Ruggles of Red Gap

Red Gap, Washington, is a town where men brag about their ancestors and mostly make them up. So when an English valet named Ruggles arrives - proper, dignified, fluent in French and the language of silver forks - the locals don't know what hit them. They assume he must be some kind of duke. Harry Leon Wilson's 1915 bestseller follows Ruggles as he navigates the wilds of the American frontier, where his impeccable manners and refined speech make him an instant celebrity among social climbers desperate for polish. The comedy inverts everything: the Americans are certain they've acquired a piece of aristocracy, while Ruggles simply cannot understand why anyone would care. Wilson's satire cuts deeper than Wodehouse - this is comedy with teeth, exposing the absurdity of class pretense and the strange things Americans will believe about English servants. The novel was a massive bestseller in its day and became an enduring classic thanks to a beloved film adaptation. If you love sharp social comedy and watching pompous people exposed, this is your book.