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Wisconsin Studies in Autobiography
Chapters from My Autobiography
Prefatory Note.-Mr. Clemens began to write his autobiography many years ago, and he continues to add to it day by day. It was his original intention to permit no publication of his memoirs until after his death; but, after leaving "Pier No. 70," he concluded that a considerable portion might now suitably be given to the public. It is that portion, garnered from the quarter-million of words already written, which will appear in this Review during the coming year. No part of the autobiography will be published in book form during the lifetime of the author.-Editor N. A. R.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1907
50 people are currently reading
397 people want to read
About the author
Mark Twain
8,587 books18.6k followersLibrarian 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 22, 2023
“…by heredity and habit ours was a religious household, and it was a common thing with us whenever anybody did a handsome thing, to give the credit of it to Providence without examining into the matter. This may be called automatic religion—in fact that is what it is; it is so used to its work that it can do it without your help or even your privity; out of all the facts and statistics that may be placed before it, it will always get the one result… It is thus the unreflecting cause of much injustice.” (pg 246)
Rather than a chronological and coherent life history, Mark Twain’s Own Autobiography is a somewhat jumbled mess. It is unquestionably an enjoyable book, but one has to be willing to accompany Twain on his frequent tangents of reminiscence.
Personally, my favorite bits were written about (and by) Susy Clemens, Twain’s precocious and gifted eldest daughter. Olivia Susan Clemens (1872 - 1896) was the apple of her father’s eye and it shows. Twain writes exuberantly about her life and his recollection of her passing is almost too painful to read. Four stars.
“…mamma loves morals and papa loves cats." -Susy Clemons
Rather than a chronological and coherent life history, Mark Twain’s Own Autobiography is a somewhat jumbled mess. It is unquestionably an enjoyable book, but one has to be willing to accompany Twain on his frequent tangents of reminiscence.
Personally, my favorite bits were written about (and by) Susy Clemens, Twain’s precocious and gifted eldest daughter. Olivia Susan Clemens (1872 - 1896) was the apple of her father’s eye and it shows. Twain writes exuberantly about her life and his recollection of her passing is almost too painful to read. Four stars.
“…mamma loves morals and papa loves cats." -Susy Clemons
May 8, 2013
To read Mark Twain's autobiography is to understand Mark Twain. To understand Twain is to understand ourselves. As Twain wrote in the biography, "I am the entire human race compacted together."
Enlightening, engrossing, and often laugh-out-loud funny, this book takes root in your mind and grows with each page turn.
Enlightening, engrossing, and often laugh-out-loud funny, this book takes root in your mind and grows with each page turn.
May 13, 2022
Mai mult un jurnal scris pe sărite, autobiografia lui Mark Twain e o înșiruire de amintiri disparate și amestecate, amintiri și întâmplări care nu sunt scrise în ordine cronologică și fără legătură între ele. Nu toate m-au dat pe spate, unele sunt destul de amuzante, iar altele nu au reușit să-mi smulgă mai mult de un zâmbet (de obicei acestea făceau referire la romanele lui arhicunoscute, cele pe care le citeam cu atâta plăcere în urmă cu o grămadă de ani: Aventurile lui Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Prinț și cerșetor etc.). Dar cele mai savuroase sunt pasajele scrise de Suzy, una dintre fiicele lui. Plus părțile în care descrie atmosfera și obiceiurile Americii din a doua jumătate a sec. 19.
Numele lui real e Samuel Langhorne Clemens, și ce-i interesant e că am aflat amănuntul ăsta dintr-o excelentă și memorabilă serie SF citită în urmă cu vreo 15 ani, care se numește Lumea Fluviului. În seria asta se face că aproape toți oamenii care au trăit vreodată pe Pământ se trezesc pe malul unui imens fluviu. Mark Twain, din scriitor și dătător de viață personajelor literare, devine el însuși un personaj în această epopee, unde face echipă cu alte nume sonore din trecut (adică Jack London, regele Ioan fără de Țară, chiar și infamul nazist Goring ș. a.) ca să descopere misterele sus-numitului fluviu și ale planetei pe care au poposit fără voia lor.
Numele lui real e Samuel Langhorne Clemens, și ce-i interesant e că am aflat amănuntul ăsta dintr-o excelentă și memorabilă serie SF citită în urmă cu vreo 15 ani, care se numește Lumea Fluviului. În seria asta se face că aproape toți oamenii care au trăit vreodată pe Pământ se trezesc pe malul unui imens fluviu. Mark Twain, din scriitor și dătător de viață personajelor literare, devine el însuși un personaj în această epopee, unde face echipă cu alte nume sonore din trecut (adică Jack London, regele Ioan fără de Țară, chiar și infamul nazist Goring ș. a.) ca să descopere misterele sus-numitului fluviu și ale planetei pe care au poposit fără voia lor.
October 19, 2022
۱۴۰۱/۷۲۷
مهرماه 1:23
تاکنون سه بار گواهینامه دانشگاهی گرفتهام دو بار از دانشگاه یل یک بار هم از دانشگاه میسوری
وقتی دانشگاه یل فوق لیسانس هنرهای زیبا را به من داد بیش از اندازه خوشحال شدم چون هیچ چیز از هنر نمیدانستم وقتی هم دکتری ادبیات داد لذت دیگری بردم چون در شناخت آثار ادبی هیچ کسی دکتر قابلی نبودم جز در شناخت آثار ادبی خودم حتی آثار ادبی خودم را بدون کمک همسرم نمیتوانستم در وضعیت سالمی نگه دارم.
وقتی دانشگاه میسوری به من دکتری افتخاری حقوق داد منفعت کامل بود چون هیچ چیزی از قوانین نمیدانستم جز اینکه چگونه از چنگ آنها فرار کنم و گرفتارشان نشوم و حال دانشگاه آکسفورد قصد داشت به من دکتری افتخاری ادبیات بدهد آن هم منفعت خالص بود چرا که اگر میخواستند به من بابت آنچه از ادبیات نمیدانستم پول بدهند، میلیاردر میشدم
مارک تواین در کتاب زندگینامهاش نوشته که وقتی در سن 29 سالگی ازدواج کردم نیمه مشهور بودم و 9 سال تمام رو در تنگدستی سپری کردم چرا که پولهای من رو از چنگم در آورده بودن. و بعد با همراهی همسرش و به اتفاق برای تاسیس یک انتشاراتی در سال 1890 پولی در حدود 120 هزار دلار سرمایه گذاری کردند که تمام سرمایهشون به باد رفت و مقروض شدند و حتی یک سنت هم براشون باقی نمونده بود و طلبکارها میتونستن املاک اونها رو از دستشون خارج کنن به همین خاطر همسر تواین گفت شاید بتونن این خونه رو که ارث به من رسیده از چنگم در بیارن، ولی نمیتونن کتابهای تالیف شده تو رو بگیرن و ازم درخواست کرد که دوباره دست به قلم بشم و من هم تنبلی رو کنار گذاشتم و شروع به نوشتن کردم و بعداز چاپ یکی از کتابهام شروع برای سخنرانی و درآمد پول شروع به مسافرت به اقصی نقاط دنیا کردیم و از این طریق هم و سخنرانی و تبلیغ کتابهام همه بدهیهامون رو پرداخت کردیم و به روال عادی زندگی برگشتیم.
نقطه غمانگیز زندگی تواین دو فرزندش بود یکی از نوزادی و دیگری زمانی که دخترش 24 سال داشت و شب قبل از فوت به همراه تواین چند ساعتی با هم بودند و گفتگو کرده بودند و طرح ریخته بودند و تواین میگه که وقت شب بخیر دخترم گفت که نمیتونم شما رو ببوسم چون مریضم و سرما خوردم و صبح خدمتکار با عجله به نزد من اومد و گفت که دخترم تو حمام افتاده وقتی خودم رو به حمام رسوندم دیدم دخترم بر اثر سکته قلبی فوت شده و این در حالی بود که قبل از فوت این دخترش، همسرش رو هم از دست داده بود.
تواین میگه که شبهای زیادی تا صبح من مشغول نوشتن بودم و بیشتر از 12 هزار کلمه مینوشتم
در مورد دو کتاب تام سایر و شاهزاده و گدا گفته که در کتاب تام سایر وقتی به صفحه 400 رسیدم کتاب متوقف شد و نتونستم حتی یک کلمه دیگه بنویسم به همین خاطر کتاب رو رها کردم و دوسال بعد که سراغ کتاب رفتم به سادگی ادامه رو نوشتم و به پایان رسوندمش
و در ادامه میگه که اونجا بود که متوجه شدم وقتی چشمه و منبع خشکیده شد باید کتاب رو رها کرد و بعد به سراغش رفت چرا که همین کار رو با کتاب شاهزاده و گدا هم انجام داد و بعداز دوسال به سراغ کتاب نیمه تمامش رفت و اون رو هم به اتمام رسوند.
مهرماه 1:23
تاکنون سه بار گواهینامه دانشگاهی گرفتهام دو بار از دانشگاه یل یک بار هم از دانشگاه میسوری
وقتی دانشگاه یل فوق لیسانس هنرهای زیبا را به من داد بیش از اندازه خوشحال شدم چون هیچ چیز از هنر نمیدانستم وقتی هم دکتری ادبیات داد لذت دیگری بردم چون در شناخت آثار ادبی هیچ کسی دکتر قابلی نبودم جز در شناخت آثار ادبی خودم حتی آثار ادبی خودم را بدون کمک همسرم نمیتوانستم در وضعیت سالمی نگه دارم.
وقتی دانشگاه میسوری به من دکتری افتخاری حقوق داد منفعت کامل بود چون هیچ چیزی از قوانین نمیدانستم جز اینکه چگونه از چنگ آنها فرار کنم و گرفتارشان نشوم و حال دانشگاه آکسفورد قصد داشت به من دکتری افتخاری ادبیات بدهد آن هم منفعت خالص بود چرا که اگر میخواستند به من بابت آنچه از ادبیات نمیدانستم پول بدهند، میلیاردر میشدم
مارک تواین در کتاب زندگینامهاش نوشته که وقتی در سن 29 سالگی ازدواج کردم نیمه مشهور بودم و 9 سال تمام رو در تنگدستی سپری کردم چرا که پولهای من رو از چنگم در آورده بودن. و بعد با همراهی همسرش و به اتفاق برای تاسیس یک انتشاراتی در سال 1890 پولی در حدود 120 هزار دلار سرمایه گذاری کردند که تمام سرمایهشون به باد رفت و مقروض شدند و حتی یک سنت هم براشون باقی نمونده بود و طلبکارها میتونستن املاک اونها رو از دستشون خارج کنن به همین خاطر همسر تواین گفت شاید بتونن این خونه رو که ارث به من رسیده از چنگم در بیارن، ولی نمیتونن کتابهای تالیف شده تو رو بگیرن و ازم درخواست کرد که دوباره دست به قلم بشم و من هم تنبلی رو کنار گذاشتم و شروع به نوشتن کردم و بعداز چاپ یکی از کتابهام شروع برای سخنرانی و درآمد پول شروع به مسافرت به اقصی نقاط دنیا کردیم و از این طریق هم و سخنرانی و تبلیغ کتابهام همه بدهیهامون رو پرداخت کردیم و به روال عادی زندگی برگشتیم.
نقطه غمانگیز زندگی تواین دو فرزندش بود یکی از نوزادی و دیگری زمانی که دخترش 24 سال داشت و شب قبل از فوت به همراه تواین چند ساعتی با هم بودند و گفتگو کرده بودند و طرح ریخته بودند و تواین میگه که وقت شب بخیر دخترم گفت که نمیتونم شما رو ببوسم چون مریضم و سرما خوردم و صبح خدمتکار با عجله به نزد من اومد و گفت که دخترم تو حمام افتاده وقتی خودم رو به حمام رسوندم دیدم دخترم بر اثر سکته قلبی فوت شده و این در حالی بود که قبل از فوت این دخترش، همسرش رو هم از دست داده بود.
تواین میگه که شبهای زیادی تا صبح من مشغول نوشتن بودم و بیشتر از 12 هزار کلمه مینوشتم
در مورد دو کتاب تام سایر و شاهزاده و گدا گفته که در کتاب تام سایر وقتی به صفحه 400 رسیدم کتاب متوقف شد و نتونستم حتی یک کلمه دیگه بنویسم به همین خاطر کتاب رو رها کردم و دوسال بعد که سراغ کتاب رفتم به سادگی ادامه رو نوشتم و به پایان رسوندمش
و در ادامه میگه که اونجا بود که متوجه شدم وقتی چشمه و منبع خشکیده شد باید کتاب رو رها کرد و بعد به سراغش رفت چرا که همین کار رو با کتاب شاهزاده و گدا هم انجام داد و بعداز دوسال به سراغ کتاب نیمه تمامش رفت و اون رو هم به اتمام رسوند.
April 7, 2009
An absolutely delightful trip into Mark Twain's life that gives insight to his "fictional" characters and exploits, many of whom were based on people Mark Twain knew and things that actually happened. I particularly enjoyed the excerpts from Susie's descriptions of her father written when she was fourteen. By the end of the book, one feels as if he/she knows the man somehow. There's a feeling of shared intimacy. Also Twain casually mentions many literary names of the time. One forgets how many wonderful writers lived at the same time as Twain.
September 12, 2020
O lectură spumoasă, umoristică, dar și emoționantă!
"Așa e viața. Suntem suflați în lume, plutim cu veselie în aerul de vară o vreme, etalându-ne, cu mulțumire de sine, formele grațioase și culorile delicate ale curcubeului, apoi dispărem tot dintr-o singură suflare, lăsând în urma noastră doar amintirile despre noi - câteodată, nici măcar atât. Bănuiesc că, în momentele solemne când ne trezim în mijlocul nopții și cugetăm, fiecare dintre noi este gata să accepte că nu suntem decât niște baloane de săpun și că nu valorăm mai mult decât atât."
"Așa e viața. Suntem suflați în lume, plutim cu veselie în aerul de vară o vreme, etalându-ne, cu mulțumire de sine, formele grațioase și culorile delicate ale curcubeului, apoi dispărem tot dintr-o singură suflare, lăsând în urma noastră doar amintirile despre noi - câteodată, nici măcar atât. Bănuiesc că, în momentele solemne când ne trezim în mijlocul nopții și cugetăm, fiecare dintre noi este gata să accepte că nu suntem decât niște baloane de săpun și că nu valorăm mai mult decât atât."
July 14, 2022
This is not a book that Mark Twain published. It is not strictly an autobiography. It is not a collection of chapters from a larger work published during the author's lifetime. So, what is it? This is a serial collection of remembrances and anecdotes by Mark Twain published between 1906 and 1907 in North American Review. He also includes numerous sections that he states are biographical passages about him written by his daughter, Susy, when she was fifteen. He also uses some of the chapters to write about his parents and siblings.
Some of the "chapters" are more interesting than others, but they are all written by a master of the language who never fails to find new ways of expression and description. Some of the chapters are incredibly funny and demonstrate why Twain is one of the greatest humorists in American literature. The description of a dual with pistols that he narrowly avoided is classic Twain storytelling. His tale about twice selling a dog he did not own is also quintessential Twain. His billiard game stories are a hoot.
Chapter 13 is of particular importance because he describes how living in Florida, Missouri, gave him many of the ideas and characters in his great novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In Chapter 16, Twain writes about how his mother knew that her son took great liberties with the truth in his writing. She told one of her friends that her son was the well-spring of truth, but you can only draw one bucket at a time. Perfect.
Some of the "chapters" are more interesting than others, but they are all written by a master of the language who never fails to find new ways of expression and description. Some of the chapters are incredibly funny and demonstrate why Twain is one of the greatest humorists in American literature. The description of a dual with pistols that he narrowly avoided is classic Twain storytelling. His tale about twice selling a dog he did not own is also quintessential Twain. His billiard game stories are a hoot.
Chapter 13 is of particular importance because he describes how living in Florida, Missouri, gave him many of the ideas and characters in his great novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In Chapter 16, Twain writes about how his mother knew that her son took great liberties with the truth in his writing. She told one of her friends that her son was the well-spring of truth, but you can only draw one bucket at a time. Perfect.
May 3, 2022
“There is no such thing as a bad idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.”
-Mark Twain,
Opinion: Great book, difficult to digest material from the stone ages. It was ight doe, one of my fav authors. Twain the homie
Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review
Tags: ideas
-Mark Twain,
Opinion: Great book, difficult to digest material from the stone ages. It was ight doe, one of my fav authors. Twain the homie
Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review
Tags: ideas
February 23, 2022
Audiobook on Audible
Narrated by Bronson Pinchot
Mark Twain makes me smile. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this & took my time. Because it's just chapters from his autobiography it doesn't always flow from chapter to chapter, but if you just go along for the ride, it's fine! His deep love for his daughter is clearly evident in how he talks about her. The narrator was phenomenal. If I get to the next life & Mark Twain doesn't sound just like him, I might be slightly disappointed, lol.
Narrated by Bronson Pinchot
Mark Twain makes me smile. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this & took my time. Because it's just chapters from his autobiography it doesn't always flow from chapter to chapter, but if you just go along for the ride, it's fine! His deep love for his daughter is clearly evident in how he talks about her. The narrator was phenomenal. If I get to the next life & Mark Twain doesn't sound just like him, I might be slightly disappointed, lol.
September 18, 2017
This is a rather disjointed collection of chapters from Mark Twain's autobiography. For me two things redeem this book. The first is his humor which kept me smiling throughout the book. The second is his love for his family especially Susie, his daughter who died too young.
November 18, 2019
Some of the reflections he went into after sections written by his daughter were among the most moving I've ever read (or listened to, as the case may be).
Twain was a man of many regrets. And an exceptional gift for capturing feeling with language.
Twain was a man of many regrets. And an exceptional gift for capturing feeling with language.
July 12, 2021
There is no way not to love Mr. Clemens.. I think he is one of the most authentic and sincere writers of all time and the world would be such an amazing beautiful place if there were more people like him.. ♡♡♡
March 11, 2018
A beautiful slice near the heel of a loaf worth living.
January 3, 2019
Pinchot's narration is fabulous.
November 21, 2019
Audio book
April 18, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book.
September 9, 2023
"I couldn't help but be swept away by the author's words. The writing is pure magic."
March 2, 2017
Many chapters are great reading like the best of Mark Twain's writing, some are not, and may be of interest just for hard core Twain followers.
Some of the more interesting pages are daughter Susi’s diary which Twain quotes throughout. We get glimpses and stories, some repetition from other Mark Twain books, from various times and places in the US and other countries of the world traveler. I wish he wasn’t so impressed by the imperialist German Kaiser Wilhelm and his court. No doubt the emperor’s familiarity with his books was the attraction. He concludes with “Now, then, that is the tale. Some of it is true.”
Some of the more interesting pages are daughter Susi’s diary which Twain quotes throughout. We get glimpses and stories, some repetition from other Mark Twain books, from various times and places in the US and other countries of the world traveler. I wish he wasn’t so impressed by the imperialist German Kaiser Wilhelm and his court. No doubt the emperor’s familiarity with his books was the attraction. He concludes with “Now, then, that is the tale. Some of it is true.”
Read
March 21, 2011Within the first few minutes of this audiobook, one knows exactly why Mark Twain was such a success as an author and humorist. His wit and satire abound with each story, and yet he maintains a level of humility that is just as charming as it is surprising. The anecdotes and stories presented by Twain in this collection are at times heartbreaking, touching, difficult, and, as one would expect, hilarious. Twain does not shy away from highlighting his faults and foibles and presents them with an alacrity that is simply amusing.
What makes Chapters from My Autobiography so difficult is the randomness of each story. Twain jumps around from discussing his children to his brother to his time in Europe and back with no introduction and no preparation for the reader. Following along quickly becomes a study in concentration, as this is not an audiobook that allows one's mind to drift. However, when the effort is made, the reader/listener is rewarded with a better understanding of how remarkable Twain's life was. His relationship with his wife and children is especially poignant, as he presents his daughter's biography of him in its entirety, complete with spelling errors. His pride at his daughter's ability to capture him in all his faults is simply beautiful to behold.
Mr. Pinchot earns his Narrator of the Year nod with a spot-on performance as Mark Twain. His accent never wavers, and his ability to take rather dry material and imbibe it with spirit and humor is alone worth the time necessary to listen to the audio. Twain literally comes alive again through Mr. Pinchot.
Chapters from My Autobiography is charming in its own right, especially with such highlights as Susie's biography of her father, but it is truly the narrator who makes this such a special experience for the listener. For those who are not willing to tackle Mr. Twain's entire autobiography, or at least the one volume of it that was recently released, this audio is a great introduction to his story and a wonderful teaser of the true face of one of America's most celebrated authors.
What makes Chapters from My Autobiography so difficult is the randomness of each story. Twain jumps around from discussing his children to his brother to his time in Europe and back with no introduction and no preparation for the reader. Following along quickly becomes a study in concentration, as this is not an audiobook that allows one's mind to drift. However, when the effort is made, the reader/listener is rewarded with a better understanding of how remarkable Twain's life was. His relationship with his wife and children is especially poignant, as he presents his daughter's biography of him in its entirety, complete with spelling errors. His pride at his daughter's ability to capture him in all his faults is simply beautiful to behold.
Mr. Pinchot earns his Narrator of the Year nod with a spot-on performance as Mark Twain. His accent never wavers, and his ability to take rather dry material and imbibe it with spirit and humor is alone worth the time necessary to listen to the audio. Twain literally comes alive again through Mr. Pinchot.
Chapters from My Autobiography is charming in its own right, especially with such highlights as Susie's biography of her father, but it is truly the narrator who makes this such a special experience for the listener. For those who are not willing to tackle Mr. Twain's entire autobiography, or at least the one volume of it that was recently released, this audio is a great introduction to his story and a wonderful teaser of the true face of one of America's most celebrated authors.
March 6, 2012
I was extremely disappointed. This autobiography is prefaced by the author stating that it might come off as directionless, but that it's done on purpose. Well, it might be on purpose but it doesn't help the sense that it's disarming to the reader and give them that oh i don't know, directionless feeling. The author also warns early on that the anecdotes aren't always going to be about him and aren't always going to hit the high points of his life. They are sometimes going to be about small events with little known persons of disinterest. And he's right about that too. But again, the result is fairly typical in that the reader becomes...wait for it...disinterested.
8 Chapters into the book and I heard more stories about his daughter's version of his biography than his...spelling errors and all...i'm sure his young daughter was extremely important to him and his stories about her are cute and endearing to a point. However, between the chaotic aimlessness of the anecdotes and their "small" subject matter, I often got the feeling that i get when i find myself trapped talking to an elderly stranger, who just goes on and on about his life for no apparent reason. i'm sure those stories are interesting to him and those who actually know some of the persons in those stories. But not me.
After about 2.5 hours i just wanted to come up with some lame excuse so i could walk away from the kindly elderly man and get back to my day. Then i realized i could just hit the stop button and download something else. Unfinished book.
I think i'll stick away from AUTObiographies from now on.
8 Chapters into the book and I heard more stories about his daughter's version of his biography than his...spelling errors and all...i'm sure his young daughter was extremely important to him and his stories about her are cute and endearing to a point. However, between the chaotic aimlessness of the anecdotes and their "small" subject matter, I often got the feeling that i get when i find myself trapped talking to an elderly stranger, who just goes on and on about his life for no apparent reason. i'm sure those stories are interesting to him and those who actually know some of the persons in those stories. But not me.
After about 2.5 hours i just wanted to come up with some lame excuse so i could walk away from the kindly elderly man and get back to my day. Then i realized i could just hit the stop button and download something else. Unfinished book.
I think i'll stick away from AUTObiographies from now on.
July 2, 2023
Una lástima porque me tendría que haber encantado. Hace años que estoy atrás de cualquier edición de la autobiografía de Twain. La leí en inglés cuando era muy jóven en una versión que ahora me doy cuenta que no era completa (la completa son varios volúmenes según veo en Amazon) y la recuerdo todavía como brillante y muy divertida. Conseguí esta edición chilena de una editorial que creo no es muy conocida (La Pollera) y me arriesgué. En este caso, en una aceptable introducción, el traductor menciona que a partir de las lecturas de las autobiografías de Casanova y Rousseau, Twain trata de emularlos y entre 1870 y 1905 intentó varias veces escribir (más bien, dictar) su autobiografía. Le pidió a su editor que no se publicara la obra hasta un siglo luego de su muerte. Esto fue totalmente ignorado por suerte y así es que tenemos todos estos textos aunque todavía no logro entender qué dimensión tienen por las diferentes ediciones. Es una pena que no haya otras ediciones, creo que tampoco se consigue fácilmente en inglés. No me gustó nada la traducción, le quitó toda la ironía y la gigante sagacidad de Twain. Además, no fluye, no pude olvidarme nunca de que estaba leyendo una una traducción, desde las frases hechas que traduce por ej como "atado de manos y pies", en vez de "pies y manos" ( por el "bound hand and foot") a oraciones que realmente hay que pensar en inglés para poder entender qué quiso decir el traductor : "diez minutos sería toda mi experiencia" o "me iba a disfrazar completamente de oso, con un traje café". No pude seguir. Imposible. Voy a seguir buscando alguna otra edición aunque sea usada y muy rota.
August 19, 2015
Mark Twain dictated his autobiography with the stated intention that it wouldn't be published for 100 years after his death. Accordingly, the first volume (of three) of the first complete edition just came out about a year ago. I intend to begin that soon, but in the meantime I've just finished "Chapters from My Autobiography", selections which were the only parts to be published during Twain's lifetime, in 25 installments in the North American Review in 1906-07.[return][return]Not a chronological autobiography, but more a free association of (mostly humorous) stories, these chapters still somehow manage to add up to an integrated picture of the man. Early on he relates the death of his middle daughter Suzie at the age of 25, and from that point on quotes from a biography of him she had written about ten years earlier. This provides some structure, as he quotes passages and then elaborates on them or tells a story they remind him of, but it also provides a sort of emotional line, regularly reminding us of Twain's family life besides his professional life.[return][return]These chapters do jump around a lot, ranging from recollections of his boyhood, to his early attempts at making a living, to becoming a successful writer, to his middle age as a family man, to his old age. The effect is a picture of a whole life, even if it is only in snapshots.[return][return]And of course, Twain is often very funny, sometimes poignant, and uses language beautifully. Definitely worth reading.
October 4, 2012
Gradually I seem to be developing a liking for (auto)biographies/memoirs. Previously I always avoided those because I feared that they would bore me too easily. With Chapters from My Autobiography by Mark Twain, I’ve read four autobiographies in the recent past. This book and John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley certainly convinced me how much fun autobiographies can be.
Mark Twain has a way of presenting the facts in a funny way. I especially liked how he frequently cited from his daughter Susi’s biography of him. Those thow narrations (Twain’s own dictation and Susi’s biography of him) are combined to give a unique picture of the author.
Once again I listened to the free audiobook from LibriVox, read by John Greenman. He knows how to give Twain his due and I think I wouldn’t have liked the book so much had I not listened to this narration. This is the second book by Mark Twain read by John Greenman I’ve enjoyed (the first was Twain’s retelling of the story of Joan of Arc) and Greenman has become my “voice of Twain” by now. He has done other Twain books as well and I’ll be certain to listen to those as well.
Mark Twain has a way of presenting the facts in a funny way. I especially liked how he frequently cited from his daughter Susi’s biography of him. Those thow narrations (Twain’s own dictation and Susi’s biography of him) are combined to give a unique picture of the author.
Once again I listened to the free audiobook from LibriVox, read by John Greenman. He knows how to give Twain his due and I think I wouldn’t have liked the book so much had I not listened to this narration. This is the second book by Mark Twain read by John Greenman I’ve enjoyed (the first was Twain’s retelling of the story of Joan of Arc) and Greenman has become my “voice of Twain” by now. He has done other Twain books as well and I’ll be certain to listen to those as well.
August 10, 2016
In some ways this is a completely ridiculous autobiography. It is haphazardly organized and he spends a great deal of time on tangential topics (the differing nature of duels in various countries wtf) due to having been dictated. But the meandering pace, the arbitrary collection of humorous or surprising anecdotes, the excerpts from his daughter Susy's biography of him followed by his comments on her observations, the heartbreaking moments when he deals with family deaths -- all of these things give such a clear, although indirect and discursive picture of Samuel Clemens in a way that a more linear and "factual" account could never capture. His love of cats and billiards never meant much to me until I read this and understood the life that brought to his kitties and his games. There are moments when his warm and genial irony breaks down, and you see his tender heart. I knew Twain well, but I feel like I understand him better now.
ETA: This is notably the section of the autobiography that was approved for publication in his life. I haven't the time or the desire to dip into the behemoth released in three volumes between 2010-2015.
ETA: This is notably the section of the autobiography that was approved for publication in his life. I haven't the time or the desire to dip into the behemoth released in three volumes between 2010-2015.
October 31, 2012
I listened to this book, as performed by Bronson Pinchot. It was phenomenal. I have rarely cried and laughed so much listening to a book. His recollections of his daughter are so sweet, and his love for his wife so deep, and that really came through in this collection of stories. I love his self-deprecating humor as demonstrated by his encounters with the then King of Germany. I love how human he comes across.
He was an amazing tallent. He painted scenes with amazing ease and placed you right in the middle of the scene. I can't say enough how much I enjoyed this book.
He was an amazing tallent. He painted scenes with amazing ease and placed you right in the middle of the scene. I can't say enough how much I enjoyed this book.
November 7, 2012
Overall, very enjoyable, but maybe a little heavy on stories about billiards, bowling, and how much Clemens likes to talk. The lengths he will go to silence others so that he can have an empty floor are usually funny, and almost always offensive. The excerpts from his daughter's diary draw out very interesting reflections about his family life. I wish these chapters contained more on his wife, but I suppose those stories were saved for posthumous publication.
February 1, 2021
Utterly charming and down-to-earth collection of homey stories of both his rural upbringing and the moderate fame he attained in adulthood. Twain is alternately hyperbolically self-aggrandizing and endearingly self-belittling, sharing his humiliations as readily and as humorously as his triumphs. He intersperses his own perspective with his daughter's childhood recollections of him (complete with her spelling errors and the misrememberings that Twain annotates to set the record straight.)
March 20, 2008
Be careful - Twain is a noted tale spinner so is this REALLY the definitive autobiography or a rewrite of an already colorful life? Take a grain of salt and read it anyway.
April 23, 2008
Loved it.
September 27, 2010
my first foray into ebooks with the Nook app for Android
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