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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
This book is a hilarious satire with vivid depictions of King Arthur and his knights drawn directly from Le Morte d'Arthur. This was a fun and thoughtful read that explores a host of issues including the effects of the Industrial Revolution and the romanticization of the Middle Ages.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
what
I read this book for the first time when I was 10 years old and loved the idea of someone with modern knowledge traveling back in time to King Arthur's time period. This combines both fantasy and science fiction with the wit of Mark Twain. Its amazing how many things hold up in this story, and how a lot of the same political arguments are made today. If you are a fan of Doctor Who this book is probably for you too.
After a bonk on the head, Hank Morgan is transported to Britain's mythological past of King Arthur and Merlin. This is often cited as an early time-travel story, but, being that King Arthur wasn't real, this is actually one of the earliest examples of a Japanese isekai.
This is a funny book, filled with commentary against feudalism and the church, but also full of commentary about the practices in the US at the time. Mark Twain's super-'Murican, Hank Morgan, is overflowing with values of freedom and the spirit of enterprise. He is an inventor and specialist in all things industry. He is a believer in the "free man," no matter how they were born. And in trying to "educate" the minds of these primitive British savages, he comes into a lot of trouble.
One thing I like about this book is that, in the end, it's willing to give up its commentary for the sake of the bit. Hank Morgan should be the upright ubermensch, unshakeable in his values, but that isn't always the case. Sometimes, Hank will say or do something just because it's funny to read. This means that in most scenes, Hank is the voice of reason in a mad world, but in others, he's just a s mad. For example, when a queen wants to murder poor people, Hank tries to change her mercurial ways and free as many people as he can, and yet concedes that a troupe of singers deserve to die because they sing poorly. It makes no moral sense, but it's a funny one-off joke.
Strangely, the story this reminds me The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but American and much earlier. It has the social wit I expect from Twain while also being humorous at every turn.
This is a funny book, filled with commentary against feudalism and the church, but also full of commentary about the practices in the US at the time. Mark Twain's super-'Murican, Hank Morgan, is overflowing with values of freedom and the spirit of enterprise. He is an inventor and specialist in all things industry. He is a believer in the "free man," no matter how they were born. And in trying to "educate" the minds of these primitive British savages, he comes into a lot of trouble.
One thing I like about this book is that, in the end, it's willing to give up its commentary for the sake of the bit. Hank Morgan should be the upright ubermensch, unshakeable in his values, but that isn't always the case. Sometimes, Hank will say or do something just because it's funny to read. This means that in most scenes, Hank is the voice of reason in a mad world, but in others, he's just a s mad. For example, when a queen wants to murder poor people, Hank tries to change her mercurial ways and free as many people as he can, and yet concedes that a troupe of singers deserve to die because they sing poorly. It makes no moral sense, but it's a funny one-off joke.
Strangely, the story this reminds me The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but American and much earlier. It has the social wit I expect from Twain while also being humorous at every turn.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
One of my favorite books I've read in a while. Twain is a master of the English language, sneaking witticisms into every paragraph. As a modern reader, this book has some particular charm as the 1890s style is contrasted with a fictional middle English style spoken by most of the historical characters.
Aside from the pleasant prose, I was also heartened by the techno-optimism evident in Twain's glorification of the engineer. He lived through an America that grew from a small backwater to an industrial power, and clearly appreciated the benefits of technology.
With all the humor and "historical" hijinks, the most striking part of the book were the haunting descriptions of slavery. Twain's youth in a slave state and abolitionist tendencies were clear, and the emotion he put into those sections of the book leave no doubt that he had intimate experience of just how bad slavery was.
Overall, really loved it and it makes me want to go back and reread Huck Finn
Aside from the pleasant prose, I was also heartened by the techno-optimism evident in Twain's glorification of the engineer. He lived through an America that grew from a small backwater to an industrial power, and clearly appreciated the benefits of technology.
With all the humor and "historical" hijinks, the most striking part of the book were the haunting descriptions of slavery. Twain's youth in a slave state and abolitionist tendencies were clear, and the emotion he put into those sections of the book leave no doubt that he had intimate experience of just how bad slavery was.
Overall, really loved it and it makes me want to go back and reread Huck Finn
This book rips. A 19th coastal elite, a true Nutmegger, is transported to Arthurian England, becomes Arthur’s right hand man, and is referred to as Sir Boss??? Yeah, I’m thinking we’ve got a banger on our hands. I’m not sure where this book is held in relation to the rest of Twain’s oeuvre, but I loved this. So many funny bits and gags, this book legitimately made me laugh out loud multiple times, intermixed with heavy debate as to how your society and upbringing conditions who you are, how you think, and what you believe, and whether you can overcome it to be a better, “more modern” man. Twain was apparently moving towards pessimism of humanity as a whole as he got closer to death and this book has the seeds of this there, yet there is still hope found in these pages that people can overcome their societal biases. Hank is a legend. I would love to be referred to as Sir Boss from now on.
Also fun fact: Twain is credited with the creation of the term “New Deal” in this book when Hank is discussing how he is going to transform the economy and society of England, which FDR took and used in his famous Inaugural speech. Pretty neat!
Also this may be closer to 4 stars but my CT pride was firing on all cylinders throughout so coastal elite CT bias lends me to give it a 5 since I knew all the towns and little bits about that. CT stand up the way up
Also fun fact: Twain is credited with the creation of the term “New Deal” in this book when Hank is discussing how he is going to transform the economy and society of England, which FDR took and used in his famous Inaugural speech. Pretty neat!
Also this may be closer to 4 stars but my CT pride was firing on all cylinders throughout so coastal elite CT bias lends me to give it a 5 since I knew all the towns and little bits about that. CT stand up the way up