I was planning on reading the sequel to Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat (1889) for the Back to the Classics Challenge and decided to reread this as well and count it for "Re-read a Favorite Classic" because 1) it's short, 2) it's funny, and 3) it led me to Connie Willis, whom I adore.
Based on a quick look back through my posts, I was reminded that I first read this book in 2011 when Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog was recommended to me by Teresa of Shelf Love and I wanted to read this first. Basically, it's the story of a fictional J, two friends, and a dog, who take a small boat up the Thames from London to Oxford. I found the exact same things to be true this time -- the book is ridiculously quotable, it's quite an easy read, and it is much funnier than Jerome's intended travel guide would have been. I'm glad that I will finally be reading his about his German bicycle adventures soon!
(And yes, I will be rereading Willis again this summer too. Too bad it's not a classic yet!)
With mirth,
K
The bit with the tinned pineapple is probably the funniest thing I have ever read -- all the parts with food are really funny. Also Montmorency (he's absent from Three Men on the Bummel but it's still good).
ReplyDeleteNo kidding. Any time eggs came out ...
DeleteThis book is a joy. I have To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis on my tbr pile too, I must get to it soon. I thoroughly enjoyed Three Men on the Bummel too by the way... great fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm just finishing Bummel now and have had great fun with it as well!
DeleteI didn't make it through this book the first time I tried it, but I obviously need to give it another try! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely up and down. He loves tangents and some are more interesting than others. But one the whole it's worth the read!
DeleteSuch a great book! My favorite part is where he imagines running into Henry VIII and Anne billing and cooing at each other all over the place.
ReplyDeleteLark, there are definitely some boggy bits where Jerome gets all sentimental in the best Victorian style!
Yes! And the maze! I just remembered it and started grinning. :)
DeleteOh, the maze is great! :)
DeleteI vaguely remember a hilarious scene with a swan: is that from this one? Or is it from Willis? They're all jumbled together in my head apparently! Brilliant stuff, though. Makes me smile just thinking about them.
ReplyDeleteYes! Willis also puts in a swan scene in a nod to Three Men, but it's pretty small in comparison.
DeleteThe nice thing about this book is it is so chock full of funny bits that I had forgotten many of them and got to reread them as if for the first time!
DeleteYa know...I didn't love this, and that after LOVING JKJ's Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow. I think it must have suffered from too high expectations. Don't get me wrong. I liked it. It was fun. It just didn't live up to my expectations.
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