Meet Mr Mulliner

In Short

P. G. Wodehouse presents nine comic tales narrated by the genial Mr. Mulliner, an armchair raconteur who dominates his local pub with outrageous accounts of his eccentric relatives. Across these linked stories, bashful curates, high-minded poets, shy photographers, and reluctant bachelors navigate sudden wealth, bizarre inventions, terrifying former nannies, and instant fixations. Each episode escalates through preposterous misunderstandings, social disasters, and chaotic rescues, only to resolve in triumphant comedy. Long prized for its sparkling prose and infectious warmth, this collection distills Wodehouse’s mastery of innocent farce, turning everyday absurdities into timeless, laugh-out-loud entertainment.

The Story

The framework of the book rests inside the cozy confines of the Anglers' Rest, where the silver-tongued Mr. Mulliner cheerfully intercepts fellow patrons to share the extraordinary history of the Mulliner clan. The collection opens with George Mulliner, a painfully shy young man whose speech impediment and crippling bashfulness lead him to consult a specialist. Sent into the world to practice talking to strangers, George attempts to break the ice with a fellow railway passenger by bursting into song, sparking immediate terror before finding his footing.

From there, the tales leap from one relative's bizarre predicament to another. In the world of commercial romance, Wilfred Mulliner invents both a disastrously uneven gipsy face-cream—which leaves his aristocratic fiancée looking piebald—and a potent tonic called Buck-U-Uppo. Designed in its stronger "B" formulation to make timid Indian hunting elephants charge wild tigers, the mixture accidentally falls into the hands of his nephew Augustine, a meek curate. Consuming the elixir transforms Augustine into a roaring force of nature who terrifies his superiors, out-wrestles aggressive dogs, and encourages a high-ranking bishop to climb trees and paint school statues pink in a night of reckless revelry.

Artistic and romantic ambitions bring equal chaos elsewhere in the family. Lancelot Mulliner, a high-minded poet who refuses to commercialize his muse in his uncle’s pickle empire, falls instantly for a wealthy girl at Cowes, only to find himself physically ejected from her father’s mansion by an intimidating butler. Across the Atlantic, William Mulliner experiences a night of heavy drinking in a San Francisco bar; upon waking, he assumes he has suffered a catastrophic physical breakdown that destroyed his senses, unaware that a massive earthquake has literally knocked down the walls of his hotel room around his bed.

In London, Clarence Mulliner, a photographer who loathes human ugliness, finds himself kidnapped by a despotic politician determined to force him to photograph a surprisingly homely family line. Meanwhile, timid men struggle against domestic dominance: young Frederick is reduced to trembling obedience when confronted by his childhood nanny and a plate of unwanted boiled eggs. Finally, crime novelist James Rodman inherits a sinister residence named Honeysuckle Cottage, where the lingering spirit of a deceased romance novelist begins magically corrupting his hard-boiled detective manuscripts, forcing sweet heroines into his plots and threatening to drag the confirmed bachelor into an unwanted marriage. Only the sudden, unrefined intervention of a mongrel dog named William saves James, allowing him to flee back to London. Mr. Mulliner concludes each narrative with unshakeable conviction, leaving his pub listeners entirely captivated by his family's glorious absurdities.

How It Unfolds

The gathering at the pub Mr. Mulliner establishes his presence in the bar-parlour of the Anglers' Rest, defending fishermen from accusations of lying while launching into the strange tale of his nephew George’s struggle with terminal shyness.

A tonic for the timid Wilfred Mulliner creates Buck-U-Uppo to bolster the courage of hunting elephants, but his curate nephew Augustine accidentally receives the heavy-duty formula, converting his timid nature into reckless audacity.

The midnight escapade Empowered by the elixir, Augustine leads a respected bishop on a spree of tree-climbing and statue-painting, culminating in a locked-out climb up a school water-pipe that secures Augustine's clerical promotion.

Love among the pickles Poet Lancelot Mulliner rejects a lucrative career in his uncle's pickle factory for the sake of art, only to be tossed onto the pavement of Berkeley Square while pursuing an heiress.

San Francisco shakes William Mulliner misinterprets the physical destruction of a major earthquake as the severe medical hangover of his very first alcoholic drink, hiding beneath his bedsheets as the hotel walls crumble.

The photographer's stand Clarence Mulliner is held captive by a local politician who tries to force him to break his strict artistic vow of photographing only fair and lovely sitters.

The haunted cottage Mystery writer James Rodman moves into Honeysuckle Cottage, where a sentimental curse alters his prose into romantic mush and threatens his bachelorhood until his scruffy dog breaks the spell.

The People

• Mr. Mulliner: The central narrator of the collection. Stout, middle-aged, and possessing eyes of childlike candour, he frequents the Anglers' Rest bar-parlour, commanding the room with elaborate stories about his relatives.
• George Mulliner: A timid young man who suffers from a severe stammer around women. He desperately follows a specialist's eccentric advice to speak—and sing—to total strangers.
• Wilfred Mulliner: A pragmatic inventor and businessman who creates cosmetic creams and animal tonics, balancing his deep romantic feelings with calculated sales pitches.
• Augustine Mulliner: A meek curate who inadvertently drinks a powerful animal courage potion, transforming overnight into a swaggering, fearless clergyman who lectures his superiors.
• The Bishop: A large, burly church authority who is chased up a tree by a dog, rescued by Augustine, and coaxed into a night of juvenile mischief.
• Lancelot Mulliner: A passionate young poet who refuses to work in his uncle's pickle business, choosing instead to pursue high romance despite public humiliation.
• William Mulliner: A modest relative who experiences his very first stiff drink in San Francisco, confusing the aftermath of a massive earthquake with a personal health catastrophe.
• Clarence Mulliner: A high-minded photographer who views photographing unattractive people as an insult to his craft, fiercely defending his artistic standards against pressuring clients.
• James Rodman: A dedicated bachelor and detective story writer who moves into a cottage infested with romantic vibes that threaten to force him into unwanted matrimony.
• William the Dog: A scruffy, class-blind mongrel whose abrupt, uncouth behavior disrupts romantic moments and saves his master from a impending proposal.

In Its Own Voice

'Tradition has maligned them. I am a fisherman myself, and I have never told a lie in my life.'

Mr. Mulliner defends his trade to a stranger in the Anglers' Rest before embarking on his first unbelievable family tale.

'One teaspoonful of the Buck-U-Uppo 'B' administered in its morning bran-mash will cause the most timid elephant to trumpet loudly and charge the fiercest tiger without a qualm.'

Wilfred Mulliner writes to warn his nephew about the extreme potency of the secret mixture sent by mistake.

'Gentlemen, we plead justification. The whole case turns upon one question. Is a photographer entitled to assault--either with or, as the case may be, without a tripod--a sitter who, after being warned that his face is not up to the minimum standard requirements, insists upon remaining in the chair and moistening the lips with the tip of the tongue?'

Sir Joseph Bodger defends Clarence Mulliner in court after Clarence physically ejects an unsightly mayor from his photography studio.

What It's Really About

Beneath its bright, lighthearted exterior, the book plays continually with the absurd pressures of social expectations, decorum, and class dynamics in early twentieth-century England. It examines how fragile human dignity becomes when confronted by sudden romantic passion, overbearing authority figures, or unexpected chaos. The stories repeatedly contrast high-minded ideals—such as artistic purity, clerical dignity, or bachelor independence—with the messy, unpredictable realities of everyday life. By allowing timid curates, awkward poets, and rigid craftsmen to overcome their anxieties through extraordinary or absurd circumstances, the narrative celebrates the triumph of the underdog. Ultimately, it exposes the sheer silliness underlying formal social institutions, showing that behind solemn titles and strict manners, humanity remains gloriously, absurdly vulnerable to foolishness.

Why Read It Today

Readers seeking pure escapism, linguistic wit, and vintage English humor will find this collection immensely rewarding. Its joyful prose moves at a brisk pace, relying on crisp dialogue, flawless comic timing, and delightful hyperbole that makes the ridiculous sound entirely logical. Reading it feels like sitting in a warm, welcoming pub listening to an exceptionally talented storyteller who never lets reality stand in the way of a good yarn.

Modern readers should note that the stories reflect the period in which they were written, containing occasional references to outdated racial terminology and period attitudes—such as casual remarks about colonial India—that reveal the era's prejudices. Additionally, the heavy reliance on upper-class English slang, formal clerical references, and theatrical dialogue may initially require a slight adjustment for those unfamiliar with early 1900s farce. However, these period elements do not diminish the collection's core appeal. The book’s warmth, inventive situations, and timeless comedic heart remain thoroughly entertaining, offering an ideal entry point for anyone discovering Wodehouse's unique genius.