On Sunday BBC Radio 4 did something worth listening to, the 'Classic Serial,; usually a waste of time in my view, offered instead one of the greatest tales ever told, 'Three Men in a Boat!' This version continues next week and this programme fails at that date sadly. So I urge you to listen TODAY! You will enjoy this version of the gentle tale. Starring Hugh Dennis, Steve Punt, Julian Rhind-Tutt and not forgetting Montmorency the dog, this hour long show gently meanders along following the book as the boat must follow the stream (allowing for the fact that they actually rowed upstream).
The book appeared first in 1889 and has never been out of print since. A literary wonder the book began as an attempt to describe the topography of the Thames but grew into one of the worlds best loved books. Few others achieve such fame. Deceptively simple, gentle in tone, wit aplenty the book is historically informative on the boating pleasures of Thames of the day and gives an insight to human nature revealing that it has changed not one bit since. This apparently easy to write book is very difficult to achieve, Jerome could never match this book again though he tried. Many have attempted such, even I, indeed I almost got to the bottom of the second page before giving up, but such light reading is harder than at first appears.
The Classic Serial does this book justice and I recommend a listen while there is still time!
10 comments:
Yes! I was listening this morning...my time.
I shall listen to this later....I've not the time right now...
I remember I watched the 1956 movie starring Laurence Harvey, Jimmy Edwards and David Tomlinson movie years and years ago; and I think I've only seen it again once since those early days.
This book is laugh out loud funny and it's wonderful that it is being read over the radio.
I love historically informative books. There's one about Heart of Midlothian's Greatest Games which I highly recommend...
Fly, Very enjoyable!
Lee, listen quick as it ends on Saturday.
Kay, Excellent book!
Mike, You never mentioned this book what you wrote before.....
Has there ever been a book published on the River Tims?
I did...I put my ears onto "Fast Forward".
Jerry, River Tims? is that a Glasgow thing?
Lee, Well done, part two Sunday!
I havent read Three Men in a Boat since I was a teenager and it made me laugh the place down. I wonder how it would strike me now. Probably still funny. Have you read "Diary of a nobody" by George and Weedon Grosssmith. I always associate them with each other.
Jenny, I must look that one up Jenny.
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