Jonah and Co

In Short

First published in 1922, Jonah and Co. is a lighthearted, episodic comedic novel following the grand European motoring adventures of an affluent, close-knit English family: Berry Pleydell, his wife Daphne, his cousin Jonah, his sister Jill, and his brother-in-law (the narrator) with his American bride, Adèle. Settling around a leased estate in Pau near the Pyrenees, the party spends their days touring the countryside in powerful automobiles, outwitting officious French gendarmes, pursuing stolen vehicles, and navigating high-society romance. The book has endured as a beloved classic of cozy period humor for its sparkling dialogue, vivid travel backdrops, and infectious banter.

The Story

The narrative opens with the Pleydell family and their inner circle embarking on an extended automotive excursion through France. Traversing the country from Boulogne down toward the Pyrenees, they encounter immediate friction with overzealous local authorities. When a pompous French gendarme detains them over papers that are entirely in order, the narrator and Berry outsmart him, leaving the officer raging on the roadside while they race through detour routes past Vendôme to evade his frantic telephone calls ahead.

Driving high-powered motorcars—dubbed Ping and Pong—the group turns their journey into a series of friendly wagers and timed trials. Misfortune strikes early when a faulty magneto delays one car by two hours outside Angoulême, leaving the crew to push their vehicle across heavily rutted, post-war French highways to reach Pau before nightfall. Guided by Adèle’s meticulous map-reading, they conquer treacherous Gascon roads and establish a temporary haven in Pau.

Once settled, their daily lives revolve around grand picnics, motoring expeditions to Biarritz, and the constant threat of absurd complications. When their beloved blue coupé is mysteriously stolen, a high-speed pursuit ensues. Spotting their stolen vehicle turning down a side street, the narrator leaps onto its running board, yanks open the bonnet, and rips out the high-tension ignition wire to disable the car mid-motion, falling onto his back but triumphantly disabling the thieves. The culprit proves to be a square-faced, cigar-chomping American criminal, whom they hand over to the local gendarmes after a fierce confrontation.

Romance and smuggling mix equal parts chaos into their stay. Young Jill finds herself courted by a handsome suitor, Piers, though confusion reigns over her identity until a dramatic moment of revelation brings the two together. Meanwhile, Berry and the narrator attempt to navigate local customs laws and acquire prized contraband—including thirty-five pounds of exquisite China tea tucked away in a friend's bedroom and scarce smoking supplies—leading to frantic cover-ups, mismatched luggage, and frantic cross-country dashes.

The group also experiences moments of deep sentiment amid the hilarity. While driving near the mountains, Jonah unexpectedly spots his beloved pre-war charger horse, Zed—missing since the Battle of Cambrai—being beaten by a ruthless teamster while pulling a stone wagon. Jonah swiftly intervenes, physically tackling the abusive driver to rescue his long-lost military companion.

As the season draws to a close, the family inspects grand French properties in Pau, marveling at local tapestries, lush mountain gorges, and breathtaking sunrises at the Cirque de Gavarnie. After testing out local racing automobiles and causing mayhem on rural roads, the party reflects fondly on their unforgettable months under the French sun, bound together by unfailing affection and laughter.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Cruising through the French countryside, the family encounters an arrogant gendarme who attempts to detain them out of spite. They speed away before he can file a charge, launching a tense but exhilarating game of cat-and-mouse along dusty detour roads.

A race against the clock Jonah and the narrator lay down high-stakes wagers on a timed drive from Poitiers to Pau. A stubborn magneto breakdown stalls their start by two hours, forcing Berry to push their car over rough, unpaved backroads to make up lost ground.

The case of the stolen coupé While out in town, the group spots their stolen blue automobile gathering speed down a side street. In a daring move, the narrator leaps onto the moving car's bonnet and tears out the spark plug wires, bringing the vehicle to a sudden halt and apprehending the surprised thieves.

Smuggling and high tea Berry and his companions attempt to transport valuable tobacco and secret parcels across local borders, leading to manic misunderstandings. Their covert operation culminates in the hilarious recovery of thirty-five pounds of fine China tea hidden behind bedroom furniture.

A long-lost companion Driving through a rural village, Jonah spots his beloved war horse, Zed, whom he had lost at the Battle of Cambrai years earlier. Finding the horse collapsed under an abusive teamster's whip, Jonah leaps from the car to save his old friend.

Farewell to the Pyrenees The family tours the breathtaking mountain gorges of Gavarnie and inspects historic villas around Pau. After participating in local auto trials and enjoying the warmth of French hospitality, they conclude their summer journey in high spirits.

The People

• Berry Pleydell: The theatrical, luxury-loving patriarch of the troupe. He wants good food, fine cigars, and minimum physical exertion, but constantly finds himself dragged into high-speed car chases, frantic smuggling schemes, and mechanical repairs. He ends up thoroughly exhausted yet endlessly entertained by his own misfortunes.
• The Narrator (Boy): Berry's devoted brother-in-law, who seeks smoothly executed road trips and quiet romantic moments with his wife. He is fiercely protective of his family's property, willing to jump onto moving bonnets to stop car thieves or scheme to secure rare tea and tobacco.
• Adèle Pleydell: The narrator's clever, beautiful American wife. She wants to explore the geography of France and keep the men from ruining their own wagers. Armed with sharp intelligence and quick reflexes, she acts as the master navigator who keeps the cars on course.
• Jonah Mansel: The stoic, practical cousin who loves speed, precision, and fair bets. What he wants most is to locate his missing warhorse, Zed; his stoicism breaks down into pure passion and action when he finally rescues his beloved animal.
• Jill Mansel: The sweet, naive younger cousin who wants romance and clear explanations. Often baffled by currency exchanges and complex jokes, she ends up falling deeply in love with Piers after a series of innocent misunderstandings are cleared up.

In Its Own Voice

"If," said Berry, "you're going to direct me to turn off, for Heaven's sake be quick about it. At the present moment I'm just blinding along into the blue and, for all I know, an oversized hornets' nest."

Berry expresses his mild panic as the family flees down backroads to escape an enraged French official.

"Well, on Monday you go and buy a pound's worth of herrings. Fish is plentiful, so you get fifty-six... During the night herrings rise... So that the next morning, when you come to buy another pound's worth of herrings, you only get fifty-three."

The narrator attempts to explain fluctuating foreign exchange rates to a utterly confused Jill using an absurd analogy.

"The blue roan was down, and his master had just kicked him in the belly when Jonah arrived."

The grim moment before Jonah rescues his long-lost war horse, Zed, from a brutal teamster on a rural road.

What It's Really About

Underneath its polished veneer of aristocratic leisure and motorcar antics, the book is a lighthearted celebration of post-World War I survival and companionship. Having lived through the anxieties of war—glimpsed in Jonah’s lingering trauma over his lost charger horse and references to six years of unmaintained roads—the characters embrace life with exuberant, unapologetic joy. The narrative argues that humor, unshakeable familial loyalty, and a keen sense of play are the ultimate defenses against life's indignities. It explores the charm of upper-class English manners colliding with foreign customs, framing travel not merely as sight-seeing, but as an ongoing theatrical performance where quick wits, good humor, and deep affection matter far more than reaching the destination on schedule.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate classic British humor, vintage travel narratives, and Wodehouse-style banter will find this book an absolute delight. It offers a warm, escapist plunge into the 1920s golden age of motoring, filled with roaring open-top cars, pristine Pyrenean scenery, and infectious banter. The prose moves with effortless rhythmic cadence, built on sharp timing and genuine warmth among its characters.

Modern readers should be prepared for period-specific elements, including casual upper-class privilege, outdated views on foreign locals, and an abundance of early 20th-century slang and automotive terminology. The plot is self-consciously episodic rather than tightly structured, relying on situational comedy and witty dialogue rather than heavy dramatic tension. Yet for those who surrender to its buoyant cadence, the book delivers a world of pure, sunny charm—where every breakdown is an excuse for a picnic, every dispute ends in laughter, and family devotion remains absolute.