Abridged, but no umbrage!

What did you like most about Three Men in a Boat?

The Thames boasts many bridges as have cut short pleasant riverbank wanderlust many a time, but Laurie makes the crossover between the rough and eddies in this choppy edit with an almost imperceptible effortlessness of narrative flow.

What other book might you compare Three Men in a Boat to, and why?

Three Men on the Bummel is the sequel of sorts which includes the Thames's Germanic cousin, the Rhine, but has more angry rowing over cycles than cycles of rowing aquatic.

What about Hugh Laurie’s performance did you like?

His tone embodies the breezily bungling nature of the tome as he swans through the work in a third of the time whilst yet seemingly maintaining that 'unbroken loveliness' Jerome prided the verily verdant reach of Cookham Deep Dean for. A charming addition to the unabridged version also available.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's never been a headache to hear this in one sitting... In fact, sitting rather eased my housemaid's knee! ;)

Any additional comments?

Very generous of Amazon to publicize lesser rivers ;)

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... and a tine of pineapple!

Fantastic book which is narrated superbly and an easy listen.

A real treasure.

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It's a must buy!!

I can't tell you how many times I've listened to 3 Men in a boat....at least 10!! this version narrated by Hugh Laurie is the best by far.

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Better than reading it

Hugh Laurie's skill is to be the character whose words he's reading, and his ability to pick up on the classic, dry English understatement in this book is masterful. I didn't realise how pompous yet drole Harris was until listening to this version. This is flawless reading, timed to perfection, nuanced, subtle, funny, always appropriate, a joy to listen to. I was disappointed when I realised the last sentence had been read, and would almost have started again from the beginning if I didn't have a list of titles to work through. Couldn't recommend this more for anyone who wants to be taken back to the late 19th century, with its slower pace of life, and time for 'strolling' down the street (or river) with friends.

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5 people found this helpful

An all time favourite

Performed with feeling and insite; (a clever and powerful peice of acting). This book will always hold a place in my heart.

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1 person found this helpful

Delightful

Have listened to this twice and no doubt will again. It's a delightful book and Laurie the perfect voice for it

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Hilarious and beautifully read

This has been a favourite story since I was a child - it is brilliantly funny for children and adults alike in a dry/well-observed way. It is impossible not to laugh out loud - which is probably amusing for others when one is listening with headphones on public transport.

It is abridged, but has been done well.

Hugh Laurie has the perfect voice for this. I hear his voice when I read the book! Very highly recommended.

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Amusing, gentle book.

Very well narrated. Dead pan seriousness ads superbly to the humour.
This is a fine book, but will not "remain with me" a single moment after the end.
present mirth...etc.

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The Classic English Reminiscence

Three Men in a Boat is an all-time classic, and one that has entertained my whole family for decades. We first heard it from my father's reading it to us, and then via a tape borrowed time and time again from the mobile library. I don't know how Hugh Laurie manages to read it without collapsing into fits of mirth (or perhaps he did and they had to cut hours out of the recording?) but he has the perfect voice and delivery for the perfect English period memoir. One step down the social ladder from Bertie Wooster, Jerome K Jerome is nevertheless an upper-class idler, with too much time on his hands and a dry humour that will appeal to many. Its only fault is an occasional tendency to lapse into very purple prose, but we can forgive him anything for such classic memories as those of the delightful Uncle Podger.

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10 people found this helpful

A total joy

Oh, how I love this! Quite possibly my favourite audiobook, Hugh Laurie has just the right combination of upper class twit and wistfulness in this reading. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It could only be improved by being the unabridged version, so as to have even more to enjoy.

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2 people found this helpful