Neat reading by Mark Twain

I enjoy Mark Twain, and older books and writings from the 1800's. I am a history buff and love the 1700's - 1940's (mostly American Revolution - Civil War era) so that may be a reason why. I wanted to share this, maybe someone will enjoy it.

http://www.pbs.org/marktwain/learnmore/writings_jim.html

UH...this is the Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, probably Twain's most famous short story. It would surprise me if most people haven't already read it.

Still good for a chuckle or three

As a westerner I've always appreciated Twain's Roughling It, perhaps more than any of the rest of his books. It was his second book, after Innocents Abroad, which launched his fame, and it is full to the brim of local color, tall tales and youthful exuberance.

I love that story about "Thish-ere Smiley"! That joke has the longest punch line ever written

I also love "Roughing It". The second time I read that I got a little pissed at MT for making jokes about the "Goshoot Indians". I thought, that may have been funny back in his day, but it's both racist and derogatory, and not at all in line with his observations on people in general. Twain hardly ever poked fun or criticized in that manner. Then, a few years later, I found out there really was a tribe called the "Goshoot Indians", and that they were sort of mean, filthy, and nasty, and that he wrote about what he observed. In that new light, I had to admit, it was pretty funny

"Joan of Arc", and "A Connecticut Yankee" are two of my favorite books by MT. They're both funny, and tragic, at the same time, and great portraits of human behavior.