Jerome K. Jerome · 1889
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) is a comic novel by Jerome K. Jerome published in 1889. The narrator, J., and his friends George and Harris decide that a boating holiday on the Thames will cure their imaginary illnesses. Accompanied by the dog Montmorency, they meet one comic disaster after another.
The trip
The three friends row up the Thames from Kingston to Oxford, camping on the riverbanks. They struggle with tents, tin openers, locks and the weather.
Along the way the narrator describes the towns and historic places they pass, such as Hampton Court and Runnymede.
Comic digressions
The narrative constantly wanders into anecdotes: Uncle Podger hanging a picture, Harris singing comic songs, the hunt for a mysterious smell of cheese.
These digressions, told with deadpan seriousness, are the heart of the book's humour.
A guidebook first
Jerome first meant to write a serious guide to the Thames, with history and scenery. The humour gradually took over.
The book was an enormous success, sold in great numbers and has never been out of print.
Anecdotes
Real friends
George and Harris were based on Jerome's friends George Wingrave and Carl Hentschel, with whom he often went boating.
A boom on the river
After the book appeared, the number of boats registered on the Thames is said to have risen sharply, as readers set out to follow the three men.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the three men?
J., the narrator, and his friends George and Harris.
What is the dog's name?
Montmorency.
When was the book published?
In 1889.