The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Tom Sawyer's Comrade Kindle Edition

Mark Twain (aka, Samuel Clemens) was the Leonardo Da Vinci of irony, and this book is his Mona Lisa. It's a real literary treasure. Some say its the greatest American novel ever written, and I tend to agree.Twain made his living as a humorous story teller. He spent his life mastering the art of spinning tales both in writing and before live audiences. Irony -- using language in a way that expresses the very opposite of what it seems to say -- it part of any humorist's toolbox. Twain learned to master irony to an extent unrivaled in American literature, and this book is his greatest work.On the surface level, the book is about a ragamuffin kid named Huck and a run-away slave named Jim and their adventures on a raft. They meet some unforgettable characters and have some hilarious experiences along the way. There is great suspense throughout the story. Looked at only in this way, the book remains highly entertaining, even after nearly 130 years.On literary level, the book is a rare and exquisite work of art. Twain claimed the language to be modeled on actual speech patterns used in various places in the pre-Civil War South. I don't dispute his claim, but in my opinion the narrative and dialogs read almost like poetry. The grammar and choice of words are highly colorful and unusual, and yet they are unexpectedly powerful in communicating ideas.On yet another level, Twain raises important questions about life. This is where his use of irony is so masterful and powerful. The narrator Huck claims to be nothing but an ordinary boy telling about his adventures. And yet the story invokes profound and sometimes disturbing questions in any intelligent reader, even if Huck "innocently" seems never to have intended this result. Here are some of the questions this book raises for me: When is it ethical to lie or "stretch" the truth? How do you assess human worth? What role do feelings play in true religion? What is "conscience" and should it always be obeyed? Are social systems based on cast or social class fair and right?A final note: Some people object to this book because Twain uses the "N" word repeatedly. For immature readers (those too young or unwilling to think of the story as anything but an adventure), I can understand why the story would be so patently offensive. I think a case can be made for delaying reading this book until High School. But eventually you have to expect more than entertainment from a serious book. The point of literature is to see life in a different, more powerful way. Literature needs to be understood on its own terms. For those willing to appreciate Twain's deliberate irony and consider the story from a deeper level, there is no escaping the conclusion that Twain wants readers to see slavery as evil and whites as no better than blacks. To reject this great work simply because it uses the "N" word is like trying to censor all description of evil itself -- you would destroy all literature in the process. Those who won't read this book are missing out on one of the greatest experiences literature has to offer.

I've been a votary of Mark Twain all my life, reading everything I could/can find of his, and there's plenty. Originally read this classic, along with "Tom Sawyer" as a young boy. I remember this specifically because I was so proud of my new book, in which I had written my name and age - 11 years old. Sadly, and this is a real-life true story, our family dog ate it! I swear! Anyway, at that young age I became hooked, and shortly thereafter moved on to other Twain works. It seems the next I remember was "The Mysterious Stranger" which impacted me greatly as an adolescent teenager. After that I became, as they say - off to the races.So, as an oldster now, while in a state of angst at having finished my last book and not having anything readily in mind to read,I decided to journey back and re-visit my old friend Huck. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Still brought tears to my eyes as I laughed uncontrollably at all the idiotic and downright dumb carrying-ons the characters engage in. But of course, as always, Twain's characters exhibit some good ways too, to offset the bad.This story is a classic for a reason. In the end, Mark Twain's understanding of the vagaries, complexities, and plain silliness of humans, and our human nature, was simply--to me--uncanny. And his ability to portray this through funny, whimsical, and often satirical storytelling was better than anyone else, before or after. People do good, bad, crazy, rational, silly, inexplicable, and more...stuff. All the time. They always have and they always will. They can't help themselves. They're human. Mark Twain's exposition of this was - is - a GIFT to mankind.As an aside, and as a special bonus in reading Mark Twain, I find it extra refreshing to read un-revised, unvarnished, un-PC tainted, true-to-life depictions of the way things actually were. So, if you can't or are too sensitive to deal with reality, then my recommendation is that you stay in your sanitized bubble, and deprive yourself of the joys of the truth. It really is your loss.For all the rest, just read and enjoy!

No need to write a review. The book is brilliant. If you're thinking about reading this, stop thinking and do....

Dizer que é um clássico da literatura mundial é apenas mais um clichê, mas que define bem a obra. Lí pela primeira vez na minha adolescência, e tenho boas lembranças ainda hoje.

Non essendo per me non so dare valutazioni

absolutely amazing

Quite the read. I very much enjoyed this adventure. Better than Tom Sawyer, but you really need to read Tom Sawyer first to really understand the characters. Maybe avoid it if you're squeamish about the "N" word. I figure that's just how it was in the early 1800's so I just accepted it.But yes, a page turner that has a very satisfying end.