"Best Seller" is a

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

by the British comic writer

P. G. Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, ( ; 15 October 188114 February 1975) was an English author and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Jeev ...

. A part of the

Mr. Mulliner Mr. Mulliner is a fictional character from the short stories of P. G. Wodehouse. Mr. Mulliner is a loquacious pub raconteur who, no matter what the topic of conversation, can find an appropriate (if improbable) story about a member of his fam ...

series, the story was first published in the US in ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

'' in June 1930, and in the UK in ''

The Strand Magazine ''The Strand Magazine'' was a monthly British magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950, running to 711 issues, though the ...

'' in July 1930. The ''Cosmopolitan'' version of the story does not include Mr Mulliner. The Mulliner version of the story was included in the collection ''

Mulliner Nights ''Mulliner Nights'' is a collection of short stories by P. G. Wodehouse. First published in the United Kingdom on 17 January 1933 by Herbert Jenkins, and in the United States on 15 February 1933 by Doubleday, Doran.McIlvaine (1990), pp. 63–6 ...

'' (1933). "Best Seller" was rewritten from an earlier story, "Parted Ways", which was published in the US in the ''Strand'' in December 1901, and in the UK in ''

Pictorial Review The ''Pictorial Review'' was an American women's magazine published from 1899 to 1939. Based in New York, the ''Pictorial Review'' was first published in September 1899. The magazine was originally designed to showcase dress patterns of German i ...

'' in June 1947.

Plot

Egbert Mulliner, a literary critic, falls in love with Evangeline Pembury while recovering from an overdose of interviewing female novelists. After ensuring that she doesn't secretly write novels or short stories, he confesses his love to her and she reciprocates. Love, however, makes Evangeline write a romantic novel 'Parted Ways' which ends up becoming a best seller. A literary agent arrives, Egbert finds himself cut off from his love, and the couple 'part ways'. A change comes over Egbert and, whenever a female novelist has to be interviewed, Egbert boldly goes. Thus, he finds himself interviewing Evangeline for an article for his paper. Evangeline breaks down, confesses that she has committed to writing three novels and several short stories but cannot write another word, and Egbert steps into the breach with novels that he had written when but a struggling young man.

Publication history

"Best Seller" was illustrated by

James Montgomery Flagg James Montgomery Flagg (June 18, 1877 – May 27, 1960) was an American artist, comics artist and illustrator. He worked in media ranging from fine art painting to cartooning, but is best remembered for his political posters, particularly his 1 ...

in ''Cosmopolitan''. It was illustrated by Charles Crombie in the ''Strand''. The original story "Parted Ways" was illustrated by

Alfred Leete Alfred Ambrose Chew Leete (1882–1933) was a British graphic artist. Born at Thorpe Achurch, Northamptonshire, he studied at Kingsholme School and The School of Science and Art (now Weston College) in Weston-super-Mare, before moving to ...

in the ''Strand'', and by Walter Tittle in ''Pictorial Review''. It was collected in the ''Mulliner Omnibus'', published in 1935 by Herbert Jenkins Limited, and in ''The World of Mr. Mulliner'', published in the UK in 1972 by Barrie & Jenkins and issued in the US in 1974 by the Taplinger Publishing Company. It was also included in the 1939 collection ''The Week-End Wodehouse'' (US edition), published by Doubleday, Doran & Co. The 1962 anthology ''Enjoy These Stories! Fourth Selection'', included "Best Seller". The anthology was edited by Cedric Austin, illustrated by

Brian Wildsmith Brian Lawrence Wildsmith (22 January 1930 – 31 August 2016) was a British painter and children's book illustrator. He won the 1962 Kate Greenaway Medal for British children's book illustration, for the wordless alphabet book ''ABC''. In all h ...

, and published by Ginn, London.McIlvaine (1990), p. 194, E8.

References

;Notes ;Sources * {{Authority control Short stories by P. G. Wodehouse 1930 short stories Works originally published in Cosmopolitan (magazine)

Plot

Publication history

See also

References