Three Men in a Boat Book

The Three Men in a Boat (To say nothing of the dog) was written by Jerome K. Jerome. It was first published in 1889. This popular book tells the humorous tale of a boating trip taken by the author and his two friends - Carl Hentchel and George Wingrave.

The boat trip takes place between Kingston and Oxford, on the Thames river in England. It was originally meant to be a travel guide. However, the funny elements of the story attracted a wider audience who were also interested in the more humorous side of this book.

Summary:

Three Men in a Boat (Not to mention the dog) consists of nineteen chapters. The first chapter introduces the main characters of the book - Jerome, George, Harris, and a fox terrier called Montmorency. The three main characters are smoking in Jeromes room, discussing their various ailments. Their conclusion is that they are working too hard and need to take a holiday to recover.

They contemplate taking a holiday at sea or in the country. Both of these options are rejected. After their discussion, the three men finally agree to take a boat trip from Kingston-upon-Thames to Oxford, on the River Thames. As well as traveling on the river, they also decide to camp along the way, despite some stories from Jerome about previous problems with camping equipment.

The next Saturday, the three men begin their holiday on the river. First, George has to work in the morning of the trip. The other two men take the train to Kingston. However, Jerome and Harris are unable to find the train they must take at Waterloo Station. They decide to pay a train driver to bring them to Kingston on his train. When they arrive at Kingston, they get their boat and begin their boat trip. George joins them later at Weybridge.

The following chapters give details about their journey and the entertaining events that take place along the way. Places and landmarks they pass are described by Jerome. These include Marlow, Hampton Court Palace, Monkey Island, Hampton Church and Magna Carta Island. The historical significance of these places is also mentioned, during the journey, as well as some funny stories too.

Since it was first published in 1889, Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat (To say nothing of the dog) has been read by millions of people around the globe. As well as this, various films about the book have also been produced over the last century. This free app includes the 19 original chapters and still stands the test of time. Happy reading!