Publishers Weekly
Jerome's classic British comedy is recounted by House's Hugh Laurie in a marvelously entertaining performance that will bring listeners to the banks of the Thames and carry them away into a world where three men and a dog named Montmorency venture from London to Oxford one sunny day. At just two and a half hours, the journey is short but sweet as Laurie captures the essence of Jerome's touching tale. With his classic witty tone, Laurie dives headfirst into each character, offering his own take on each colorful personality. There is a subtle theatrical aspect at work here as Laurie delivers a knockout one-man show that displays his wide-ranging talent. (Aug.)
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Guardian (London)
The book was meant to be a serious travel guide…but Jerome’s rambling anecdotes and humorous take on travelers J., Harris, and George—and J.’s feckless fox terrier, Montmorency—turned it into something far rarer: an honest account of male friendship.”
Chicago Tribune
The trio of Jerome K. Jerome’s comic 1889 novel are in that honorable tradition. They are indolent, upper-class and rather dim…They have several comic mishaps, including a disastrous encounter with a tin of pineapple, but they also, in some of the book’s loveliest passages, absorb a bit of the history and the beauty of their country.”
Daily Telegraph (London)
Wonderfully fresh and funny…Jerome’s writing triumphantly stands the test of time.”
Pulitzer Prize–winning book critic Michael Dirda
Perhaps the greatest of all Victorian comic novels.”
Julia Stuart
I'd warn against reading this book in public: you may get arrested for breach of the peace. I would be a little stunned if it doesn't become on of your favorites.”
From the Publisher
"Wonderfully fresh and funny, and among examples of Victorian humor I would place it high in the pantheon, right up there with The Importance of Being Earnest and The Diary of a Nobody . . . triumphantly stands the test of time, with its comic flights of exaggeration, its occasional archness, and its entirely innocent hint of the camp." —Daily Telegraph
"I fell out of bed laughing at Three Men in a Boat." —Guardian
The Collector's Digest
Laurie's readings prove him to be not only a skilled light comedian and actor but a very satisfying reader, with a very flexible voice.
Daily Telegraph
Wonderfully fresh and funny, and among examples of Victorian humor I would place it high in the pantheon, right up there with The Importance of Being Earnest and The Diary of a Nobody . . . triumphantly stands the test of time, with its comic flights of exaggeration, its occasional archness, and its entirely innocent hint of the camp.
Guardian
I fell out of bed laughing at Three Men in a Boat.
FEBRUARY 2009 - AudioFile
Fans of actor Hugh Laurie will be thrilled with this classic tale of three English gentlemen and a dog who take a short boat ride on the Thames for a holiday in 1889. The dry humor throughout the gentlemen's adventures is enhanced by Laurie's crisp delivery and jocular tones. Listeners may laugh aloud as they experience the travelers' culinary follies and navigational challenges along their journey. Laurie also expresses a sincere tone of nostalgia as the author who is warmly recounting his exploits with friends—both human and canine. The only flaw with this recording is that it’s abridged. The listener is sure to be left wanting to know what parts were left out. K.M.D. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
