Essential Twain CD: Excerpts from Life on the Mississippi:The Boy's Ambition & Speculations and Confusion

by Mark Twain, Ed Begley Jr. (Performed by), Ed Begley (Reading)

Mark Twain's LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI, first published in 1883, is a pre–Civil War memoir of the steamboat era and describes the fulfillment of Twain's childhood dream to become a steamboat pilot. Twain records his observations during his many years of traveling the river from St. Louis to New Orleans and reflects on the people and places of his childhood, the way things looked and felt in the memorable locales of his growing up and his later return to them in maturity.

Audio CD

First published January 1, 2007

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

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an hour-long audio book featuring excerpts from Twain's "Life on the Mississippi" read by Ed Begley, Sr. and originally recorded in 1969. Audio is clear, and his voice is a good match for the material. There were a few funny moments, but for most of it I had to push myself to try to stay engaged. Not sure if it's because this was an excerpt and therefore lacked a full narrative thread, or if Twain is just better enjoyed at the slower pace of reading where you can pause to take it in.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Mark Twain. He has such a wonderful way of weaving a story. It sort of rambles, but rarely do I get lost or bored. Unique way of turning a phrase so you have to think for a second before you get it! Entertaining - always.

[Kristen Lapin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Run away.