Rate this book

Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters From The North American Review (1907)

by Mark Twain(Favorite Author)

3.93 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0299234746 (ISBN13: 9780299234744)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

University of Wisconsin Press

review 1: Within the first few minutes of this audiobook, one knows exactly why Mark Twain was such a success as an author and humorist. His wit and satire abound with each story, and yet he maintains a level of humility that is just as charming as it is surprising. The anecdotes and stories presented by Twain in this collection are at times heartbreaking, touching, difficult, and, as one would expect, hilarious. Twain does not shy away from highlighting his faults and foibles and presents them with an alacrity that is simply amusing.What makes Chapters from My Autobiography so difficult is the randomness of each story. Twain jumps around from discussing his children to his brother to his time in Europe and back with no introduction and no preparation for the reader. Following along... more quickly becomes a study in concentration, as this is not an audiobook that allows one's mind to drift. However, when the effort is made, the reader/listener is rewarded with a better understanding of how remarkable Twain's life was. His relationship with his wife and children is especially poignant, as he presents his daughter's biography of him in its entirety, complete with spelling errors. His pride at his daughter's ability to capture him in all his faults is simply beautiful to behold.Mr. Pinchot earns his Narrator of the Year nod with a spot-on performance as Mark Twain. His accent never wavers, and his ability to take rather dry material and imbibe it with spirit and humor is alone worth the time necessary to listen to the audio. Twain literally comes alive again through Mr. Pinchot.Chapters from My Autobiography is charming in its own right, especially with such highlights as Susie's biography of her father, but it is truly the narrator who makes this such a special experience for the listener. For those who are not willing to tackle Mr. Twain's entire autobiography, or at least the one volume of it that was recently released, this audio is a great introduction to his story and a wonderful teaser of the true face of one of America's most celebrated authors.
review 2: An absolutely delightful trip into Mark Twain's life that gives insight to his "fictional" characters and exploits, many of whom were based on people Mark Twain knew and things that actually happened. I particularly enjoyed the excerpts from Susie's descriptions of her father written when she was fourteen. By the end of the book, one feels as if he/she knows the man somehow. There's a feeling of shared intimacy. Also Twain casually mentions many literary names of the time. One forgets how many wonderful writers lived at the same time as Twain. less

Download links for: Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review

Advertising