The Innocents Abroad (1869) (Hardcover)

Many readers will be familiar with Mark Twain from their school-days , perhaps having read the author's stories of 'Tom Sawyer' & 'Huckleberry Finn'. Although factual, this book is itself just as enjoyable a read as the author's other classics.

I obtained my rather ancient copy of this book primarily to investigate the author's account of his travels through the Holy Land during the 19th Century, and his observations of the Holy Land, it's terrain, population, culture and character at that time.

Noting that the author had also spent some time in Gibraltar at any early stage in his journey, I thought that I might also be able to gather some perception of the accuracy of his accounts, having personally lived in Gibraltar for a period of time & being familiar with Gibraltar's history. I was not to be disappointed and was quite impressed with the writer's description of Gibraltar and his interpretation of it's turbulent history.

I was also impressed with the writer's account of so many locations within the Holy Land and the considerable amount of time that he devoted to it in his book. So many of the Judaeo-Christian sites that I am very familiar with are admirably described by the author and are instantly recognisable even after so many years.

However, unlike today, where many of these areas are quite heavily populated and where the land has flourished in recent times, the author's account paints an utterly different picture during the 19th Century. A picture which flies heavily in the face of the 'new historians' and the 'revisionists', many of whom allege that the Land even then was quite heavily populated by 'Palestinian Arabs' and was as verdant as the present day.

Instead Mark Twain describes the Holy Land as being barely populated and just a collection of small villages in a dry, barren land, an outpost of the Ottoman Empire.

[...]

I highly recommend this book to everyone. Please note that some copies under the title 'Innocents Abroad' do not include the coverage of the Holy Land trip. Please ensure that you obtain the correct copy. Thank you.

The second book of this volume is Roughing It. Here, Twain takes us on a sojourn to the American west in the company of his older brother. Roughing It is possibly the best contemporaneous account of life in America's 19th century western expanse and beyond. From stagecoach travel to silver mining, exploration and discovery to regional ecomonics, lifestyle, and lawlessness, Twain provides the reader a humorous look at the many facets of Manifest Destiny.

As always, Library of America is a splendid publisher with an quality product priced attractively. I recommend this volume wholeheartedly.

NOTE: This review is for the Library of America volume containing both Innocents Abroad and Roughing It by Mark Twain.

Most of all Twain makes us laugh at ourselves and fables of yore.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this vacation tale from the late 1800's. Prejudices and Pride not excepted.