Jerome K. Jerome - Three Men In A Boat (Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K. Jerome)

Member Name: Alternum

Product:	Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K. Jerome
Date:	14/08/00 (469 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Absolutely hilarious; wonderful characterisations

Disadvantages: It's too short!

A book that can make you laugh out loud is without doubt a very rare, and a very good thing - and this is the only one that I can remember reading that has done so consistently.

It is the tale of three young men - the author (J.), George and Harris, together with the dog, Montmorency - who decide, after a bout of sustained hypochondria, to hire a boat and row up the Thames for two weeks, as a way of revitalising themselves. Of course they get into various little scrapes and mishaps - steam launches, locks and cats all get in the way - and these are recounted in such a dry and caustic style that you can't help yourself but laugh. The human characterisations are perfect: we have the tale-telling fishermen, the lazy one of the group, the superior one of the group, and so on; and the discussions of the little human neuroses we all have, such as waiting for the kettle to boil, and how you always think you are the only one doing any work, are faultlessly funny.

Littered also with historical sections and amusing reminiscences about the author's life - almost as if you are thinking right there with him - this is a real treasure, one of those books you want to go on and on and on and never stop reading. It is a great pity it runs to only about 180 pages.

In essence, if you love slightly dry and ironic humour, then you will absolutely love this; and even if you don't, then you will still find here plenty to amuse.

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