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13
Book Review: Who is Mark Twain?
2009 at 10am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Recently published April 21, 2009 by Harper Studio
A description from the publisher:
“You had better shove this in the stove,” Mark Twain said at the top of an 1865 letter to his brother, “for I don’t want any absurd ‘literary remains’ and ‘unpublished letters of Mark Twain’ published after I am planted.” He was joking, of course. But when Mark Twain died in 1910, he left behind the largest collection of personal papers created by any nineteenth-century American author.Here, for the first time in book form, are twenty-four remarkable pieces by the American master—pieces that have been hand picked by Robert Hirst, General Editor of The Mark Twain Project at UC Berkeley. In “Jane Austen,” Twain wonders if Austen’s goal is to “make the reader detest her people up to the middle of the book and like them in the rest of the chapters?” “The Privilege of the Grave” offers a powerful statement about the freedom of speech while “Happy Memories of the Dental Chair” will make you appreciate modern dentistry. In “Frank Fuller and My Fist New York Lecture” Twain plasters the city with ads to promote his talk at the Cooper Union (he is terrified no one will attend). Later that day, Twain encounters two men gazing at one of his ads. One man says to the other: “Who is Mark Twain?” The other responds: “God Knows-I Don’t.”
Who is Mark Twain? is a wonderful collection for any reader who has loved Twain’s work and wants to know more about the man himself. Comprised of what Twain considered his “literary remains”— pieces he did not publish while he was alive, for a variety of reasons—this remarkable little book gives us a glimpse of Twain in a new light. Or, in several new lights, to be precise.
While he was concerned about maintaing a certain reputation and protecting his family during his lifetime, Twain, unlike many authors, was not worried about how posterity would remember him. He “was not embarrassed by his ‘literary remains’” and was “unafraid of the light they might cast on his talent, or the way he wrote.” In fact, it seems that he even felt freed by the idea that he could leave behind written works that expressed his true thoughts and feelings when he wouldn’t be around to suffer the consequences. The opening note in Who is Mark Twain? tells us that the celebrated author eventually
evolved the habit of writing what he wanted to write, no matter how incendiary, knowing all the while that he would not publish it, but simply put it into that “box of Posthumous Stuff” and let it be published after his death.
Of the many essays, notes, speeches, etc. presented in this collection, I particularly enjoyed “Conversations with Satan,” (more on that later) and ”Jane Austen,” in which Twain criticizes the author and reveals his disdain for the idea that people who do not appreciate her work somehow lack taste and are made to feel “that there are find things, great things, admirable things, which others can perceive and they can’t.” Now, I’ve read Pride and Prejudice and thought it was okay, but I don’t love it with the fervor of many other readers, and I felt more than a little validated by Mr. Twain’s statement.
In “The Force of ‘Suggestion,’” Twain attacks the press in an essay that is still very relevant today, and in “On Postage Rates on Authors’ Manuscripts,” he shows us that he could have been a writer for a late-night comedian, as he has all the political jokes he could need. The opening line?
Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
And that’s just a taste of what you’ll find in this charming little book.
Twain’s sense of humor, his biting insight, and his willingness to tell it like it is—even only after he’s dead and gone—are what make Who is Mark Twain? a great read. Many of the ideas he explores and issues he addresses are relevant in today’s social and political climate, perhaps none more so than “The Missionary in World-Politics,” and I found these non-fiction bits just as interesting as his famous fiction. This was a fun and refreshing read, and it was really nice to get a closer look at the real person behind some of our best loved classics.
While it’s certainly not necessary that one be a Twain expert to enjoy this collection, readers who have some familiarity with Twain and a fondness for his work and his history will get the most out of it. This one-sitting read would be a great gift for lovers of American literature and a nice addition to any serious reader’s library.
In conjunction with their promotions of this collection, Harper Studio is sponsoring a writing contest to find the next Mark Twain. Visit the website for details, and write your own ending to “Conversations with Satan” for a chance to win a free copy of this book, have your piece published on Borders.com and give a reading at your local Borders store.
Special thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book.
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[...] Book Review: Who is Mark Twain? [...]
My book club has been wanting to read a Twain book but when the time comes to choose one everyone gets all up in arms over which classic to pick. Maybe this book would be a good compromise. Since it’s a “one sitting” read, maybe it would be a good one for the holidays since that seems to be a busy time for a lot of folks.
I think I’d go with one of his novels for the book group, Ti, but maybe add this one is an as extra for discussion.
This looks like a great read. I’ll have to keep my eye out for it.
[...] Book Review: Who is Mark Twain? [...]
[...] Petunia (Garden Spells)119. Brittanie(The Moment Between)120. Brittanie (Blood Bayou)121. Rebecca @ The Book Lady’s Blog (Who is Mark Twain?)122. Rebecca @ The Book Lady’s Blog (The Senator’s Wife)123. Just One More Book! Podcast [...]
I really like Mark Twain’s works and his humorous way of telling it. Not only did he express his feelings and opinions in his works, he also let his readers compare his story with society and real life. This is another reason why his works are read by so many people.
He “was not embarrassed by his ‘literary remains’” and was “unafraid of the light they might cast on his talent, or the way he wrote.”
We noticed that Twain do not care about how other people judge him. So, he let all his creativity flow down into his pen!