# Three Men in a Boat

By Jerome K. Jerome

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/three-men-in-a-boat-303024d7/

Convinced that they need a rest, J., George and Harris plan a boating holiday on the Thames with Montmorency, their fox terrier. Fresh air and exercise sound restorative. Unfortunately, the friends bring more confidence than practical skill, and J. is ready to make every inconvenience sound momentous.

## What makes it funny?

J. announces that packing is one of his special talents, then discovers that he has left out the boots and must hunt through the bag for his toothbrush. He had meant to supervise while his friends did the work. The joke catches both his incompetence and his remarkably comfortable opinion of himself.

### The comedy at work

Jerome lets J. explain himself at length, often making the explanation more incriminating than the mistake. Ordinary annoyances grow into elaborate grievances; a quiet, matter-of-fact sentence can puncture the grand account. The friends’ failures supply the action, while the narrator’s self-justification supplies another layer of comedy.

### Try this if…

A good prospect if you like chatty narrators, friendship comedy and people making a fuss over small problems. Enjoying the digressions matters: J. readily leaves the immediate trip behind to tell another story.

### Good to know

Published in 1889, the novel mixes its mishaps with lyrical river scenery and passages about local history. Expect changes of pace between the jokes. The complete text is available through Project Gutenberg in the source list.

## What to expect

- Genre: Adventure · Classic comedy
- Kind of humor: Dry wit · Situational comedy
- The atmosphere: Warmhearted
- Story ingredients: Incompetent heroes
- Format: Novel
- Length: 272 pages
- Audiobook: 5 hr 6 min
- Published: 1889

## A few distinguishing details

- A holiday narrated by its least reliable judge of competence
- A river trip shared by three friends and a fox terrier

## Sources & further reading

- Book information: [Apple Books lists Three Men in a Boat (Unabridged) by Jerome K. Jerome, narrated by Miles Jupp, duration 05:06, publisher SNR Audio.](https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/three-men-in-a-boat-unabridged/id1857614297)
- Publisher: [Pan Macmillan lists Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (with afterword by David Stuart Davies and illustrations by A. Frederics), hardback ISBN 9781529024012, 272 pages. The synopsis says the text is complete and unabridged.](https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/jerome-k-jerome/three-men-in-a-boat/9781529024012)
- Reading sample: [Full text — Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/308/308-h/308-h.htm)
- Publisher: [Publisher — Macmillan Collector’s Library](https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/jerome-k-jerome/three-men-in-a-boat/9781529024012)