Life on the Mississippi - The Original Classic Edition

One of Twains Greatest! : This book--at times disjointed, rambling, self-referential, and irreverent--is decades ahead of its time. Its an interdisciplinarians dream as Twain takes on economics, geography, politics, ancient and contemporary history, and folklore with equal ease. Mostly though, one appreciates his knack for exaggeration, the tall tale, and the outright lie. Its a triumph of tone, as he lets you in on his wild wit, his keen observation, and his penchant for bending the truth without losing his credibility as a guide.

The books structure is also modern: He recounts his days as a paddlewheel steam boat cub, piloting the hundreds of miles of the Mississippi before the Civil War, then, in Part 2, returns to retrace his paddleboat route. Although a few of his many digressions dont work (they sometimes sound formulaic or too detailed) most of the narrative is extremely entertaining. Twain seems caught between admiration and disdain for the modern age-but he also rejects over-sentimentality over the past.

He writes with beauty and cynicism, verve and humor. Very highly recommended!