Rating: 
Summary: Caveat emptor!
Review: Those who purchase this Oxford University Press edition (ISBN 0194216543) expecting to read Jerome K. Jerome's delightful Victorian comedy classic "Three Men In A Boat" will be seriously disappointed, as this is NOT that book at all, but a bastardized children's edition "retold by Diane Mowat," replete with annoying cartoon illustrations. Avoid it like the plague and insist on the REAL Jerome K. Jerome!
Rating: 
Summary: The Funniest Book Ever Written
Review: Like other reviewers, I first heard of this book after reading the wonderful novel by Connie Willis, To Say Nothing of the Dog. That wonderful book inspired me to read Three Men in a Boat. A simple story set in Victorian England of three young men taking a boat ride down the Thames, and yet I laughed so hard and so often that I actually had to stop reading to catch my breathe. The writing is wonderful, with characters that everybody can identify with. The story of uncle Podger hanging the picture is priceless. I can't believe that this book was written over one hundred years ago. The story is timeless. But the humor is such that few readers will be able to come away without loving this book. Already, I am trying to get hold of the author's other books. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Whatever you do, READ THIS BOOK! If not, you are truly missing one of life's greatest pleasures!
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: I was extremely surprised to see the low sales rank of this book, not to mention the fact that there are only two reviews for it! In my opinion, it is one of the most hilarious book ever. It is also one of the most profound books I have read. Written at the fag end of the 19th century, Three Men In a Boat is the tale of 3 friends(and a dog) who take a boating trip down the Thames river. When they're not busy falling into the river, they visit historic places, enjoy the beauties of the river and outdo each other in telling amusing anecdotes. The narrator (it is written in the first person) describes their adventures, the beautiful scenery, the history of many places they visit and his philosophic observations of life - all with a superb, elegant style and a deep understanding of humanity. Never have I seen such hilarious situations described in such witty language, right alongside such deep contemplations of life described in such poetic and sincere language. In short, if you've ever enjoyed a Wodehouse, this book is a must read. And once you have read it, you'll be compelled to read it again and again - when you know the humourous pieces by heart, the serious ones will keep you coming back.
Rating: 
Summary: Funny almost all the way through
Review: This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. So why only 4 stars? Because it's not consistantly funny. The problem seems to be that Jerome started to write a travel story, with some serious thought on history and life, and added a few humorous bits as he went along. His editor got him to tone down the history and emphasize the humor, but we, the readers, are still stuck with some dreary Victorian romantic musings.
But then there are the funny bits. And there are a lot of them. I'd say 80% of this book is funny, and a good 10% is hysterically funny. Well worth the dull patches.
WARNING: Do not read this in a public place. You WILL embarrass yourself by laughing out loud. The pages on cheese are especially deadly. I still giggle uncontrolably each time I re-read them.
Rating:
Summary: not mine
Review: I can only tell that this kind of humor is special. So, if you notice that this kind of humor is not yours stop reading because you might get bored. If it is, well, you'll laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Three Men in a Boat
Review: Three Men in a Boat is a gem for anyone who enjoys social satire. Set in Victorian England, the book follows the adventures of three friends (and a dog) as they make their leisurely way up the River Thames in an open rowboat. At least this is the overt plot line. But the book is loaded with one hilarious anecdote after another, starting on the first page when the author digresses from a confession that he cannot read the diagnosis of any disease without concluding that he is suffering from it to the description of a visit he once made to the British Museum where, in "an unthinking moment," he leafed through a dictionary of diseases and discovered to his horror that he had the symptoms for every one except housemaid's knee. Needless to say, his doctor later tells him not to be such a nitwit! In addition to the comedy, there are rhapsodic descriptions of the river and life in general. In particular, the overnight stay in the vicinity of Magna Charta Island prompts an imaginary recreation of the signing of that "stupendous page of history" in June 1215. Listen to the almost poetic start to that passage: "It is a fine summer morning - sunny, soft and still." Beautiful writing. The book's rich and generous appreciation of the aburdities of the human condition imbue it with a sparkle and freshness that belie its age. It may not be for everyone, but it's certainly one of my favorite rereads.
Rating:
Summary: A hilarious romp
Review: I found this book by first reading the time-travel science fiction book "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis. It's an homage to this book, and after finishing TSNotD (which I highly recommend), I bought a copy of Three Men in a Boat. It's a wonderfully hilarious insight into a fascinating time in history.
Rating:
Summary: So much more than just 'Three Men in a Boat'.
Review: 'I like work; it fascinates me. I could sit and watch it for hours'. Jerome K. Jerome's ascerbic wit and flawless observational humour have produced a timeless classic. A rich narrative that is interspersed with cutting punchlines ensure that this book does not become a dull exploration of the British preoccupation with Class. Occasionally the pace of the book flags a little, but by this stage one is already a captive of the gentle, self-effacing humour. The delightful sense of comic timing will almost certainly preserve the popularity of this book for another hundred years.
Rating:
Summary: Ball-bouncingly funny
Review: An hillarious book that i wished would never end. Wodehousian in his ability to make subtle humour laugh outloud funny this is one of the funniest books I've ever read. Again like P.G. Wodehouse he is able to encorporate profundity in his observations of the absurdity of his situations. Go on read it.
Rating:
Summary: Funny observational humor
Review: Humor is very hard to write. Jerome K. Jerome does a fine job in his "Three Men in a Boat" -- it's a light, frothy sort of humor that brings to mind a 60's comedy movie. The characters are irritable and inept, and the things that tick them off (packing luggage, setting up a tent, dealing with women in nature, cooperative rowing) are still very relevant today. For example, people who hate jet-skis can find parallel rants on the steam-powered launches that annoy Jerome and his sailing buddies. The occasional dips into seriousness (English history, a single-mother suicide) take up a net 2 pages total, and don't happen to detract from the overall humor. My favorite line is spoken by Jerome to the overzealous cemetary watchman, who can't believe Jerome doesn't want to view some open tombs: "Leave me immediately or I shall climb over the fence and slay you." The book gets 4 stars only because (like most observational humor) it leaves the mind easily, and doesn't display the unity of meaning, humor and characterization that modern readers expect from a 5 star book. This book is an excellent series of hilarious essays loosely strung together in the form of flashbacks, but it is not a novel per se. One of its greatest achievements is that it is still readable today, quite accessible to a modern audience.
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