400 pages, 1982, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd (hardback) and 2001 by Prion Books (paperback), both with photos.
Ms Donaldson had the advantage over many other biographers in that she knew PG over many years (from her days at school with his step-daughter Leonora, when he was about 40) and over earlier biographers in particular in that she had access to many papers for the first time. Not surprisingly then, this book includes much of Leonora's published article about PG, which he apparently liked, and has a good section on his early life. It also has some useful asides on where and why there are differences between biographies - an important lesson for anyone reading several and wondering which to trust.¹ Interestingly, Ms Donaldson was not a fan of his work.
Perhaps the most important section of this book is its coverage of the war years with extracts from his camp diary and the full text of the Berlin broadcasts. Anyone reading these can be left in little doubt that his motives were innocent but his actions naive. The uninformed viciousness of some critics (also reproduced) can be seen today with other celebrities and conflicts showing that the old maxim is still true - 'the first casualty of war is truth.'
530 pages with photos, 2004, published by Viking.
530 pages seems good value but with 82 pages of notes plus an index, at least a fifth can be written off. Worse, the 'notes' are simply lists of sources which are not cross-referenced in the text. Some of the photos have been published before (including in 'Yours, Plum') but that might reflect the paucity of such photos. It is also dry at times with hints of padding or, put another way, strong on information but weak on readability - not for bedtime.
Good on the Broadway days and his tax problems, enthusiasts might find it a useful supplement² to the Donaldson book now that cheap copies are available. Please note there are claims that the book is easily damaged (mine has been).
294 pages, 1975, published by Garnstone Press, London. with photos. (Also published 1981 in paperback by Continuum.)
A burst of humour gets this book off to a good start although that is not carried through, Mr Jasen not attempting to compete with the man he calls the master. It is good on the early and theatre days, less good on the broadcasts (much information was not available in 1975) and omits the tax problems entirely. Although less informative² than Donaldson and McCrum it is much easier to read, marred only by an unfortunate choice of typeface for lyrics and page headings (hard to read in my copy).
120 pages, 101 photos, 1979, published by B. T. Batsford Ltd.
Most of the text consists of the character and cast lists of first performances along with lists of published and performed songs. There is much confusion over who wrote what in some of the musicals and this book does not help clarify this. However, the real attraction is the wonderful collection of photographs of the players, song sheets and other memorabilia.
P. G. Wodehouse: A Literary Biography by Benny Green. Pavilion Books, London, 1981. 256 pages. (Also published 1983 in paperback by Oxford Paperbacks.)
P. G. Wodehouse: A Critical and Historical Essay by Owen Dudley Edwards. Martin Brian & O'Keefe, 1977. 232 pages.
P. G. Wodehouse: Man and Myth by Barry Phelps. Constable, London, 1992. 344 pages.
Wodehouse at Work by Richard Usborne. (Also listed as Wodehouse at Work to the End.) Herbert Jenkins, 1961. 224 pages. Revised edition published 1976 by Barrie and Jenkins and that version in paperback 1978 by Penguin.
2. In my opinion, the Donaldson book is the best if you only want one. Whether you then read either the McCrum or Jasen depends on whether you want detailed information (McCrum) or an easy read (Jasen).