The Swoop!
P. G. Wodehouse
Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021)
The Swoop! tells of the simultaneous invasion of England by several armies ā "England was not merely beneath the heel of the invader. It was beneath the heels of nine invaders. There was barely standing-room." (ch. 1) ā and features references to many well-known figures of the day, among them the politician Herbert Gladstone, novelist Edgar Wallace, actor-managers Seymour Hicks and George Edwardes, and boxer Bob Fitzsimmons. (Summary from Wikipedia) (2 hr 3 min)
Chapters
| 1-01 An English Boy's Home | 7:46 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 1-02 The Invaders | 7:00 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 1-03 England's Peril | 5:08 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 1-04 What England Thought of It | 7:18 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 1-05-06 - The Germans Reach London and The Bombardment of London | 6:41 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 1-07 - A Conference of the Powers | 12:00 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-01 - In the Boy Scouts' Camp | 10:55 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-02 - An Important Engagement | 5:55 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-03 - A Bird's-Eye View of the Situation | 3:57 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-04 - Clarence Hears Important News | 6:26 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-05 - Seeds of Discord | 4:16 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-06 - The Bomb-Shell | 10:07 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-07 - The Bird | 10:30 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-08 - The Meeting at the Scotch Stores | 7:18 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-09 - The Great Battle | 7:25 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-10 - The Triumph of England | 6:44 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| 2-11 - Clarence -- The Last Phase | 4:10 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
Reviews
A sweeping listen
BlueCat
Invaders, entertainment businesses and boy scouts all come together in this delightful comical satire. The story was funny, but not really hilarious: I feel like some opportunities for even more hilarity and absurdity were lost. Not really what I would have expected from Wodehouse, having read some Jeeves & Wooster -books before, but I enjoyed this nevertheless! And the reader did a great job too!
I love Wodehouse
mikezane
He's such a hoot. In this story, a bunch of invaders attack the same location, and the folks living there just pretty much hang out and watch the invaders fight each other over the place. Oh, and of course they fan the flames where possible. It's a great story. The reader did a nice job, recordings were great. Thanks!
Wayne
One of his early works, Wodehouse's characteristic wit and linguistic magic is just taking shape and hints of the marvel of his later classics are heard throughout. The story is all at once a parody of English society, the press, the stage, the military, and even the just founded Boy Scouts. A must read for any Wodehouse fan.
Natural Family
Beautifully clear reading of this rare satirical book by PG Wodehouse. Not his usual fare, but enlivened by his usual humour and gift for turning a phrase upside down and getting full value out it. I enjoyed the opportunity to hear literature of his that had not previously come my way and I was not disappointed.
Wodehouse's Genius Shines Through
A LibriVox Listener
...this wild tale of boy scouts vs invaders. I laughed so hard at some parts. Kudos to the reader for keeping it together š
A wonderful parody, very well read
Boomcoach
Wodehouse's humor is at its dryest in this parody of invasion literature. This is a librivox offering, and is very well read.
NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS
Avid Listener
The wit of Wodehouse was never sharper than in this short invasion. British aplomb makes this farce almost believeable. Good read also.
Not what I thought it would be
Ewalde
I like p.g. wodehouse. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I download this, but it was good!