Three Men in a Boat and Three Men on the Bummel

by Jerome K. Jerome

Overview

Conceived as a fairly serious guide to amateur boating on the Thames in 1889, Jerome K. Jerome's best-known novel ended up as a hilarious account of the misadventures of three friends and a dog as they attempt to relax and enjoy themselves amid unreliable weather forecasts, imaginary illnesses, repellent cooking, and an unopenable can of pineapple chunks.

Three Men in a Boat was a terrific success for its author, and a surprisingly accurate portrayal of the age. George, Harris, and J., the narrator, were entertaining representatives of the new middle class, seeking to escape the dreary world of offices and desks during weekend trips out into the countryside. Jerome's heroes proved so popular that he brought them back for an equally picaresque bicycle tour of Germany, an adventure recorded in Three Men on the Bummel. The new Introduction by Jeremy Lewis describes the social context of the two books and the remarkable life of their author.

Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) was an actor, teacher, and journalist before turning to writing books. After the success of Three Men in a Boat, Jerome and some friends founded The Idler, a magazine that ran pieces by Robert Louis Stevenson and Mark Twain. Jerome published an autobiography in 1926.
Jeremy Lewis worked as the Deputy Editor of London Magazine until 1994 and is now the Commissioning Editor for the Oldie.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420947069
Publisher:	Neeland Media
Publication date:	01/01/2013
Pages:	212
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.48(d)

About the Author

Jerome Klapka Jerome (1859 - 1927), was born in Walsall and moved to London with his family when he was still a young boy. His unusual middle name was from a Hungarian friend of his father. Jerome left school at fourteen, after his the death of his mother. This was not unusual in those days in poor families and Jerome's family was certainly poor. Jerome started work as a railway clerk but had an artistic nature and soon spent time acting with various theatre companies - as well as reading in the British Museum library. His stage experiences led to his first book On the Stage - and Off and to his determination to make a living as a writer. Three Men in a Boat, published in 1889, brought him success and worldwide fame. The critics didn't like Jerome's humour and easy-going style but the public did. The book was a huge bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic. Sales of the American edition reached a million copies, even though it was being sold there illegally! The qualities the 

Jeremy Lewis spent much of his life working in publishing. He is the author of two highly-praised volumes of autobiography, Playing for Time and Kindred Spirits, and of biographies of Cyril Connolly and Tobias Smollett.

Table of Contents

Introduction		vii	(20)
Note on the Text		xxvii	(1)
Select Bibliography		xxviii	(1)
A Chronology of Ferome K. Ferome		xxix
THREE MEN IN A BOAT		1	(160)
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL		161	(164)
Explanatory Notes		325