There are many well known incidents which he describes in this short but discursive book the dangers of towing a boat, the attractions or otherwise of churches alongside the river, the problems of finding a way of Hampton Court maze. Taking the boat up the river until they meet with George who has had to visit his place of employment has its challenges. Packing all the food, clothes, basic cooking equipment and other items judged to be essential is quite a performance, amidst much reflection and high jinks. Being a victim of advertising, he, George and Harris decide that their combined seediness means they ought to have a holiday, and the river is agreed on as preferable to a sea trip, with all its attendant dangers of sea sickness which the narrator expounds on at length. The unnamed narrator of the book, being a convinced hypochondriac, has been working his way through a medical dictionary and is therefore convinced he needs a holiday. Legend have just reissued this classic in a most readable and enjoyable format, and I was pleased to receive a review copy to enjoy reading again. Life is simple, but inanimate objects, the scenery and the whole process of getting the boat along the river can be difficult, and our hero, George and Harris, have to take on many difficulties and indeed each other on occasions. Even the dog, Montmorency, has his standards and indeed experiences of meeting other dogs, fine fights and meals. It is descriptive of a way of life and the countryside around the river, but also the misadventures of three young men and some of their reflections on life.

It is a classic piece of late Victorian writing, originally published in 1889. It is the classic English, gently comic, novel.

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome