The person who shaped the literature of America, and one of the best writers till now, Mark Twain, still resides in our hearts through his notable writings. Brilliant, controversial and ever witty, Mark Twain plays a crucial role in American Literature and still maintains his importance. He was a novelist, essayist, travel writer, beloved humorist, and astute literary critic. He casts a really long shadow over so many American writers.
He in his literary career wrote about 28 books and some 100 shot stories. So, it is of great pleasure to read the works of such a great man who is still a great figure in American literature. So, let’s list out some of his best books that can prove to be one of the best reads.
BOOKS OF MARK TWAIN
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County:
This book by Mark Twain was initially published as ‘Jim Smiley and his jumping frog of Calaveras County. The book deals with the story of a man who gets dragged into a one-sided conversation with another man who loves to hear his own voice. Eventually, the narrator lands on a yarn about a jumping frog and hence the book is titled so. If you haven’t read Twain yet, then this is the perfect piece that can give you the taste of Twain’s inimitable brand of humor that is common in his works.
The Innocent Abroad
Twain, as told earlier, was a great travel writer and hence he took so many opportunities to travel all around the world. This book of Mark Twain serves as one of the best books of his lifetime and one of the most popular travelogues that ever been published. In this work of Twain, he has penned down the experiences of his voyages in Europe and the Middle East in a hilarious fashion.
The book exhibits the delight of pointing out so many peculiarities in every country. The book has been characterized in the genre of non-fiction, but in reality; the book lies somewhere in fact and fiction. If you are a traveling enthusiast, then you are going to love this book for sure.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
This book of Mark Twain comprises the story of a famous aspiring troublemaker, orphan, idyllic romantic, and young dreamer. He carries out his antics under the weary eyes of his aunt Polly. Also, he indulges himself in the romance with a young girl in the town, who is the daughter of the local judge, Becky Thatcher. Tom involves the neighborhood boys in the whitewashing of his aunt’s fence for him. This book By Mark Twain is still an American classic. This book captures both the mischievous activities of youth and the innocence of youth.
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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The book that doesn’t need any introduction, as said by Ernest Hemmingway, that American fiction begins and ends with this book of Mark Twain. And who doesn’t know the gist of this fantastic story? Most of the critics have called it the Great American Novel. The story of this novel revolves around the famous Huckleberry Finn, a thirteen-year-old boy who is kidnapped from the town by the local drunkard, i.e. his own father. He later ends up escaping with a runaway slave, Jim. If you haven’t read this book yet! Please do read it now as it is one of the classics till now.
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
One of the finest novels of Twain, Personal Recollection of Joan of Arc, is one of the best reads. Moreover, Twain once himself claimed that his most favorite book is the Recollections of Joan. The story is told from the perspective of Sieur Louis de Conte, a fictional companion of Joan. And it is a story of the famed illiterate French peasant girl who rose larger than legend status in the 15th century in France. It is not a biography, but it is a well-researched novel.
Autobiography of Mark Twain
During his twilight years, Mark Twain sat on his deathbed with a stenographer by his side and talked. And from those notes, this autobiography of Mark Twain emerged. The autobiography of Mark Twain includes a patchwork of his memories. Tall tales, anecdotes, and personal philosophies. Unlike his other word, Twain expressed that he wanted his this work to be published after his death. The autobiography of Twain speaks so much about him and tells us that Twain was a writer of exceptional spirit and a man of exceptional character.
