Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

图书标准信息

• 作者 Mark Twain（马克·吐温） 著
• 出版社 Random House US
• 出版时间 1983-10
• 版次 1
• ISBN 9780553213492
• 定价 37.00元
• 装帧 平装
• 开本 32开
• 纸张 胶版纸
• 页数 312页
• 正文语种 英语
• 丛书 Bantam Classics

【内容简介】

FashionedfromthesameexperiencesthatwouldinspirethemasterpieceHuckleberryFinn,LifeontheMississippiisMarkTwain'smostbrilliantandmostpersonalnonfictionwork.ItisatonceanaffectionateevocationofthevitalriverlifeinthesteamboateraandamelancholyreminiscenceofitspassingaftertheCivilWar,apricelesscollectionofhumorousanecdotesandfolktales,andauniqueglimpseintoTwain'slifebeforehebegantowrite.WritteninaprosestylethathasbeenhailedasamongthegreatestinEnglishliterature,LifeontheMississippiestablishedTwainasnotonlythemostpopularhumoristofhistimebutalsoAmerica'smostprofoundchroniclerofthehumancomedy.

【作者简介】

SamuelLanghorneClemens,orMarkTwain,ashewasbetterknownwasbornonNovember30,1835inFlorida,Missouri,thesixthchildofJohnMarshallandJaneLamptonClemens.Hisfatherranadrygoodsandgrocerystore,practicedlawandinvolvedhimselfinlocalpoliticsafterthefamily'smovetoHannibal,Missouri,whenSamwasfouryearsold.

Hannibalseemstohavebeenagoodplaceforaboytogrowup.SamwasentrancedbytheMississippiRiverandenjoyedboththebargesandthepeoplewhotraveledonthem.WhenSamwasjustelevenhisfatherdiedandSamwenttoworkforhisbrotherattheHannibalJournalfirstasaprinter'sapprenticeandlateracompositor.WhilestillinhisteensSamwentontheroadasanitinerantprinter.In1857heconceivedaplantoseekhisfortuneinSouthAmericabutonthewayhemetasteamboatcaptain,HoraceBixbywhotookhimonasacubriverboatpilotandtaughthimuntilheacquiredhisownlicense.

Thisenjoyablestyleoflife,whichTwainalwaysspokeoflaterwithspecialwarmthwasendedbytheCivilWar.TwainwentwestwithhisbrotherOriontoprospectinNevadabutin1862joinedthestaffoftheVirginiaCityTerritorialEnterprise,apapertowhichhehadalreadybegunsubmittinghiswork.LaterTwainwenttoCaliforniaandsubmitted"TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCounty"totheNewYorkSaturdayPress.

By1871TwainhadpublishedInnocentsAbroadandhadmarriedOliviaLangdon,thesisterofafriendfromasociallyprominentNewYorkCityfamily.HeandhiswifemovedtoHartford,Connecticut,wheretheymadetheirfamilyhomeforthenext20years.

BooksthathewroteinHartfordconfirmedhispopularreputationbutdespitetheirsuccessTwainfoundhimselfinfinancialdifficultyprimarilybecauseofhisinvestmentsinthePaigetypesettingbusinessaswellashisownpublishingcompany.EventuallyTwainwasforcedtodeclarebankruptcy.

Twain'slastmajorbooksweresuccessfulcommerciallybuttheyalsoreflecthisincreasingpessimism.Hissatirebecomesattimesmorebitingandmean-spiritedthanitishumorous.DespitethedownturninTwain'soutlookinlaterlifeanddespitetheunevennessofmuchofhiswork,heremainsoneofthemajorwritersoftheAmericannineteenthcentury,andonewhohasbeenenormouslyinfluentialonsubsequentwriters.

【目录】

The "Body of the Nation"

THE RIVER AND ITS HISTORY ...

THE RIVER AND ITS EXPLORERS

FRESCOES FROM THE PAST

THE BOY'S AMBITION

I WANT TO BE A CUB-PILOT

A CUB-PILOT'S EXPERIENCE

A DARING DEED

PERPLEXING LESSONS

CONTINUED PERPLEXITIES

COMPLETING MY EDUCATION ..

THE RIVER RISES

SOUNDING

A PILOT'S NEEDS

RANK AND DIGNITY OF PILOTING

THE PILOT'S MONOPOLY

RACING DAYS

CUT-OFFS AND STEPHEN

I TAKE A FEW EXTRA LESSONS

BROWN AND I EXCHANGE COMPLIMENTS .