Three men in a boat

Have you ever started reading a book, expecting a story and then realizing you are reading the wrong book? That’s what happened to me with Jerome K. Jerome’s Three men in a boat, first published in 1889.

The story I expected to read was about a different three men in a boat getting lost at sea and resorting to cannibalism.

Sadly, it was not the case with Jerome’s book. This book is about three men who go on river/boating holiday for two weeks. With a dog. It was very dull in comparison to what I found out!

Turns out the story I expected is actually a novel written by Edgar Allan Poe called The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, first published in 1838.

What is really interesting is that the victim of the book is called Richard Parker. Sounds familiar?

There is a mysterious coincidence surrounding Edgar Allan Poe and his character Richard Parker.

Almost 50 years later in 1884, three men are lost in sea in a boat and they run out of food. They end up drawing straws and the one that loses… wait for it… is called Richard Parker! Edgar Allan Poe’s tale became true!

Bet you didn’t know that huh! Bet you thought I referred to the Richard Parker character in Yann Martel’s novel called “Life of Pi”?

In this modern twist, Richard Parker is no longer the victim: he is a Bengal tiger stranded on a boat with a teenage boy.

Rating of the actual book I read: 2/5
Rating to story I discovered: 5/5
Rating to story I expected: tbc