Three Men in a Boat

Classics for Your Collection:

goo.gl/U80LCr

———

You Are in for a Humor Treat

This book Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) was an instant hit when it was first published in 1889, with its benign escapism, authorial discursions, Victorian humor, it hilariously captured the spirit of its age. This story was inspired by Jerome’s honeymoon and based on himself and two real-life friends

One of the most praised things about Three Men in a Boat is how undated it appears to modern readers – the jokes seem fresh and witty even today.

The story (or rather the fun cruise) begins with George Wingrave, Harris (Carl Hentschel in real life), and Jerome (the author himself and who is always referred to as “J.”), decide on a leisurely boat trip up the River Thames, from Kingston upon Thames to Oxford and back to Kingston. They are also accompanied by Jerome’s dog, a fox terrier, called Montmorency.

They meet one evening and begin discussing their busy lives and how they feel stressed and overworked. So, they take this trip to London in a boat on Thames, as craze for boating as a leisure activity was rampant during the 1880s. They encounter a series of amusing, poignant and strange happenings along the river.

The book holds immense appeal for readers of all ages and is one that evokes the same entertainment and amusement even after several readings.

Jerome is also known for the books Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow and Three Men on the Bummel the sequel to Three Men in a Boat.

Trivia:

1. The most funny thing about the book was that Three Men in a Boat was originally meant to be a serious piece of travel writing, a travelogue, full of local flavors, legends and folklore about England’s mighty river.

As it turned out, somewhere along the way, the author Jerome found himself catapulted into creating a fun-filled, laughter-evoking comic mis-adventure!

2. The dog, Montmorency, is entirely fictional, but “as Jerome admits, developed out of that area of inner consciousness which, in all Englishmen, contains an element of the dog.”

3. The novel is narrated by J. He is a young, single middle-class man living in London, much like the author himself at the time of the publication of the book, and the initial J is possibly meant to suggest that he stands in for Jerome.

4. The book is among the 100 greatest novels of all time.

The Places You’ll come across in the book:

London:
The largest city in England and the home of the three men who embark on the boat trip.

Thames River
One of the major rivers in England, the Thames flows down through Oxford to London. It is on the Thames that the men take their boat trip.

Kingston
The starting point of the journey.

Hampton
A town near the beginning of the trip where boating is popular and the residents wear the most flashy boating costumes.

Kempton Park
Where Harris and J stop for lunch the first day, under some willows.

Waterloo Station
The large railroad station where Harris and J catch the train to Kingston.

Sunbury Lock
One of the locks Harris and J pass through on the first afternoon of rowing.

Walton
A quaint riverside town on the way to Weybridge.

Scroll Up and Grab Your Copy!

Also by Jerome J. Jerome

1. The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
https://www.createspace.com/6390756