Tea-Table Talk

by Jerome K. Jerome

Jerome K. Jerome was an English Author best known for Three Men in a Boat. Taking the form of conversations between the writer and characters at the afternoon tea table. Discussing topics of art, marriage, society and politics. They prefer the sound of their own voices to that of anyone else.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Humor, Short Stories, Essays, Audiobook

88 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1903

About the author

Jerome Klapka Jerome was an English writer and humorist, best known for the comic travelogue Three Men in a Boat (1889). Other works include the essay collections Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1886) and Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow; Three Men on the Bummel, a sequel to Three Men in a Boat; and several other novels. Jerome was born in Walsall, England, and, although he was able to attend grammar school, his family suffered from poverty at times, as did he as a young man trying to earn a living in various occupations. In his twenties, he was able to publish some work, and success followed. He married in 1888, and the honeymoon was spent on a boat on the River Thames; he published Three Men in a Boat soon afterwards. He continued to write fiction, non-fiction and plays over the next few decades, though never with the same level of success.

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The words of the author - . . . I wrote the column because I wanted the thirty shillings. Why anybody ever read it, I fail to understand to this day . . . - coincidentally (or not?) apply to this book. Completely forgettable!

[Antonio Gallo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Se leggete questo divertentissimo libro scritto oltre un secolo fa, ritrovate certi riti o rituali ancora vivi ed in voga oggi anche tra noi provinciali. Una donna di mondo, un poeta minore, la giovane speranza, il filosofo e la vecchia signorina, fanno venire alla mente anche il professore che fa anche il giornalista, il preside in pensione, il politico trombato rimasto aspirante, soggetti che conversano amabilmente col narratore davanti ad una tazza di tè.

Una consuetudine tanto "british" quanto italiana, locale e provinciale. L'ambiente descritto dal geniale scrittore inglese Jerome Klapka Jerome si mescola con quello nostrano, si travalica la cognizione di spazio e tempo. Entriamo in una libreria dove, tra austeri scaffali di libri, intorno ad un tavolo si ritrovano e si fanno riprendere dalla telecamera (a dire il vero sarà un semplice cellulare a fare una video clip, al resto ci penserà, dopo qualcuno a metterla in rete su YouTube) l'autore che si autocompiace di assistere amabilmente a quello che gli amici stanno per dire sul suo libro appena uscito. Una sintesi socio-geo-politica degli ultimi decenni durante i quali il prof scrive di se stesso e della sua azione politico culturale, la sua presenza sul territorio. Sono lì convenuti non tanto e non solo per parlarsi addosso, ma sopratutto per parlare addosso a lui che li ha invitati.

A dire il vero, il tè non si vede ma si può immaginare la sua presenza. Non vi è un vero filo logico che leghi gli argomenti, tra i più disparati. I temi si inanellano l’uno nell’altro attraverso gustosi aneddoti e opinioni divergenti. Protagonista assoluta è la conversazione, i pareri espressi sono argomentati ciascuno secondo il proprio stile. I personaggi, abbastanza eccentrici, non hanno nome e si definiscono con il loro status sociale. Spesso sembrano parlare ognuno per proprio conto, senza volersi effettivamente confrontare e relazionare.

Non è questo forse quello che accade nella realtà? Jerome Klapka Jerome lo sa e sa anche come far scorrere la sua narrazione. È, evidentemente, una caratteristica che travalica le epoche e accomuna le persone nella poca disponibilità ad ascoltare e a parlare davvero con l’altro, preferendo il parlarsi addosso, ognuno perso dietro se stesso in un delirio di autoreferenzialità e sostanziale incomunicabilità.

Per questa attualità, oltre che per l’umorismo brillante tipicamente inglese, lo stile semplice ma arguto, l’eleganza delle battute caustiche sui costumi e le situazioni quotidiane, questo piccolo romanzo merita di essere letto, magari degustando proprio “an english tea”. Magari poi rivedendo il tutto sulla clip di YouTube.

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, perhaps due to the unforgettable impression left by the three men on the boat and on the bummel, one expects a laugh riot or at least something humourous to show one how silly people can get at tea table talk. Perhaps that is there, too, but not overtly like the furniture or light or paintings on the wall - more like the air one does not quite notice when it is just right, neither a blowing breeze in winter nor a dead dull in heat of summer, while one goes about one's occupation.

So there is the tea table talk, with tea and a sumptuous English one accompanied by various usual stuff and servants on hand, all of it as little noticed by one while reading this as it would be while being a part of the conversation that takes place here - going from topic to topic, each serious enough, and dealt with seriously enough, by the half dozen or so people that are characters in this. And there is the subtle humour like the air, the tea and the sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries that one notices but in passing - that serious topics are being discussed and decided on in this manner, at a tea table, in a drawing room to begin with and later switching to the garden as the evening descends.

To suit the point, the characters are not named, but given merely the types, Woman of the World and Minor Poet and Girton Girl and so on - so one feels a part of it, being sure one could be at such a gathering or a similar one, with similar serious discussions taking place. And the topics range from men vs women to love to marriage to society to home versus large scale managements, and one forgets what else - after all one does not go about memorising or looking back into the book just to be able to enumerate the topics.

Quite often what is said - by the author, of course, since it could hardly be a real gathering with a recording turned into a book by the author, after all it came into being long before individuals could do that - is quite serious, and one wonders if one should stop reading to reflect. Then one goes on because one cannot help it, and one knows one will remember whatever when necessary - like tools stored at home one finds when needed.

Quite a surprise too, never mind one might have read another one by the author that was not a laugh riot either but a serious one.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014.
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[Yesenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genius.
JKJ is just, a genius.
I could listen to this over and over again.
It is not for everybody--there is no book, there is no plot, there is no character development, there is just a bunch of characters philosophizing.
It's a philosophical treatise written with humor and insight and no pretenses.
And that is what every philosophical treatise should be.
Next week I might argue against that, but hey, that's me. A minor poet meets an old maid meets a woman of the world...

[Stephen Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tea-table philosophy

JKJ at his best in the deep end of tea-table philosophy, putting things into perspective with wisdom, foresight and an acceptance of that which will not change. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Eileanór Bláth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Io ci provo ma è la seconda volta che leggo Jerome e la domanda che mi ronza in testa è sempre la stessa: che senso ha scrivere 'sta roba?
Sarò una pessima persona ma non riesco a dare una motivazione valida per l'esistenza dei suoi libri.

[Kyoko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! It's philosophical, funny, and universal. Each and every character is an archetype representative, so interesting and intriguing in its own way. Tea-table talk by all means. ☕

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, perhaps due to the unforgettable impression left by the three men on the boat and on the bummel, one expects a laugh riot or at least something humourous to show one how silly people can get at tea table talk. Perhaps that is there, too, but not overtly like the furniture or light or paintings on the wall - more like the air one does not quite notice when it is just right, neither a blowing breeze in winter nor a dead dull in heat of summer, while one goes about one's occupation.

So there is the tea table talk, with tea and a sumptuous English one accompanied by various usual stuff and servants on hand, all of it as little noticed by one while reading this as it would be while being a part of the conversation that takes place here - going from topic to topic, each serious enough, and dealt with seriously enough, by the half dozen or so people that are characters in this. And there is the subtle humour like the air, the tea and the sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries that one notices but in passing - that serious topics are being discussed and decided on in this manner, at a tea table, in a drawing room to begin with and later switching to the garden as the evening descends.

To suit the point, the characters are not named, but given merely the types, Woman of the World and Minor Poet and Girton Girl and so on - so one feels a part of it, being sure one could be at such a gathering or a similar one, with similar serious discussions taking place. And the topics range from men vs women to love to marriage to society to home versus large scale managements, and one forgets what else - after all one does not go about memorising or looking back into the book just to be able to enumerate the topics.

Quite often what is said - by the author, of course, since it could hardly be a real gathering with a recording turned into a book by the author, after all it came into being long before individuals could do that - is quite serious, and one wonders if one should stop reading to reflect. Then one goes on because one cannot help it, and one knows one will remember whatever when necessary - like tools stored at home one finds when needed.

Quite a surprise too, never mind one might have read another one by the author that was not a laugh riot either but a serious one.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014.
......................................................................................
......................................................................................

[Daken Howlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simpatico ed ironico sguardo a vari argomenti che affliggono le umane genti da tempi immemori,come l'amore e il matrimonio,visti attraverso lo sguardo di vari personaggi apparentemente anonimi ma che in realtà rappresentano varie frange della società inglese dell'epoca,Dalla nobile alla giovane progressista, passando per l'artista e il tradizionalista.
Nel complesso una lettura veloce e divertente con alcuni interessanti punti di vista su tematiche universali.

[Sanjeev · Rating 4 out of 5]

brilliant , felt dragged at some passages

[Aiàlamode · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Amusing, light-hearted read. Listened on librivox.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was bland for my taste.