Thursday, March 3, 2011

Literary Blog Hop: Fun in Literature

Literary Blog Hop is hosted by The Blue Bookcase. If you features book reviews of literary fiction, classic literature, and general literary discussion, you too can join in!

This week's question is:

Can literature be funny? What is your favorite humorous literary book?

When I read this question, Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome instantly came into my mind.

Three men in a Boat, written in 1889,  is about Jerome, Harris and George and their dog, Montmorency. The three are bored with their life and need a break to dispel it. So they plan a holiday together. After much discussion, they agree on travelling from Kingston to Oxford on Thames river. A boating holiday was rare in those days. 

It was intended as a travel guide with humorous anecdotes. However, the comic portions took over. It became a delightful read with the idiosyncrasies of the travellers along with their dog. The friends are very much real. However, the dog is a fictional character.

The interactions between the friends is interesting. The narrater at times goes off in a tangent taking us along with him. His insights are wonderful, albeit with comic effects. They have disasters on the way but can see the humourous side of it. Maybe the author sees it more often than the other two and the dog as he continues to rib them. Certain passages are worth reading again and again. Especially about the plaster of paris trout in an inn and also the preparation of Irish Stew.

There never is a dull moment reading this book. I have read it many times. In the present times, Bryson fits the bill for writing great travelogues.

14 comments:

Song said...

I have as yet to read this book! I've read something by Jerome before - I cannot recall what it was, but do recall that I'd found it hilarious!...sounds like this one might be a good try.:)

Mel u said...

I have not yet read anything by Jerome-

I would like to invite you to consider participating in

Irish Short Story Week-3/14 to 3/20

Anonymous said...

I am going to have a good list of new reads after today's hop. This sounds like a great read.

bermudaonion said...

I agree with you - of course, literature can be funny!

Laura said...

I just find his name funny! Not the most intelligent comment, I realise, but still true!

Red said...

I haven't read or heard of this book, although it sounds funny! While I love Bryson I don't know that I'd count him as a literary writer. But who knows, maybe time will change that

Anonymous said...

I have yet to read this one, but it is one of many I plan on reading.

As the Crowe Flies and Reads said...

I agree with you about Bryson--he's about the funniest nonfiction writer I know, and with his last two history books I think he earns the moniker of literary.

mpartyka said...

See, now that I'm reading other posts I'm starting to think about funny moments in books. I did like one of the tales in Canterbury Tales.. the one with the man in the barrel. Have you read it?

I have a terrible sense of humor :)

Have a great weekend.

LBC said...

I've never heard of this one. Sounds interesting.

Here is my post for the hop:
http://hawthornescarlet.blogspot.com/2011/03/literary-blog-hop-ha-ha-funny.html

Sayeth said...

If you like Jerome K. Jerome and PG Woodehouse, you'd probably like Diary of A Nobody. It's a short novel written in the Victorian Era about a lower-middle class "nobody" who decides to write his own diaries after reading about the diaries of important people who he's never heard about. You can read my review and download a free audiobook of it at my blog: http://freelistens.blogspot.com/2008/12/diary-of-nobody-by-george-and-weedon.html

Falaise said...

Interesting pick - I'd forgotten about this one.

@parridhlantern said...

not read this, as not sure it was my thing, maybe i need to reappraise it.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Sorry to tell you, but apparently you are wrong: There is nothing funny about Literature.

Here is my post:
http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/03/welcome-to-literary-blog-hop-hosted-by.html