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Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)

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Maybe Jerome K Jerome was Bill Bryson's grandfather!

Mar 19, 2010

by cpw1952
posted in Cafe Libri: Reviewing Books & More

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If you can imagine a Bill Bryson comic travelogue written by someone with turn-of-the-20th-century Victorian sensibilities and a typical laid back yet biting, caustic British sense of humour ... then you have a pretty good handle on what to expect when you read Jerome K Jerome's classic "Three Men in a Boat"!

While it was originally intended to be a serious travel guide, the story devolved in the writing into an almost slapstick story of the trials and tribulations of three landlubbers who took it into their minds to take a boating holiday on the Thames River.

Even Jerome's establishment of the raison d'être for the river trip is a wonderful example of that brand of humour that is uniquely British. Three mates, each a worse hypochondriac than the other two, are discussing their respective ills, pains, aches and ailments (and this conversation, by the way, establishes the humour for the entire book that ranges somewhere in a triangle bounded by wry grins, charmed smiles and laugh-out-loud hilarity). The mutual decision is reached that taking the air and relaxing on an open boat trip under canvas on the Thames would be good for what ails everybody. Sherlock Holmes would have said, "The game is afoot!".

If the book were a television show, it might be described as a series of loosely related comedy sketches - the difficulties of learning to play a bagpipe; how to get lost on a river that goes in only one direction; how men typically behave (or misbehave) when they've had too much to drink on a camping trip; how to do as little work as possible while ensuring that your buddies are not aware of what's going on, and so on.

Sit back and enjoy! "Three Men in a Boat" has to be the most easy-reading classic you could possibly find. Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

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Adrianna December 22, 2010

Nice review, Paul! Sounds like a classic quite a few might enjoy.

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smichaelwilson May 02, 2010

A great review on a classic book, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on it! Have you had a chance to read any other of Jerome's works?

cpw1952 May 02, 2010

Thanks for the kind words, michael. Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to try anything else by Jerome yet.

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Bethany_K March 19, 2010

Fantastic review! I've just tweeted it to my friends:)

cpw1952 March 19, 2010

Well, thanks so much, Bethany. What a nice thing to say!

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More Three Men in a Boat (To Say No... reviews

Quick Tip by cpw1952. December 22, 2010

posted in Cafe Libri: Reviewing Books & More

A Quick Tip by cpw1952

Comments (1) Compliments (3)

review by kleversuch. May 19, 2010

posted in Cafe Libri: Reviewing Books & More

Very Funny Classic

I really enjoyed this book! I mean, what is there not to like? Snobby men who suffer from a severe case of hypochondria who believe they can cope with a trip down the Thames in a boat. The storyline is great. The author Jerome K. Jerome is a talented writer who kept me entertained all the way through. I loved the commentary of the journey. Everything they saw had a story and the recollection of them made me laugh. These men thought they were more superior and their thoughts on the surrounding … more

Comments (2) Compliments (20)

Quick Tip by Olgita. June 22, 2010

posted in Cafe Libri: Reviewing Books & More

A Quick Tip by Olgita

This is pleasant, easy to read book. The best thing about it - full of humor!

Comments (1) Compliments (3)

see all Three Men in a Boat (To Say No... reviews (4)

About the reviewer

Paul Weiss (cpw1952)
Ranked #18

A modern day dilettante with widely varied eclectic interests. A dabbler in muchbut grandmaster of none - wilderness camping in all four seasons, hiking, canoeing, world travel,philately, … more