Synopses & Reviews
The Innocents Abroad, sold over 70,000 copies in its first year and remained the best-selling of Twain's works throughout his lifetime. And no wonder it shows the great author at the height of his powers as he records his trenchant, often hilarious, observations of people and places (Tangier, Marseilles, Paris, Venice, Rome, Constantinople, etc.) he saw while touring Europe and the Holy Land in 1867. Serious passages alternate with jocular chapters, and Twain's humor takes a particularly satirical turn toward the tourists who rely upon travel guidebooks rather than their personal impressions to define their travel experiences. The Dover reprint will be the least expensive trade paperback edition of this great classic, and the only one to include all the charming line illustrations that appeared in the original edition.
Review
"As Mr. Clemens writes of his experiences, we imagine he would talk of them; and very amusing talk it would be: often not at all fine in matter or manner, but full of touches of humor, which if not delicate are nearly always easy, and having a base of excellent sense and good feeling. There is an amount of pure human nature in the book, that rarely gets into literature." William Dean Howells, The Atlantic Monthly (read the entire Atlantic Monthly review)
Synopsis
Hailed by the New York Herald as an oasis in the desert of works on foreign travel, The Innocents Abroad was a great success when first published, and it remained the bestselling of all Twain s works throughout his lifetime. It shows the author at the height of his literary power as he records razor-sharp, often hilarious, observations of the people he meets and places he visits during a trip to Europe and the Holy Land in 1867.
Originally a series of travel letters written for a San Francisco newspaper, the book presents a refreshingly honest and vivid view of such places as Tangier, Marseilles, Gibraltar, Rome, Constantinople, and Damascus. Twain s humor takes a particularly satirical turn toward tourists who rely on travel guidebooks rather than personal impressions to define their travel experiences. The book alternates light-hearted chapters with serious passages involving history, statistics, and descriptions of religious relics, artwork, and architecture.
From amusements and tribulations at sea, viewing the outrageous cancan in Paris, and witnessing the notable sights of Venice, to observing the grandeur of St. Peter s, ascending Vesuvius, and contemplating the remains of Solomon s Temple, this classic will delight a wide audience, including longtime fans of the American humorist and anyone who enjoys an entertaining and enlightening travel book. This edition also includes all the illustrations from the original publication."
Synopsis
The Innocents Abroad sold over 70,000 copies in its first year and remained the bestselling of Twain's works throughout his lifetime. This classic records Twain's keen wit and amusing observations during his trip through Europe and the Holy Land in 1867. This edition also includes all of the original work's charming illustrations. 234 black-and-white illustrations.