My Life and Times

I find it hard to resist Folio Society books and will sometimes buy a book that I would have passed by in another format. There is a pleasure in reading a book printed on good quality paper, with a decent binding.
This is more of a memoir than an autobiography, dwelling here and there and skipping over other areas. It's none the worse for that, and if you want to read a proper biography of Jerome, try 'Below the Fairy City'.
Part of the fascination of this book is feeling a sense of passing acquaintance with Barrie, Wells, Stevenson and so many other famous writers of the period. Sometimes there is humour worthy of Three Men in a Boat, particularly the description of Hansom cabs!
However, part of the annoyance of Jerome's life (from his show more view point) was trying to get his serious work accepted when his best known book was comedy.
One particularly fascinating section covers his life as an ambulance man in WW1 - which manages both humour and horror at the same time. show less