emsworth to be impossible to manage, and leaves. Gally convinces Emsworth to lend the money to Sam.
Publication history
The first US edition dust jacket was illustrated by John Alcorn. The first UK edition dust jacket was illustrated by "Payne".[1]
The US edition, The Brinkmanship of Galahad Threepwood, is dedicated: "To Scott Meredith, prince of literary agents and best of friends".[1]Scott Meredith was an American literary agent.
Reception
Wodehouse biographer Richard Usborne found that "at this late stage Wodehouse ravels as tangled a plot as ever, but he unravels it with a rather unseemly rush."[2]
Adaptations
In 1992, the story was adapted as a radio drama in four parts in the Blandings radio series.[3]
The sixth episode of the first series of the Blandings television series, "Problems with Drink", was based on Galahad at Blandings and first aired on 17 February 2013.[4]
McIlvaine, Eileen; Sherby, Louise S.; Heineman, James H. (1990). P. G. Wodehouse: A Comprehensive Bibliography and Checklist. New York: James H. Heineman Inc. ISBN978-0-87008-125-5.
