Three Men In a a Boat

"I had the general symptoms, the chief among them being a disinclination to work of any kind."



So begin the hilarious misadventures of a merry, but scandalously lazy band of well-to-do young men-and a plucky and rather world-weary fox terrier named Montmorency-on an idyllic cruise along the River Thames. Feeling seedy, muses one of them dreamily, "What we want is rest." What they find instead is one hapless catastrophe after another. Soggy weather, humiliating dunkings, the irritating behavior of small boats and the "contrariness of teakettles" are just a few of the barbarisms our genteel heroes are forced to endure. But which a delighted reader can only sing, Hooray!



First published in 1889, Three Men in a Boat was an instant success, and Jerome has been compared to comic master P.G. Wodehouse.





Jerome K Jerome (1859-1927) wrote many successful novels and plays. He loved boats and the River Thames, and his most famous, and funniest book, Three Men in a Boat, is about his own experiences with his friends.





Jerome exploits an innocuous boating excursion by three gentlemen to comment on the halcyon days of Victorian England. He contrasts the shallow, self-centered upper-classes with England's great power and prestige at the apex of her influence. Carmichael, the quintessential English gentleman, captures perfectly the delicious inanity of our intrepid heroes' conversations and the bemusement of the locals they meet along the way. He conveys beautifully Jerome's evocative, almost wistful, descriptions of Thames-side towns whose august historical pasts illustrate the glory that was Britain. This delightful performance crystallizes the author's humor and vision and is sure to enchant its audience. B.M.W. An AUDIOFILE Earphones Award winner.