Great Short Works Of Mark Twain

Selected short works of humor and criticism by a revered American master

Beloved by millions, Mark Twain is the quintessential American writer. More than anyone else, his blend of skepticism, caustic wit and sharp prose defines a certain American mythos. While his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is still taught to nearly everyone who attends school and is considered by many to be the Great American Novel, Twain’s shorter stories and criticisms have unequalled style and bite.

In a review that’s less than kind to the writing of James Fenimore Cooper, Twain writes: “Every time a Cooper person is in peril, and absolute silence is worth four dollars a minute, he is sure to step on a dry twig. There may be a hundred handier things to step on, but that wouldn’t satisfy Cooper. Cooper requires him to turn out and find a dry twig; and if he can’t do it, go and borrow one.” It’s difficult to imagine anyone else writing in quite this style, though many have tried, which is why Twain’s legacy only continues to grow.

The collection includes 20 works, including:

• Old Times on the Mississippi
• The Mysterious Stranger
• The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
• The Jumping Frog
• Jim Baker's Bluejay Yarn
• A True Story
• Letter to the Earth
• The War Prayer

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 - April 21, 1910), better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels the ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and the ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER. Twain enjoyed immense public popularity, and his keen wit and incisive satire earned him praise from both critics and peers. American author William Faulkner called Twain 'the father of American literature'.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.