Rustic Mississippi Revisited

Early 1800s. English with South American accent.

Teenage boys slipping out in the dead of the mid-night to fish out mysteries and adventures, and the glory that comes from them. Sometimes becoming Pirates, attending their own funerals; sometimes Treasure Hunters, and then, planning to become Robbers.

Many a times I have gone into 19^th century Britain/Europe (Charles Dickens, A.C. Doyle, etc.). But this time, it was an American Childhood of 1800s, around the Mississippi river.

 

 “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” – Essentially a children’s book. Better late than never, I thought, when I bought this one a week back.

And it is a lovely read. Humor, Wit, Charm; mixed with treasure, murder, and being-lost-in-a-cave with a girl for 3 days! I wished I was born during that time: free of care, so much to explore!

The old world charm was romantic, wonderful, and refreshing. Adventures in their true sense, treasure hunting, impressing girls, acting as heroes. All the colors of teenage-life which would make any boy envious even today, over 140 years after this book was written in 1876! That’s a sign of a great author.

It’s the first time I have read Mark Twain (real name - Samuel Langhorne Clemens). And from what I have read, that is a name worth searching books by.
 

Thomas Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn create enough magic to make me want to read the sequel – the one focusing on Mr. Finn.

Interesting Fact – Mark Twain is the most quoted (arguably) author/person in history.