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Short Stories: The Timeless Collection
Contains three short works: The Philosopher's Joke (1909), The Soul of Nicholas Snyders; or, The Miser of Zandam (1909) and Passing of the Third Floor Back (1907). Jerome Klapka Jerome (1859-1927) was an English author, best known for the humourous travelogue Three Men in a Boat (1889). In 1877, he decided to try his hand at acting, under the stage name Harold Crichton. He joined a repertory troupe who tried to produce plays on a shoestring budget, often drawing on the meager resources of the actors themselves to purchase costumes and props. He tried to become a journalist, writing essays, satires and short stories, but most of these were rejected. Over the next few years he was a school teacher, a packer, and a solicitor's clerk. Finally, in 1885, he had some success with On the Stage-and Off, a humourous book, the publication of which opened the door for more plays and essays.
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First published June 1, 2007
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About the author
Jerome K. Jerome
861 books1,358 followersJerome Klapka Jerome was an English writer and humorist, best known for the comic travelogue Three Men in a Boat (1889). Other works include the essay collections Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1886) and Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow; Three Men on the Bummel, a sequel to Three Men in a Boat; and several other novels. Jerome was born in Walsall, England, and, although he was able to attend grammar school, his family suffered from poverty at times, as did he as a young man trying to earn a living in various occupations. In his twenties, he was able to publish some work, and success followed. He married in 1888, and the honeymoon was spent on a boat on the River Thames; he published Three Men in a Boat soon afterwards. He continued to write fiction, non-fiction and plays over the next few decades, though never with the same level of success.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 24, 2018
This was the third of the cheap collections put forth by Rupa publications I purchased - the others being Selected Stories by W. W. Jacobs and Selected stories by Bram Stoker. Those two were a bit of a disappointment: but this one exceeded expectations - by a long margin.
After having read Three Men in a Boat, I had an idea of what to expect from Jerome - outstandingly funny, laugh-out-loud passages mixed with prose of surprising mediocrity. However, I liked him in a lukewarm sort of way, so I decided to chance my luck. I am glad I did.
Of the thirteen stories in this collection, only six can be considered humorous - and of those, only one ('Evergreens') indulges in the sort of zany, riotous fun which we associate with the initial chapters of 'Three Men' (although this story also starts off on a different note). In the others, the laughter is very much subdued. One has to grasp the subtext where the sniggers are buried - the upper layer is very much English and 'pukka'.
Of these five - 'Absent-Minded Man', 'The Lease of Cross Keys', 'A Charming Woman', 'The Cost of Kindness' and 'His Evening Out' - the last three are suffused with subtle, satiric social commentary that is particular to late nineteenth and early twentieth century British fiction. Middle class morality is Jerome's main target. But he prefers not to mount a central attack - rather, his is a gentle spin bowling (to borrow from cricket) with a lot of disguised googlies. 'His Evening Out' is the gem among the lot: where a socialist finds love at the most unlikeliest place - home.
Of the remaining seven, three are serious stories of love and heartbreak ('Blase Billy', 'The Choice of Cyril Harjohn' and 'The Fawn Gloves'). These stories remind the reader how grim Jerome can be if the humour is removed - 'The Fawn Gloves' especially is so bleak that it reminds one of Thomas Hardy. Two others are conventional ghost stories ('The Man of Science', 'The Woman of Saeter') - mildly enjoyable but nothing to write home about. 'The City of the Sea' is a fable in the style of Lord Dunsany - again, rather pedestrian.
However, if you ask me to choose one story out of this book, I would pick 'Silhouettes' - a child's remembrance of a dark childhood, filled with half-understood images of grim foreboding. What I loved specially about this tale is that the mystery of those black memories are never explained.
A very good collection, well worth the read.
After having read Three Men in a Boat, I had an idea of what to expect from Jerome - outstandingly funny, laugh-out-loud passages mixed with prose of surprising mediocrity. However, I liked him in a lukewarm sort of way, so I decided to chance my luck. I am glad I did.
Of the thirteen stories in this collection, only six can be considered humorous - and of those, only one ('Evergreens') indulges in the sort of zany, riotous fun which we associate with the initial chapters of 'Three Men' (although this story also starts off on a different note). In the others, the laughter is very much subdued. One has to grasp the subtext where the sniggers are buried - the upper layer is very much English and 'pukka'.
Of these five - 'Absent-Minded Man', 'The Lease of Cross Keys', 'A Charming Woman', 'The Cost of Kindness' and 'His Evening Out' - the last three are suffused with subtle, satiric social commentary that is particular to late nineteenth and early twentieth century British fiction. Middle class morality is Jerome's main target. But he prefers not to mount a central attack - rather, his is a gentle spin bowling (to borrow from cricket) with a lot of disguised googlies. 'His Evening Out' is the gem among the lot: where a socialist finds love at the most unlikeliest place - home.
Of the remaining seven, three are serious stories of love and heartbreak ('Blase Billy', 'The Choice of Cyril Harjohn' and 'The Fawn Gloves'). These stories remind the reader how grim Jerome can be if the humour is removed - 'The Fawn Gloves' especially is so bleak that it reminds one of Thomas Hardy. Two others are conventional ghost stories ('The Man of Science', 'The Woman of Saeter') - mildly enjoyable but nothing to write home about. 'The City of the Sea' is a fable in the style of Lord Dunsany - again, rather pedestrian.
However, if you ask me to choose one story out of this book, I would pick 'Silhouettes' - a child's remembrance of a dark childhood, filled with half-understood images of grim foreboding. What I loved specially about this tale is that the mystery of those black memories are never explained.
A very good collection, well worth the read.
August 21, 2019
i lived with my young family in Buckinghamshire, England when first read Jerome K.Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat. It was perfect. We had, just weeks before, had the very same humiliating experience of reassuring the children ”oh, not to worry, sweethearts, Daddy and Mommy never get lost” as we entered the Hampton Court hedge maze. JKJ’s description was such a delightful send up of our ridiculous pomposity that i remember laughing until many parts of me hurt.
He immediately became one of my Dead Boyfriends. My postmortem crushes. Others include Che and Carlos Gardel. Curiously, they don’t seem to threaten my partner.
This collection of three stories is also a pleasure. His sardonic wit is so timeless i forget that he wrote well over a century ago. This from the first story “The Philosopher’s Joke”, a rather grown-up tale of regret:
“She supposed it was her husband (Camelford)...he was just that sort of ass. She did not say it unkindly. She said when she was first married, ten years ago, few people had a more irritating effect on her than had Camelford; but that since she had seen more of other men she had come to respect him. I like to hear a woman speak well of her husband. It is a departure which, in my opinion, should be more encouraged than it is.”
and
“Did not the reading of Conservative journals invariably incline her towards Radicalism, and the steady stream of Radical talk round her husband’s table invaribly set her seeking arguments in favor of the feudal system?”
The next two stories, “The Soul of Nicholas Snyders; or, The Miser of Zandam” and “Passing of the Third Floor Back” are stories that I wish that i had read aloud to my children. They both have everything: engaging language, both subtle and obvious humor, vulnerability...maybe a chance to talk about classism, sexism and materialism in non-angry ways. I couldn’t help but think JKJ chose the ending of “The Soul…” with sarcasm in mind. This story, loaded with obvious powerful magic and radical changes in men’s souls, changes made harshly and selfishly by men, that had to tear at the heart of dear Christine, the poor young woman in the middle - with her saying:
“Perhaps...if I had not told him I loved Jan, he would not have gone back to his old ways. Poor old gentleman! No doubt it was despair.”
Say what?! See, dahlings? It’s always the girl / woman’s fault.
The last story is simply such a delight - a stranger refuses to see people as they are, only as the pure, best, brightest, most altruistic people they could be - despite their best efforts to show him their true selves. Sweet genius.
September 8, 2019
A bit of a mixed bag but an enjoyable anthology.
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January 30, 2024LISTINGS: "The Windmill as I First Knew It" by Alphonse Daudet, "Boil Some Water Lots of It" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh" by Saki, "Idle Thoughts on Babies" by Jerome K. Jerome, "The Schartz-Metterklume Method" by Saki, "A Photographer's Day Out" by Lewis Carroll, "Gentlemen and Players" by E. W. Hornung, "Mrs. Amworth" by E. F. Benson, "Timber" by John Galsworthy, "Into the Sun" by Robert Duncan Milne, "No 1 Branch Line The Signalman" by Charles Dickens, "The Squaw" by Bram Stoker, "The Loathly Opposite" by John Buchan, "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Mezzotint" by M. R. James, "Angela" by W. S. Gilbert, "The Barrister's Story" by Sapper, "Jeff Peters as a Personal Magnet" by O. Henry, "Oh Whistle & I'll Come to You My Lad by" M. R. James, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" by Mark Twain.
July 5, 2025
The Nostalgia Collection of Short Stories
With special attention in this note for-
The Patch on the Quilt by Sapper
This is a fabulous collection of great short stories, most of which are listed at the end of this note. Here I will try to insist on the last short tale, but my other notes on these stories are to be found on this blog and on my goodreads profile
Short stories seem to be treated with less interest than big, serious novels. Exception to the rule- Alice Munro, who has won the Noble Prize somewhat unexpectedly for she writes short tales, and novels rule supreme.
Looking over the list, I must note that although I was not so fond of Dick Baker’s Cat, it is by far my biggest success as a note writer... I still prefer to call them notes, not reviews, since I tend to digress from the subject of the story which is supposed to be in question.
On my blog, for some strange reason, my post on that cat has about eighty viewers, which may be the most people I will ever get to read (?) a note of mine.
The Patch On The Quilt deals with people who seek attention, are in a tight spot, in a way like this reader, who is desperately seeking to share his feelings thorugh his notes.
A woman is catching the attention of a reputed actor, as he walks out of the theater.
- Please give me a few minutes of your time
- Well, ok
- Yes, but not here
- ...
- I cannot explain
And the actor who is also the narator of the story is taken to a place where he can see what „real poverty is.
The husband is waiting for them and he is in a rather bad shape.
They want the actor to use his prestige and influence to secure a role for the woman, which he feels is a bit of a dirty trick, since the woman herself says:
- I know you get many demands like this, but we are desperate.
- I understand
- You see, she is an excellent actress, says the sick husband.
It happens that the actress in leading role fells sick, but the truth about the poor woman is that she is not really talented. The narator only said a few kind words out of politness, pitty and to get them off his back.
So when the opportunity arises for the aspiring actress to get on stage, it is denied and the understudy does make a wonderful role, which is noted by the journalists.
Appreaciative articles, even laudatory ones appear in the press and they are read by the dissapointed soliciting actress.
This turns into a drama that i will not describe to save you the pleasure of reading and finding out what happens.
For this was a story that I loved, together with the others which are mentioned here:
Thousand Deaths by Jack London, Read by Nicky Henson
Murder! by Arnold Bennett, Read by Brian Cox
The White Wolf by Guy de Maupassant, Read by Dinsdale Landen
The Mysterious Railway Passenger by Maurice Leblanc, Read by Patrick Malahide
The Cheshire Cat by Lewis Carroll, Read by Liza Goddard
'Divus' Johnston by John Buchan, Read by Iain Cuthbertson
Dick Baker's Cat by Mark Twain, Read by Richard Griffiths
The Man in the Bell by W. E. Aytoun, Read by Patrick Malahide
Home Sickness by George Moore, Read by T. P. McKenna
Spindleberries by John Galsworthy, Read by Joanna David
The Face by E. F. Benson, Read by Richard Pasco
On Being in Love by Jerome K. Jerome, Read by Hugh Laurie
The Disintegration Machine by Arthur Conan Doyle, Read by Nicky Henson
The Violet Car by E. E. Nesbitt, Read by Harriet Walter
The Patch on the Quilt Sapper, Read by Edward Fox
With special attention in this note for-
The Patch on the Quilt by Sapper
This is a fabulous collection of great short stories, most of which are listed at the end of this note. Here I will try to insist on the last short tale, but my other notes on these stories are to be found on this blog and on my goodreads profile
Short stories seem to be treated with less interest than big, serious novels. Exception to the rule- Alice Munro, who has won the Noble Prize somewhat unexpectedly for she writes short tales, and novels rule supreme.
Looking over the list, I must note that although I was not so fond of Dick Baker’s Cat, it is by far my biggest success as a note writer... I still prefer to call them notes, not reviews, since I tend to digress from the subject of the story which is supposed to be in question.
On my blog, for some strange reason, my post on that cat has about eighty viewers, which may be the most people I will ever get to read (?) a note of mine.
The Patch On The Quilt deals with people who seek attention, are in a tight spot, in a way like this reader, who is desperately seeking to share his feelings thorugh his notes.
A woman is catching the attention of a reputed actor, as he walks out of the theater.
- Please give me a few minutes of your time
- Well, ok
- Yes, but not here
- ...
- I cannot explain
And the actor who is also the narator of the story is taken to a place where he can see what „real poverty is.
The husband is waiting for them and he is in a rather bad shape.
They want the actor to use his prestige and influence to secure a role for the woman, which he feels is a bit of a dirty trick, since the woman herself says:
- I know you get many demands like this, but we are desperate.
- I understand
- You see, she is an excellent actress, says the sick husband.
It happens that the actress in leading role fells sick, but the truth about the poor woman is that she is not really talented. The narator only said a few kind words out of politness, pitty and to get them off his back.
So when the opportunity arises for the aspiring actress to get on stage, it is denied and the understudy does make a wonderful role, which is noted by the journalists.
Appreaciative articles, even laudatory ones appear in the press and they are read by the dissapointed soliciting actress.
This turns into a drama that i will not describe to save you the pleasure of reading and finding out what happens.
For this was a story that I loved, together with the others which are mentioned here:
Thousand Deaths by Jack London, Read by Nicky Henson
Murder! by Arnold Bennett, Read by Brian Cox
The White Wolf by Guy de Maupassant, Read by Dinsdale Landen
The Mysterious Railway Passenger by Maurice Leblanc, Read by Patrick Malahide
The Cheshire Cat by Lewis Carroll, Read by Liza Goddard
'Divus' Johnston by John Buchan, Read by Iain Cuthbertson
Dick Baker's Cat by Mark Twain, Read by Richard Griffiths
The Man in the Bell by W. E. Aytoun, Read by Patrick Malahide
Home Sickness by George Moore, Read by T. P. McKenna
Spindleberries by John Galsworthy, Read by Joanna David
The Face by E. F. Benson, Read by Richard Pasco
On Being in Love by Jerome K. Jerome, Read by Hugh Laurie
The Disintegration Machine by Arthur Conan Doyle, Read by Nicky Henson
The Violet Car by E. E. Nesbitt, Read by Harriet Walter
The Patch on the Quilt Sapper, Read by Edward Fox
February 5, 2022
Thought provoking
May 30, 2022
He is a great short storyteller. I suggest you read some of his works.
February 24, 2023
Not a fan of short stories but some were good.
May 22, 2023
قصص لطيفة خفيفة ممتعة .
March 8, 2025
The man who did not believe in luck… Fast Asleep with Gena Marie podcast
September 6, 2012
I prefer my short stories to have a definitive twist at the end. I was left cold by these stories because the twist was just not there and I felt as if there was something missing at the end.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews