Britain’s two best humorous books according to the jury Wodehouse prize

LONDON. Woodhouse Prize winners include a writer from Ireland and the daughter of Lord Rothschild.

Only a long period of persecution and allegations of collaboration, removed from Pelam Grenville Wodehouse in old age, prevented the appearance of the award of his name during his lifetime. The broadcast of stories about life in the camp for the displaced, which the writer sought to support their relatives overseas, was perceived in England as a betrayal. Knighting, the intercession of Orwell and Waugh, the full justification as a result of the investigation did not help return the writer to his homeland. A reclusive lifestyle surrounded by a “crowd” of dogs and cats suited Woodhouse, who did not want new emotional upheavals and continued to write his hilarious stories and novels.

The Wodehouse prize is awarded annually for the most talented comedy. This year, the jury was not able to give preference to a single candidate, so two were named winners: Paul Murray for the book The Mark and the Void and Hannah Rothschild for The Improbability of Love. Murray’s previous teenage novel, Skippy Dies, entered the 2010 Top Ten Novels of the Year, and was also nominated for the Wodehouse prize and Booker prize.

For Hannah Rothschild, such a high assessment of her debut novel about paintings, art dealers and Russian oligarchs was a complete surprise. Despite the fabulous wealth of her family, Hannah does not at all resemble a playgirl. Member of the board of directors of a financial company, talented documentary filmmaker, future head of the London National Gallery. If it is possible to agree with a constant time pressure, readers will be able to get acquainted with her next book, no less exciting and witty, - about a trip to India.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru