‘Three Men in a Boat’ (1889) is the bestselling comic masterpiece by English writer, humourist, and playwright Jerome K. Jerome.

It follows the author and his two companions as they try to escape busy Victorian London on a two-week boating holiday along the River Thames, from Kingston to Oxford and back.

Initially intended as a serious travel guide, the comical mishaps and misfortunes that happen along the way, turned the book into a satirical gem that perfectly captured the escapism of Victorian England.

From pineapple chunks to tow-ropes, tents, and the pointlessness of weather forecasts, Jerome K Jerome’s witticisms and social commentary remain as funny and relevant today.

The novel has been adapted for TV and film on many occasions, including a recreation of the trip by the BBC, starring comedians Griff Rhys Jones, Dara Ó Briain, and Rory McGrath.


Jerome K. Jerome (1859 –1927) was an English novelist, humourist and playwright, best known for his hugely successful comic masterpiece ‘Three Men in a Boat’ (1889), which was inspired by his honeymoon on the river Thames. It has since been adapted on numerous occasions, including the BBC TV series starring Tim Curry and Michael Palin. Jerome wrote eight novels, fifteen collections of short stories and sketches, two autobiographical works, and more than thirty plays. His works include the essay collections ‘Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow’ (1886) and ‘Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow’. The novel ‘Three Men on the Bummel’, a sequel to ´Three Men in a Boat´, and the play ‘The Passing of the Third Floor Back’ (1908).