The Complete Humorous Sketches and Tales of Mark Twain

By Mark Twain

Book Overview

"Twain's writings are just as pungent and rewarding today as they were when first written and published. . . . His outrageous humor is everywhere evident throughout this collection."--Nashville Banner

This is the first and most complete collection of all 136 humorous sketches and tales that Samuel Clemens (1835-1910), a.k.a. Mark Twain, started writing as a young reporter for various newspapers and magazines and later saw fit to issue in book form. Many pieces appeared in rare, first printings, only to be dropped in subsequent editions; for this reason, readers will encounter a number of yarns and tall tales unavailable elsewhere, even in the collected works.

More unvarnished than his short stories or novels, and more willing to indulge in fun for its own sake, these sketches comprise a substantial share of his literary apprenticeship and legacy. As brilliant, representative nuggets of Twain's humor in its purest form, they carry the imprint of Twain's wit, imagination, and humanism, his fresh and always idiomatic prose. From 1862's "Curing a Cold" to 1904's "Italian Without a Master," this collection allows readers to share Twain's vision of life as a strange and comic affair. No one interested in American humor (or in need of a good laugh) can long remain indifferent to this uproarious book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306807025
• ISBN13: 9780306807022
• Release Date: March 1996
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 722 Pages
• Weight: 1.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

The best ever intro to Mark Twain

My dad had the original hardback edition of this book in the early 60's, when it was first compiled. I read this book dozens of times, to the point where the covers were torn off and pages were missing. This softback is the reissue, and is marvelous. It is a compilation of short sketches taken from his novels, newspaper articles and other published sources. If you are only looking for the "funny stuff" from Mark Twain, without reading the accompanied novels it is all here. "Curing a Cold" is an early stand alone sketch, while "Guying the Guide" comes from "Innocents Abroad." Both of these are worth the price of the book. After reading this, you might consider "The Unabridged Mark Twain, Vol. I and II." A great companion to this book is the "Complete Essays of Mark Twain." You'll find much less familiar material of a mostly serious nature. Great essays dealing with mental telepathy, international events and one brilliant, touching essay called "The Death of Jean," Mark Twain's thoughts when he found that his adult, epileptic daughter had died. These two books together make reading in short bursts very meaningful when you don't have the time to read the entire novel. They serve to document the genius of a writer only America could have produced.

A distressingly funny book, inappropriate for quiet areas

This collection features stories so humourous that there should be a warning for heart patients. Ranging from advice for "Curing a Cold" to an angry article "Concerning Chaimbermaids", this set of articles will provide so much laughter aerobics will be unneccessary during the duration of the reading.