The Wayward Tourist

by Mark Twain

At the height of his fame, Mark Twain, the rambunctious writer and humorist from Missouri, was facing financial ruin from one of his many business ventures. Broke but much loved he went on a money-raising lecture tour around the equator, making a stop in Australia. The Wayward Tourist republishes Mark Twain's Australian travel writing in which he recounts his impressions of Sydney (the creation of Satan) and his view of Australian history (it reads like the most beautiful lies), with much lamenting along the way about his carbuncle. In his introduction, Don Watson describes this wayward tourist who brought his American swagger, love of language and wicked talent for observation to Australia. This significant encounter between one of America's great writers is also wonderful entertainment.

Genres: Travel, Australia, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.

Reviews

[Helen Blunden · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wayward Tourist: The Adventures of Mark Twain in Australia by Mark Twain
https://youtu.be/1uFzyQ1r9IA

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this book had been one of Mark Twain's best, it would have been published a lot earlier. There were some amusing anecdotes, but overall, I found it a bit slow. Twain also spends an inordinate amount of time on the Aboriginals, considering the fact that he never met any! He is also pretty condescending toward them (there's a lot of comments about "noble savages"), which is an artefact of the time he was living in, but can still be a bit tiresome and offensive.

Although I found a few bits interesting, I would have liked it better if there had been more commentary on actual events than stories others had told him, and more opinion on whether he liked or disliked the people he met.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply marvellous. Laugh out loud stuff, and the man is just so damned perspicacious (had to slip that word in here). I can't think of a single person I wouldn't recommend this gem to; it should be required reading for all Aussies at least.

Do yourself a favour and add it to the Christmas list.

[Mrchristoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book, fascinating as a historical document and entertaining to read. I only gave it 3 stars because it is an abridged version of a longer book by Twain, ‘Following the equator’, and so there is little point in this book as one may well as get the original and read it in full.

It details Twain’s impressions of Australia in late the 19th century. The tales are entertaining, though seem to be peppered with inaccuracies and half truths. He speaks a lot about the aboriginal people, though admits with regret to not having met any in his time downunder. These passages are difficult to read for the modern reader, and are steeped in the appalling racism of the times. Though he is sympathetic towards the indigenous Australians, he none the less seems to regard them as ‘savages’ whose extinction is regrettable but inevitable. The casual and lighthearted way he says these things is confronting. But as a document of the spirit of the times, horrible as they were, it is worth reading.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1897, Mark Twain toured Australia. He was on a long-extended lecture tour of the world, and was renowned for keeping his audience rolling in the aisles with laughter. I half-smiled once or twice while reading this, but more often irritated, at his digressions, comparisons with America (understandably I suppose). I was interested in what he saw in 1890s Australia, but he was too concerned with his writing style, which is anecdotal, self-conscious and paradoxical , that I didn’t get the sort of thing I was after. Tasmania dealt with in 2 pages. As good a story teller as he might have been in the flesh, his writing doesn’t really cut it.

[Andrew Carr · Rating 1 out of 5]

If anyone else had written it, you'd never see a point in reading it. And even in this case you still shouldn't bother.

Don't get me wrong, Twain can be brilliant. But this is an erratic series of diary entries by a man largely bored with his surroundings. One putting pen to paper merely for the practice - and sales - rather than because anything in the landscape or people of Australia seems to have stirred him.

Read a proper Twain book, or a proper Australia book. Sadly the combination of the two is a waste of everyone's time.

[Jane Potter]

People interested in how people of Mark Twain's time saw the aboriginals should read this book. He is an outsider traveling around Sydney, Melbourne, Ballarat and South Australia. About half way he talks about the Aboriginal people. It is shocking. He writes that the Aboriginal people, "the native" "the savage" are not human! In all seriousness! He believes that! He writes that poisoning the savage that's on your land is more humane then shooting them!

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars because A) it's Twain and B) it's about Australia. It's very short and to the point - one of Twain's virtues - but when Twain describes his surroundings, even something mundane, his word choice can make you laugh.

[Mick D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twain goes to the 'Go