Three Men in a Boat (Three Men, #1) in Never too Late to Read Classics

Aug 01, 2017 Chrissie rated it liked it

Shelves: great-britain, travel, fauna, audible-uk, classics, 2017-read, history, humor, bio

This began as a tourist guide. Written in 1889, Jerome K. Jerome’s intention was to write a guide describing flora, fauna, the natural beauty and spots of historical interest along the River Thames. To this he added comic anecdotes depicting his own outings on the river with his two friends George Wingrave and Carl Hentschel. It was the humor that caught Edwardian readers’ attention. The book became a classic not for its touristic content but rather its humor.

We are given the tale of J., George This began as a tourist guide. Written in 1889, Jerome K. Jerome’s intention was to write a guide describing flora, fauna, the natural beauty and spots of historical interest along the River Thames. To this he added comic anecdotes depicting his own outings on the river with his two friends George Wingrave and Carl Hentschel. It was the humor that caught Edwardian readers’ attention. The book became a classic not for its touristic content but rather its humor.

We are given the tale of J., George, Harris (this must be Hentschel) and the dog Montmorency (a rambunctious fox terrier) taking a two-week jaunt in a double sculling skiff up the Thames from Kingston to Oxford, alternately passing through locks, floating with sails hoisted upside-down or sideways or drawn by means of tow-lines that incessantly tangled, nights under the stars or residing in riverside inns when the heavens poured down if a bed or empty pool table were to be found. Three Victorian gentleman and their dog roughing-it, assuaging their hunger with bread and jam, an omelet or say an Irish stew comprised of whatever vittles were to be found, with Montmorency’s rat and other leftovers thrown in. A journey of mishaps and fun.

The historical tidbits are not to be discounted. Reading of one funny incident after another begins to wear thin Learning about sites and events that have occurred along the river in times past add a needed counterweight. They offer a good diversion from the laughs. Some examples are the hedge maze at Hampton Court, King John’s signing in 1215 of the Magna Carta on the so named island on the reach above Bell Weir Lock, Bisham Church in the Royal Borough of Windsor with its tombs and monuments, Shelley’s stay and writing in Marlow, the 12th century Cistercian Medmenham Abbey and more. The tourist information makes a reader wish to repeat their trip today.

The book is not read for its character portrayal. Instead, it is the anecdotes, the funny lines and the historical facts that draw.

If you choose the audiobook narrated by Martin Jarvis, do not forget to read the accompanying PDF file. It contains fascinating biographical information about the author. At fifteen he became an orphan and had to fend for himself. He worked as a clerk at the London and North Western Railway Company. An acting career attracted him for a time and as a playwright he had some success. Then he became a penny-a-line journalist. With publication of Three Men in a Boat his career as a writer was confirmed. It was an immediate success worldwide. He became co-founder of the periodical The Idler and pursued writing until his death in 1927 at the age of 68.

I really enjoyed the narration by Jarvis. He has worked with both film and television and is well known for his voice-acting for radio and audiobook recordings. He captures the jaunty feel of the expedition marvelously. The recording is easy to follow. There is music played between the different chapters. This I could have done without; it disrupts the flow of the book. ...more

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Mar 27, 2010 Laura rated it liked it

Shelves: victorians, audio-books, read-2011

Available at Libri Vox.

Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog), published in 1889, is a humorous account by Jerome K. Jerome of a boating holiday on the Thames between Kingston and Oxford.

The book was intended initially to be a serious travel guide, with accounts of local history of places along the route, but the humorous elements eventually took over, to the point where the serious and somewhat sentimental passages now seem like an unnecessary distraction to the essentially comic novel ...more

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Sep 07, 2017 Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... rated it liked it

Shelves: classics

I think I am not the most appreciative fan of comedy. I loved the TV show Friends, but really hated the movie Airplane. I like smart humor but do not like comedy that appeals to the baser intincts. And with this book choice I realized that I strongly prefer drama (thus my love of Steinbeck and duMaurier). I simply couldn't get into this book. ...more

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Oct 28, 2016 Kate rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: england, read-in-2016, humor

"We agree that we are overworked, and need a rest -- A week on the rolling deep? -- Georeg suggests the river --

"And with the cooperation of several hampers of food and an open boat, the three men (not forgetting the dog) set out on a hilarious voyage of mishaps up the Thames. When his characters are not falling in the river and getting lost in Hampton Court Maze, Jerome K. Jerome finds time to express his ideas n the world around -- many of which have acquired a deeper fascination since the day ...more

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