The chief beauty of this book lies not so much in its literary style, or in the extent and usefulness of the information it conveys, as in its simple truthfulness.
– Jerome K Jerone in preface to Three Men in a Boat
What do you infer from the title of this book? Well, you can’t judge a book by its title but it does reveal many things.
Title: Three Men in a Boat
Author: Jerome K Jerome
Genre: Non-fiction with a touch of comic and travelogue
Pages: 232
Publisher: Fingerprint Classics (first print 1889)
Price: 139/- on amazon
I’ve been carrying this book for a long time, reading it occasionally because I couldn’t find the ‘initials cultivating necessary interest. Nonetheless, I tried to give it a read even at the cost of skipping a few chapters. Perhaps, this genre doesn’t allure me much. The last time I tried to read Stevension’s Treasure Island but dropped it soon without finishing it. It doesn’t mean that the book isn’t good. It’s just that the mood and the text don’t allure you much at the time you’re reading. Perhaps the next time you pick it, you’ll be able to finish it.
Three Men in a Boat, running through 19 chapters is written uniquely. Largely first-person narrative, a brief summary of each chapter is provided at the beginning. The story narrated is non-fictional and the incident actually happened with Jerome and his two friends. Thus, the author brings different genres together such as non-fiction is merged with comedy and travel narratives. A map can be drawn of Jerome’s journey if the story is followed closely.
The book is quite interesting, often invoking humour and making the readers laugh. However, too much detailing shuns the interest of the readers at times. As far as I can recall, the book has been also part of class 10th English syllabi once.
I would suggest the readers to give this book a try. It may tempt you. Share your opinions in the comment box.
©Shashank
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