The book begins with a brief history of the river as reported by Europeans and Americans, beginning with the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1542.[2] It continues with anecdotes of Twain's training as a steamboat pilot, as the 'cub' (apprentice) of an experienced pilot, Horace E. Bixby. He describes, with great affection, the science of navigating the ever-changing Mississippi River in a section that was first published in 1876, entitled "Old Times on the Mississippi". Although Twain was actually 21 when he began his training, he uses artistic license to make himself seem somewhat younger, referring to himself as a "fledgling" and a "boy" who "ran away from home" to seek his fortune on the river, and playing up his own callowness and naïveté.
In the second half, Twain narrates his trip many years later on a steamboat from St. Louis to New Orleans, shortly followed by a steamboat journey from New Orleans to St Paul (with a stop at his boyhood home town of Hannibal, MO). He describes the competition from railroads, and the new, large cities, and adds his observations on greed, gullibility, tragedy, and bad architecture. He also tells some stories that are most likely tall tales.
PublicationEdit
Simultaneously published in 1883 in the United States and Great Britain, the book is the first submitted to a publisher as a typewritten manuscript.[3] Twain did not, however, use the typewriter himself. His secretary, Isabel V. Lyon, typed from Twain's manuscript.[4]
In 1980, the book was adapted as a TV movie for American public television, with David Knell performing as Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain's real name) and Robert Lansing as Horace Bixby, the steamboat pilot who mentored him. The film used many tall tales from the book, woven into a fictional narrative.
In 2013, Life on the Mississippi, a musical play by Philip Hall, was performed at the Workshop Theater Company in New York. It was directed by Susanna Frazer.
^Twain, Mark; Clemens, Samuel L. (2000) [1883]. Life on the Mississippi. Mineola, NY: Dover. p. 3. ISBN978-0-486-41426-3.and Facsimile copy of the First edition, page 26"[...] De Soto, the first white man who ever saw the Mississippi River, saw it in 1542 [...]"
^. Rehr, Darryl. Archived from the original on 2009-02-01. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
^Dobson, James E. (2017). Modernity and Autobiography in Nineteenth-Century America. Palgrave. pp. 9–11. ISBN978-3-319-67321-9.
External linksEdit
Wikiquote has quotations related to Life on the Mississippi.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Life on the Mississippi public domain audiobook at LibriVox
IMDb entry for PBS movie
October 15, 2023
life, mississippi, memoir, mark, twain, days, steamboat, pilot, mississippi, river, before, american, civil, published, 1883, also, travel, book, recounting, trips, mississippi, river, from, louis, orleans, then, from, orleans, saint, paul, many, years, after,. Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain of his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War published in 1883 It is also a travel book recounting his trips on the Mississippi River from St Louis to New Orleans and then from New Orleans to Saint Paul many years after the war Life on the MississippiCover of the original U S edition 1883AuthorMark TwainCountryUnited States and EnglandLanguageEnglishGenreBiographyPublisherJames R Osgood amp Co Boston U S edition Chatto amp Windus London English edition Publication date1883Media typePrintPages624 1 Preceded byThe Prince and the Pauper Followed byAdventures of Huckleberry Finn Contents 1 Overview 2 Publication 3 Dramatic adaptations 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksOverview EditThe book begins with a brief history of the river as reported by Europeans and Americans beginning with the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1542 2 It continues with anecdotes of Twain s training as a steamboat pilot as the cub apprentice of an experienced pilot Horace E Bixby He describes with great affection the science of navigating the ever changing Mississippi River in a section that was first published in 1876 entitled Old Times on the Mississippi Although Twain was actually 21 when he began his training he uses artistic license to make himself seem somewhat younger referring to himself as a fledgling and a boy who ran away from home to seek his fortune on the river and playing up his own callowness and naivete In the second half Twain narrates his trip many years later on a steamboat from St Louis to New Orleans shortly followed by a steamboat journey from New Orleans to St Paul with a stop at his boyhood home town of Hannibal MO He describes the competition from railroads and the new large cities and adds his observations on greed gullibility tragedy and bad architecture He also tells some stories that are most likely tall tales Publication EditSimultaneously published in 1883 in the United States and Great Britain the book is the first submitted to a publisher as a typewritten manuscript 3 Twain did not however use the typewriter himself His secretary Isabel V Lyon typed from Twain s manuscript 4 Dramatic adaptations EditMain article Life on the Mississippi film In 1980 the book was adapted as a TV movie for American public television with David Knell performing as Samuel Clemens Mark Twain s real name and Robert Lansing as Horace Bixby the steamboat pilot who mentored him The film used many tall tales from the book woven into a fictional narrative In 2010 Life on the Mississippi was adapted as a stage musical with book and lyrics by Douglas M Parker and music by Denver Casado It was produced that year in Kansas City Missouri and Door County Wisconsin In 2013 Life on the Mississippi a musical play by Philip Hall was performed at the Workshop Theater Company in New York It was directed by Susanna Frazer See also EditGeorge Washington Cable Lagniappe Joseph Alexander Mabry Jr Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site Mark Twain Boyhood Home amp Museum Mark Twain House Mud clerk Paddle steamer Pennsylvania steamboat Riverboat Steamboat Steamboats of the MississippiReferences Edit Facsimile of the original 1st edition Twain Mark Clemens Samuel L 2000 1883 Life on the Mississippi Mineola NY Dover p 3 ISBN 978 0 486 41426 3 and Facsimile copy of the First edition page 26 De Soto the first white man who ever saw the Mississippi River saw it in 1542 The First Typewriter Rehr Darryl Archived from the original on 2009 02 01 Retrieved 2009 02 16 Dobson James E 2017 Modernity and Autobiography in Nineteenth Century America Palgrave pp 9 11 ISBN 978 3 319 67321 9 External links Edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Life on the Mississippi nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Life on the Mississippi Life on the Mississippi at Project Gutenberg Life on the Mississippi at Faded Page Canada Life on the Mississippi from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill nbsp Life on the Mississippi public domain audiobook at LibriVox IMDb entry for PBS movie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Life on the Mississippi amp oldid 1177364411, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
