Book Cover of Life on the Mississippi

Life on the Mississippi

by Mark Twain

Starting with a humorous and informative history of the river, Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain continues to describe piloting that waterway. In the same home-down style established by all of his more well known works, Twain paints a brightly-colored portrait of that long river with all its twists, turns, rapids, shallows and landmarks. The book traces river travel from the time that the river pilot was almost a god to their downfall with the building of levees, dykes and the placing of light and floating markers, making the navigation of the river immensely easier. Halfway through the sketches (I use this word as the book sometimes lacks in unity) the author moves away from a direct connection with the Mississippi River and continues with colorful accounts that take the reader around the world. Life on the Mississippi was the start of Mark Twain’s (Samuel Clements) fame as a writer. This introduction to a great writer and a great mind is a true diamond; not in the rough but shining as a lighthouse in the misty night.(Thom Swennes) Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain detailing his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War. A good portion of the work also deals with his post-war visit to the “old haunts”.

Book Details

Language

English

Original Language

English

Published In

1883

Authors

Mark Twain image

Mark Twain

United States

Twain was fascinated with science and scientific inquiry. He developed a close and lasting friendship with Nikola Tesla, and the two spent much time together in Tesla's laboratory. Twain patented thre...

Books by Mark Twain

Listen/Download Audiobook

Read by:
00:00
Playback Speed 1.0
00:00
  • Select Speed

Related books

The Voyage of the Pax Cover image

The Voyage of the Pax by Dom Bede Camm

An amazing allegorical story about the journey to Heaven, using the image of a journey across the water in a ship named The Pax. St. Benedict's Rule h...

DUBLINERS: Masterful short stories Cover image

DUBLINERS: Masterful short stories by James Joyce

DUBLINERS: Masterful short stories about life in Dublin at the turn of the 19/20th century, By James Joyce Stories Included The Sisters An Encounter...

Creditors Cover image

Creditors by August Strindberg

Creditors is a naturalistic tragicomedy by the Swedish playwright August Strindberg. It was written in Swedish during August and September 1888 in Den...

Tom Slade On The River Cover image

Tom Slade On The River by Percy Keese Fitzhugh

This book follows the adventures of Tom Slade, a young Boy Scout, as he navigates the challenges and rewards of scouting life. He experiences the thri...

The Prairie Wife Cover image

The Prairie Wife by Arthur Stringer

It tells the story of a young woman named Jessie Drummond, who travels to the Canadian prairies to marry her fiancé, but soon finds herself caught up...

Lavengro: The Scholar, The Gypsy, The Priest Cover image

Lavengro: The Scholar, The Gypsy, The Priest by George Borrow

Lavengro is a largely autobiographical account of George Borrow's early life, describing his travels among the gypsies of England and his experiences...

The Pickwick Papers Cover image

The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (also known as The Pickwick Papers) was Charles Dickens' first novel. Because of his success with Sketches...

The Bridge Builders  Cover image

The Bridge Builders by Rudyard Kipling

The Bridge Builders is also a tale of the death of the Gods as their place in the earth is taken by the things of science. A close description of the...

The Three Sisters Cover image

The Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov

Three Sisters is a play by the Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov. It was written in 1900 and first performed in 1901 at the Moscow Art Theat...

huésped secreto Cover image

huésped secreto by Joseph Conrad

The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad opens with a meticulous account of the moments before departure, of the instant when the journey is about to begin....

Reviews for Life on the Mississippi

No reviews posted or approved, yet...