“A ‘Bummel,’” I explained, “I should describe as a journey, long or short, without end.” However wonderful this may sound, it is often necessary to arrive back at the starting point. And, for the three fearless friends whose earlier adventures were told in Three Men in a Boat, this poses a troublesome problem.
George, Harris, and J. decide to take a cycling trip through the Black Forest—to be accomplished on a tandem plus one. Whether it is Harris’ harrowing experience with a Hanoverian road-waterer or George’s valiant attempt to buy a cushion for his aunt, their experiences are hilarious––and they may even offer some important lessons to all who may be contemplating a cycling trip in the US.
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"Not as successful as Three Men in a Boat, in my opinion, yet it's still Jerome -- and that's saying a lot. If you like your nonsense "straight up," then this may not be to your liking; but if you enjoy twists, turns, and random diversions (going nowhere in particular) for the sheer fun of it, he's your man." — Kay (4 out of 5 stars)
"Not as successful as Three Men in a Boat, in my opinion, yet it's still Jerome -- and that's saying a lot. If you like your nonsense "straight up," then this may not be to your liking; but if you enjoy twists, turns, and random diversions (going nowhere in particular) for the sheer fun of it, he's your man."
“Victorian humor at its silliest, cheesiest best…a comedy classic.”
“Jerome’s generous comedy combines the traditional and the modern. Although its subjects are the universal ones of bureaucracy, pomposity, and moral stupidity…these are balanced by his absurdist impulse to present a skewed view of the world, best seen in some of his anecdotes and digressions…Simultaneously conservative and ararchic, involved and detached, Jerome’s humor maintains a sense of comic equipoise.”
“The set pieces (the boot shop, Harris and his wife on the tandem, Harris confronting the hosepipe, the animal riot in the hilltop restaurant) are as polished and funny (funnier, some would say) as anything in [Three Men in a Boat].”
" Almost as good as the men in the boat. I laughed out loud at these old jokes. And the married former bachelors. "
" don't love this one as much as Three men in a boat, but there are still some great little stories here. Of course, it could have been improved by the inclusion of a little dog. :) "
" Quite as funny as the first one. I read it while living abroad, and it has so much to laugh at from the view of a foreigner visiting other places! "
" Not as good as Three Men on a Boat. "
" Not quite as clever as Three Men in a Boat. "
" This was so fun to read! A journey for the reader as well as the three men. "
" Not quite as consistently good as 3MOAB, but still loads of fun. J. and co, now mostly family men, bike through Germany; shenanigans and hijinks ensue. "
" Amusing enough but nothing too special. It's definitely funny to read a description of germans by a british author before the two great wars. "
" Not nearly as funny as three men on a boat, but still a good read. The description of Germans makes it totally worth it. "
" I used to be an "overhauler" till I read this book, Now I laugh at them. wonderfully funny. And it goes to prove that internet hypochondriacs existed long before the internet. Handmaids elbow indeed "
" More hilarity from Jerome K. Jerome. Enjoyed it immensely! "
" Funny. It is not Three Men in a Boat, but it is still full of the humor that characterized it. Definitely Jerome K. Jerome. "
" Not as much fun as 3 men in a boat but still very entertaining. "
" Not as good as Three Men in a Boat but great scene about the hose and only too true comments on foreign language teaching. "
" Oh my god, I had to stop laughing to be able to breathe! Wonderful humour! "
" It's amazing how well Jerome's work holds up after ninety years.It's just as fresh and humorous today as it was when written "
" Not as funny as the first, but still really sharp. "
" Three Men on the Bummel sees the three men back on a trip (but this time without the dog) as they travel around Germany. Considered to be the lessor of the two novels, I actually found myself laughing more with Bummel but agree that Boat is a better story. "
" Iw was funny and for a fan of humorous writing a good read. "
" One of the funniest things I have ever read. "
" I didn't like this book. It seemed like the author was trying too hard to be funny. It was really boring. "
" Funny in that lovely understated late-Victorian way. Which is to say not really laugh-out-loud funny, but pleasantly amusing at times. "
Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927), English humorist, novelist, and playwright, was born in Staffordshire and brought up in London. After a series of jobs including clerk, schoolmaster, actor, and journalist, he became joint editor of the Idler in 1892 and launched his own twopenny weekly, To-Day. His magnificently ridiculous Three Men in a Boat (1889) established itself as a humorous classic of the whimsical. His other books include Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1886); Three Men on the Bummel (1900); Paul Kelver (1902); the morality play The Passing of the Third Floor Back (1907); and his autobiography, My Life and Times (1926).
Frederick Davidson (1932–2005), also known as David Case, was one of the most prolific readers in the audiobook industry, recording more than eight hundred audiobooks in his lifetime, including over two hundred for Blackstone Audio. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed for many years in radio plays for the British Broadcasting Company before coming to America in 1976. He received AudioFile’s Golden Voice Award and numerous Earphones Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for his readings.
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