Life on the Mississippi [Hardcover]

Mark Twain (Author)

List Price:	CDN$ 40.73
Price:	CDN$ 40.05 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
You Save:	CDN$ 0.68 (2%)
	o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca. Gift-wrap available.

Product Details

Hardcover: 552 pages
Publisher: Digital Scanning; illustrated edition edition (December 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1582182647
ISBN-13: 978-1582182643
Product Dimensions: 23.7 x 17.3 x 4 cm
Shipping Weight: 1.2 Kg
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,285,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Book Description

This Tradepaper edition is a reprint of the 1st Canadian edition, "As Published in 1883" by Dawson Brothers of Montreal with 54 illustrations. A great gift for any Twain enthusiast.

Tag this product

(What's this?)

Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.

Customer Reviews

There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.ca

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Share your experience with this product with others

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com ^(beta)

Amazon.com: 5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI by Mark Twain, Jan 31 2009

By thepaxdomini "The Book Review" - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Life on the Mississippi (Hardcover)

Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi, originally published in 1883, is part memoir, part paean to the Mississippi River and its culture, and part compilation of whatever miscellaneous anecdotes Twain thought were worth relating.

Twain begins with a history of the Mississippi since it was discovered by de Soto in 1541. He then discusses in great detail his training and early career as a steamboat pilot before the Civil War, and the accompanying science of navigating the river. Mastering the river in Twain's time was a mind-boggling achievement - it required the memorization of the entire river from St. Louis to New Orleans, and this monumental task was complicated by the Mississippi's tendency to change its course constantly. Later in life, Twain and some companions traveled on a steamboat from St. Louis to New Orleans, and he discusses in great detail how the riverboating industry (as well as industry in general) has changed. This account reads something more like a travelogue.

Interspersed through this account are a number of anecdotes and commentaries, covering a various and sundry range of topics, including tall tales, legends, architecture, culture, grammar, mule racing, cockfighting, and Sir Walter Scott's detrimental effect on the American South. One could spend several pages listing the topics Twain covers, but suffice it to say that the majority will be of interest to the discerning modern reader. His tall tales (often related as fact) are particularly good.

Twain is just as engaging here as he is in his fiction. He is self-deprecating and tongue-in-cheek, and his style is completely endearing. And if a particular topic is not of interest to the reader, well, he moves on quickly enough.

Ultimately, Life on the Mississippi is a fascinating read, not only for detailed insight into nineteenth-century life in America, but also for the countless tales Twain relates in his inimitable style.

› Go to Amazon.com to see the review 5.0 out of 5 stars