Funny Books: Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Edition

December 5, 2024 4:11 PM

"The Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize is the UK’s only literary award for comic writing. Celebrating novels in the spirit of P G Wodehouse, the prize prides itself on discovering true comic gems – from Paul Torday’s Salmon Fishing in the Yemen to Marina Lewycka’s A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian and DBC Pierre’s Vernon God Little. Sponsored by Champagne Bollinger, the lucky winner of the prize can expect a jeroboam of Bollinger, as well as a set of the Everyman Wodehouse collection and – in true Wodehousian style - a local pig named after their winning novel." Run since 2000, that's a whole passel of winners and shortlist titles to tickle your ribs, up to and including the 2024 winner: Ferdia Lennon, for Glorious Exploits.
posted by cupcakeninja (9 comments total)

Glorious Exploits was very good and very funny (and a little sad). Not remotely Wodehouse-ian, but I know that's not the point of the prize.
posted by Gadarene at 4:41 PM on December 5, 2024 [1 favorite]

Is there a link somewhere to a list of the previous winners?
posted by Vegiemon at 5:01 PM on December 5, 2024

Yes, if you click the "Read more" link on the prize's home page, in the burgundy rectangle, it takes you to the official list. Or, you can view them on Wikipedia. Not sure, but I suspect the WP content may be more accessible, given the pop up on the official page.
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:11 PM on December 5, 2024 [3 favorites]

Here's the Bookseller article, set free

[You could set that prize pig free and I doubt they'd run very far. Some pig!]]
posted by chavenet at 12:30 AM on December 6, 2024 [1 favorite]

I think Lennon's quote is very much in the style, as well: For Samuel Beckett, the act of writing was the placing of stains on silence and nothingness. For me, it has always been more of a means to secure pig naming rights, so I am very pleased indeed.
posted by chavenet at 12:33 AM on December 6, 2024 [5 favorites]

The pig is an absolute unit.
posted by Phanx at 1:42 AM on December 6, 2024 [3 favorites]

…the UK’s only literary award for comic writing…

The only one for professional, published writing, but let us not forget To Hull and Back with its bizarre prize.
posted by Phanx at 1:44 AM on December 6, 2024 [2 favorites]

Or, you can view them on Wikipedia.

Good, some of my 21st century faves are citied, even if they don't always win.
posted by ovvl at 6:46 AM on December 6, 2024

For the record, a jeraboam is three liters, good for a healthy number of hearty celebrants. There are smaller and larger bottles available. Prices vary, of course, but here's what you can pay for the basic prize sized Bollingers.
posted by BWA at 4:21 PM on December 6, 2024 [1 favorite]