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Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Penguin Classics (1999), Edition: Reissue, 400 pages
Description
`Other works may excel this in depth of thought and knowledge of human nature: other books may rival it in originality and size; but, for hopeless and incurable vivacity, nothing yet discovered can surpass it.' (Jerome, Preface to Three Men in a Boat).Three Men in a Boat describes a comic expedition by middle-class Victorians up the Thames to Oxford. It provides brilliant snap-shots of London's playground in the late 1880s, where the fashionable steam-launches of river swells encounter the hired skiffs of city clerks. The medley of socialvignettes, farcical incidents, descriptions of river fashions, and reflections on the Thames's history, is interspersed with humorous anecdotes told by a natural raconteur.Three Men on the Bummel records a similar escapade, a break from the claustrophobia of suburban life some ten years later; their cycling tour in the Black Forest, at the height of the new bicycling craze, affords Jerome the opportunity for a light-hearted scrutiny of German social customs at a timeof increasing general interest in a country that he loved. This account of middle-aged Englishmen abroad is spiced with typical Jeromian humour.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member norabelle414
[Three Men in a Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog!] by [[Jerome K. Jerome]] - J. and his friends Harris and George are bored, and so they decide to go on a boating vacation up the Thames. (With J.'s dog Montmorency.) They have benign but hilarious adventures and also discuss the scenery around them
[Three Men on the Bummel] by [[Jerome K. Jerome]] - 10+ years later, J. and Harris need a break from married life and fatherhood so they recruit George (who is still a bachelor) and the three of them go on another vacation. This time they decide to go on a bicycle trip through the Black Forest. Not a lot of actual bicycling is done, of course, but there is no lack of excuses as to why they need to be driven somewhere instead.
These books were so hilarious; I really wish they had been on my radar earlier. The best part of the first book is, of course, the dog (whom J. talks about as if he was a person). There is an unfortunate lack of dog in the second book, but it's hilarious none the less. I enjoyed the copious commentary on Germany and Germans, and felt definite pangs of nostalgia as they traveled through Prague. J. and his friends were part of a whole new class of people at that point in history - the middle class, who had spending money but no pretensions or social obligations. Reading about them having fun (and then three pages about J's uncle trying to hang a picture, and then more about them having fun) is truly delightful.
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as they travel from London to Oxford, and its importance in English history. J. narrates with many, many tangential anecdotes about this uncle that taught him how best to pack a trunk and that friend who got stuck in the river without a paddle.[Three Men on the Bummel] by [[Jerome K. Jerome]] - 10+ years later, J. and Harris need a break from married life and fatherhood so they recruit George (who is still a bachelor) and the three of them go on another vacation. This time they decide to go on a bicycle trip through the Black Forest. Not a lot of actual bicycling is done, of course, but there is no lack of excuses as to why they need to be driven somewhere instead.
These books were so hilarious; I really wish they had been on my radar earlier. The best part of the first book is, of course, the dog (whom J. talks about as if he was a person). There is an unfortunate lack of dog in the second book, but it's hilarious none the less. I enjoyed the copious commentary on Germany and Germans, and felt definite pangs of nostalgia as they traveled through Prague. J. and his friends were part of a whole new class of people at that point in history - the middle class, who had spending money but no pretensions or social obligations. Reading about them having fun (and then three pages about J's uncle trying to hang a picture, and then more about them having fun) is truly delightful.
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LibraryThing member phoebesmum
Most people are familiar with 'Three Men in a Boat' (and if they’re not, they jolly well should be). Not so many, I think, have read the sequel, in which a much older – though absolutely no wiser – Harris, George and J decide to leave family cares behind them and tour Germany by bicycle. The
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book was published in 1900, the comic German stereotypes have been pretty much eclipsed by a century and two World Wars, and geographical boundaries have changed almost beyond recognition, but the book remains an entertaining period piece. Show Less
LibraryThing member figre
There are words that have fallen out of disfavor. They have taken on the feel of age or mustiness or a sense that what was once a compliment has now turned into something less. One such word is "whimsy". We may get by with occasionally calling something whimsical. But if we say that something has
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the word. It is a word intended to imply fun and playfulness with a hint of unpredictability. It is a word that speaks of a type of humor that does not take itself too seriously. It is not mean humor; it is humor that is just meant to be enjoyed.
A perfectly good word and a word that is definitely complimentary.
Upon completing the two books included in this collection, the first word that came to mind was whimsy. In Three Men and a Boat we follow J. and his two friends as they try their best to enjoy a voyage up the Thames. This journey is a story of the many things that go wrong. However, if that were all, then it would be farce and pratfalls. No, it becomes more (hilariously more) because Jerome is able to describe the foibles of the three in a way that is also enlightening about their characters. These are not ciphers just falling in the mud; these are flawed (funny) people falling in the mud.
The second book, Three Men on the Bummel, follows the same three friends as they decide to take a bike ride through Germany. The same flaws, foibles, and falls harass the three in a different environment. But this is more than just the same story told in a different location. Jerome is able to bring a new perspective to these individuals while exploring a whole new geographic area. Time has changed the three. But within they are still as hapless as ever. In particular, the attempts to convince their wives (wives which did not exist in the first story) of the importance of the voyage are particular enlightening while being very funny.
There is an extra nuance put to these tales because of the historical backdrop – a period that was not historical at the time of the writing. Travels up the Thames were all the rage at the time, but it was also a time that was seeing changes in the landscape and the population. This is evident in the story that is told, and part of the humor comes from those changes – changes that were not always welcome by everyone.
Similarly, by the time Bummel was published, bicycles were all the rage and everyone was making similar trips. What becomes strange in this second tale is that we all know what is about to happen in Germany. In fact, changes were in the works, and the world was gearing for war (even if it didn't know it.) Some of the last paragraphs are hard to read because we know where some of this is going to lead.
Thinking about it just a touch more, it is interesting that I chose the word whimsy when I am talking about books written in 1889 and 1900. An old word for some old books. And maybe the reason the word "whimsy" has fallen out of fashion is because this type of book has fallen out of fashion. If so, it is indeed a shame. I literally laughed out loud while reading some passages (as always, strange looks from fellow passengers on the plane) and spent most of the time smiling. That is not a bad thing. And if, because of it, I have to defend "whimsy", then so be it. I would suggest you try these books and see if you can't become a fan of whimsy yourself.
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whimsy or is a piece of whimsy, there is a suggestion that we are being somewhat derogatory.There is absolutely nothing wrong with the word. It is a word intended to imply fun and playfulness with a hint of unpredictability. It is a word that speaks of a type of humor that does not take itself too seriously. It is not mean humor; it is humor that is just meant to be enjoyed.
A perfectly good word and a word that is definitely complimentary.
Upon completing the two books included in this collection, the first word that came to mind was whimsy. In Three Men and a Boat we follow J. and his two friends as they try their best to enjoy a voyage up the Thames. This journey is a story of the many things that go wrong. However, if that were all, then it would be farce and pratfalls. No, it becomes more (hilariously more) because Jerome is able to describe the foibles of the three in a way that is also enlightening about their characters. These are not ciphers just falling in the mud; these are flawed (funny) people falling in the mud.
The second book, Three Men on the Bummel, follows the same three friends as they decide to take a bike ride through Germany. The same flaws, foibles, and falls harass the three in a different environment. But this is more than just the same story told in a different location. Jerome is able to bring a new perspective to these individuals while exploring a whole new geographic area. Time has changed the three. But within they are still as hapless as ever. In particular, the attempts to convince their wives (wives which did not exist in the first story) of the importance of the voyage are particular enlightening while being very funny.
There is an extra nuance put to these tales because of the historical backdrop – a period that was not historical at the time of the writing. Travels up the Thames were all the rage at the time, but it was also a time that was seeing changes in the landscape and the population. This is evident in the story that is told, and part of the humor comes from those changes – changes that were not always welcome by everyone.
Similarly, by the time Bummel was published, bicycles were all the rage and everyone was making similar trips. What becomes strange in this second tale is that we all know what is about to happen in Germany. In fact, changes were in the works, and the world was gearing for war (even if it didn't know it.) Some of the last paragraphs are hard to read because we know where some of this is going to lead.
Thinking about it just a touch more, it is interesting that I chose the word whimsy when I am talking about books written in 1889 and 1900. An old word for some old books. And maybe the reason the word "whimsy" has fallen out of fashion is because this type of book has fallen out of fashion. If so, it is indeed a shame. I literally laughed out loud while reading some passages (as always, strange looks from fellow passengers on the plane) and spent most of the time smiling. That is not a bad thing. And if, because of it, I have to defend "whimsy", then so be it. I would suggest you try these books and see if you can't become a fan of whimsy yourself.
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LibraryThing member nillacat
Charming and funny, with occasional lovely passages, some lovely in spite of themselves, since he seems to want to make fun of the romantic streak that is apt to come out in even the most pedestrian people when faced with a pretty vista. And if you are honest with yourself, you will admit the many
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foibles he pokes fun at in himself. Show Less
LibraryThing member JimBrewington
Someone said "possibly the funniest book ever written." It isn't. First published in 1886 - a classic. Tedious, old English humor, ironic.
LibraryThing member selkins
Amusing piffle about Brits at leisure (late 19th-cent.). I think Three Men on the Bummel is even better than the earlier and more famous Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the dog), but then I really loved the sections where the (English) men were practicing the (insulting/unlikely) English
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phrases from an English-German phrasebook on English shopkeepers (prior to learning the German phrases), and where one guy working on his bicycle kept getting endless advice from "helpful" passers-by.. May seem a bit slow to some. Show Less
LibraryThing member stuart10er
This review is for "Three men in a boat" although it could easily be for the men on the Brummel. 3 men from London (and their dog) are fatigued from life in the busy city of London. They decide to spend a restful week punting up the Thames to Oxford. Funny in times and picturesque if nothing else.
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I reread it now since it takes place in and around Henley, where we now live. Show Less
LibraryThing member shabacus
There are two books in this compilation, and I will review them individually.
Three Men in a Boat is to the Victorian era what the works of P.G. Wodehouse are to the Edwardian. Very funny, in the understated British way, with a lot of comic juxtaposition of elevated language to describe mundane
And it was a journey that I was sad to see at an end. In fact, the ending took me off guard, possibly in part because I didn't know it was coming so soon. (The peril of reading a novel that only takes up the first half of a physical book.) I wasn't ready to leave these characters, so it's a good thing that I have another journey to take with them. And maybe I'll get to find out what a "bummel" actually is.
Three Men on the Bummel: Apparently, a bummel just means a ramble or wandering journey. It's German, which sets the tone for the novel, which describes just such a wandering journey through that country. It's the very end of the 19th century, and we get a very interesting view of a united, nearly modern Germany, but before the world wars case a spectre over the country. Nevertheless, Jerome shows us militarism and a predisposition to Fascism that is almost prescient.
As a result, the carefree tone of the first book is utterly gone. The prose is charming, the story itself very much the same as in the original, but the modern reader has different eyes, and mat find it much less humorous as a result.
Nevertheless, I loved it. It gave great insight into life in Europe at the time, during a period that often is overlooked.
Three Men in a Boat is to the Victorian era what the works of P.G. Wodehouse are to the Edwardian. Very funny, in the understated British way, with a lot of comic juxtaposition of elevated language to describe mundane
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matters, and vice versa. What sets this book aside is the convivial atmosphere that these three men exhibit, which invites the reader in and makes them feel part of the journey.And it was a journey that I was sad to see at an end. In fact, the ending took me off guard, possibly in part because I didn't know it was coming so soon. (The peril of reading a novel that only takes up the first half of a physical book.) I wasn't ready to leave these characters, so it's a good thing that I have another journey to take with them. And maybe I'll get to find out what a "bummel" actually is.
Three Men on the Bummel: Apparently, a bummel just means a ramble or wandering journey. It's German, which sets the tone for the novel, which describes just such a wandering journey through that country. It's the very end of the 19th century, and we get a very interesting view of a united, nearly modern Germany, but before the world wars case a spectre over the country. Nevertheless, Jerome shows us militarism and a predisposition to Fascism that is almost prescient.
As a result, the carefree tone of the first book is utterly gone. The prose is charming, the story itself very much the same as in the original, but the modern reader has different eyes, and mat find it much less humorous as a result.
Nevertheless, I loved it. It gave great insight into life in Europe at the time, during a period that often is overlooked.
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LibraryThing member redfiona
Three Men In A Boat - There is a reason this is a classic. It's not just that it's hilarious, although it is. It's the way that you know people like George, Harris and J, and everyone's had disasters just like theirs.
The other interesting thing is that you don't feel like you're reading something
This is awesome.
Three Men On The Bummel - I can see why Jerome didn't write a lot of the more descriptive passages that were found in Three Men In A Boat in this, it left more room for commentary on the people they meet on their journey and getting permission to go on it in the first place, but I did miss them a bit. Mostly I would have liked to have known what Dresden looked like, because I could follow their journey round Berlin and Prague, but Dresden's changed so much that I didn't have a hope.
I also loved the bits about the German language and the teaching of foreign languages in England.
The other interesting thing is that you don't feel like you're reading something
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set more than a hundred years ago. It's just the occasional mention of things like steam launches that make you remember it.This is awesome.
Three Men On The Bummel - I can see why Jerome didn't write a lot of the more descriptive passages that were found in Three Men In A Boat in this, it left more room for commentary on the people they meet on their journey and getting permission to go on it in the first place, but I did miss them a bit. Mostly I would have liked to have known what Dresden looked like, because I could follow their journey round Berlin and Prague, but Dresden's changed so much that I didn't have a hope.
I also loved the bits about the German language and the teaching of foreign languages in England.
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LibraryThing member electrascaife
Three men go on a river journey. In a boat. Hilarity supposedly ensues.
Apparently this is not the kind of humor I appreciate. I saw what he was trying to do and how he was trying to be funny, but it just came over as tedious and dull for me. *shrug*
Apparently this is not the kind of humor I appreciate. I saw what he was trying to do and how he was trying to be funny, but it just came over as tedious and dull for me. *shrug*
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1889 (Three Men in a Boat)
1900 (Three Men on the Bummel)
Physical description
400 p.; 7.74 inches
ISBN
0140437509 / 9780140437508