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Steamboats and Tall Tales, 19. Januar 2010
Mark Twain wrote this book after the success of his earlier travel books, though 'Life on the Mississippi' is hardly what one may call a traditional travel book but then neither are his earlier ones like 'The Innocencts Abroad'. A number of chapters had been previously published as a series of newspaper articles and describe Samuel Clemens's training as a Mississippi steamboat pilot before the Civil War. The other part of the book is largely based on Mark Twain's visit to the river in 1881, a trip he made expressly to gather material for this book and observe the changes time had brought to the Mississippi now sadly depleted of steamboats. Written with wry humour the book covers a whole variety of subjects in this book, not only what one may expect like a history of the river or Mark Twain's own experiences on it and tall tales told to him and by him. Sometimes it is difficult to decide how far to trust the author and his reminscences. There are Indian legends and sarcastic observations and also some quite serious discussions on history, society or the question of why the recent war (known today mostly as the Civil War but also as the War between the States) was still so much on the mind of the people in the South. I particularly liked his theory that the war was caused by Sir Walter Scott's romances. It is an interesting, amusing and informative book, but I think the reader has to have a previous interest in either the Mississippi, steamboats, Mark Twain or history to appreciate the book. For those who are interested in one or several of these topics this is a book well worth reading.
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4.0 von 5 Sternen
Essential for any Twain fan., 6. Juni 2000
Mark Twain, the most globally recognised of the greatest American writers, comes closest to autobiography in this odd and fascinating book. This is the story of part of his life at least, and lays out much of his unique moral and political philosophy. As a book, Life on the Mississippi lacks a truly coherent story line after the half-way point; it tells the story of Twain's training as a Mississippi steamboat pilot, then, when he returns to the river years later as a successful writer, it drops off into anecdotes as Twain travels down the great river, and can be a deadly bore for some readers. But, oh, what a picture of Twain it draws! There are great tales of characters he meets along the river, told in his inimitably funny style, wonderful bits of his childhood - like the tale of his insomniac guilt and terror when the match he loans a drunk ends up causing the jail to burn down, killing the drunk - and insightful portraits of the towns and villages along the river. This is a characteristically American book, about progress and independence as well as the greatest American river, written by this most characteristically American writer. It is a true classic (a thing Twain despised! He said, "Classics are books that everybody praises, but nobody reads."), a book that will remain a delight for the foreseeable future.
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5.0 von 5 Sternen
He puts you on the deck of a Mississippi riverboat. Hold on!, 24. August 1997
He picks you up off the spot where you are sitting and places you standing on the deck of a Mississippi riverboat in pre-Civil War America. His writing craft is so vivid, detailed, and compelling that you feel as if you yourself have followed each bend and turn, avoided each logjam, and squinted over the bow each starlit night of a journey down the mighty Mississippi River. Additionally, he adds context to the voyage, in the form of digressions about the times, the way peole thought and acted, real items from newspapers of the era, and his own opinions and observations of human nature. It is not a novel. It is non-fiction, but it's writing style makes it as readable as a novel. It was pure pleasure
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