Life on the Mississippi

Description

If ever there was a book that could turn a seemingly straightforward historical account and memoir into a remarkably well-described personal adventure and a true selection of well-presented tall tales, there is no one better to write it than the great Mark Twain himself. Life on the Mississippi is an exceptional historical account from Twain’s youth, depicting his earlier years as he started out in his first adventures at the age of 21, and learned to steer a steamboat on the Mississippi river.

Life on the Mississippi is a memoir written in 1883, presenting Twain’s years as a steamboat pilot, well before the American Civil War. Also a travel book and a significantly accurate historical account of events prior and after the War, the book is considered by experts to be one of the author’s most outstanding works in terms of its completion and comprehensive detail.

The book begins by taking the reader on a journey back in time to 1542, when the river was first discovered by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. Later, Twain recounts the science and technique of navigating the river with a fair dose of affection and detail.

The historical and technical account associated with the river, as well as Twain’s various insights presented later on in the book, regarding topics such as greed and competition with regards to railroad development, and various stories and tall tales that the reader will undoubtedly find entertaining, make up much of the unexpected and intriguing side of the book, far removed from any kind of boring approach to presenting historical facts.

Regardless of his playful and passionate attempt to create a vivid picture of every facet of what he considered to be important regarding the Mississippi river, Twain remains incredibly accurate in his presentation of historical facts.
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