The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
wej24's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
man went to SO many tombs and does not give a FUCK about tombs
brannonkrkhuang's review against another edition
1.0
Stopped reading when he started talking about how he wished he could kill all the Native Americans. Not a good book. Not a good person writing it.
mschlat's review
3.0
I enjoyed this most for the mix of Twain's pointed sarcasm and reverent awe. There's a lot of sarcasm, much of it pointed at some of his fellow passengers (who he starts calling "the pilgrims" when they reach the Holy Land) and their habits of scraping away at any religious artifact they find so they have a pebble from St. So-and-so's such-and-such. But that is leavened by the deep impressions Twain has of many locations --- the Sphinx, Pompei, and Athens among them. There are many times when Twain waxes elegantly about understanding the past when it stands right there in front of you.
For modern readers, keep in mind there's a lot of racism, sexism, and anti-Catholicism here. Twain does an extended riff on slave girl markets, there's regular expressions of humor-tinged hatred towards Muslims, and he is ready to use labels of "lazy" and "ugly" for all sorts of people. But I think the read is still worth it to get a sense of what nineteenth century travelling is like and to read Twain's prose.
For modern readers, keep in mind there's a lot of racism, sexism, and anti-Catholicism here. Twain does an extended riff on slave girl markets, there's regular expressions of humor-tinged hatred towards Muslims, and he is ready to use labels of "lazy" and "ugly" for all sorts of people. But I think the read is still worth it to get a sense of what nineteenth century travelling is like and to read Twain's prose.
nucleareaction's review
5.0
Gotta love Mark Twain for being spot on 100 years later with all of his impressions.
jeremyanderberg's review
4.0
Loved it. Often laugh out loud funny, but mixed with thoughtful observation and realistic takes on what travel is like. Some of the ethnocentrism is distasteful for modern ears, but I have to think that a large part of that is actually satire. Longer review coming later.
4.5/5
4.5/5
lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition
I am taking a break from this long travelogue of Twain's journeys in Europe and the holy land. to be continued at some point, I hope.
encounterswiththemoon's review against another edition
4.0
In his chronicling of the âGreat Pleasure Excursionâ, Twain shares the emotions, adventures & lessons he experienced during the voyage which saw him travel across Europe & The Holy Land in 1867. Though what the reader might find within the pages of this book might often come as a cultural shock linguistically, nothing is more humbling than recognizing familiar locations we see presented to us through screens & those become available to us through the quick jaunt in an aeroplane.
This book was one that deserves all the praise which has been bestowed upon it. I found every chapter & page to be filled with interesting information, opinions & reflections. Twain is renowned for being a fantastic writer & his entries on personal experiences are no exception. Every instance in which I had to pause in my reading saw myself actively longing to return to the journey across time & through spaces coexistent between our two worlds.
The aspect of this book that I found to be the most interesting was Twainâs descriptions of landscapes; cities & towns. Itâs incredible to note that, though so much time has elapsed since the writing & publication of this book took place, the people & places esteemed throughout have remained much as they were. Of course, humanity has experienced many a great change in our societies & lives but, the way that Twain describes his first jaunts in unknown places; seeing the pyramids, & walking around water that runs smoothly to this day; all made me feel as though his earnest experiences could have been my own.
I donât know that this needs to be said but, I shall say it nonetheless; some of Twainâs points of viewâhis opinions on citizens of specific nationsâare harsh, often bordering on uncouth. This voyage did, after all, take place in 1867. It is not unfounded for people of such a time to view anyone unlike themselves through a less-than-rose-coloured lens. That being said, the terminology did not take away from the overall experience which can be deduced from reading this book, nor did it take away from the quality of what was being written.
If you find yourself seeking a journey as an innocent abroad; or if you have the time to dedicate to a boat ride across the ocean; I would suggest you read this book. I appreciate & recognize the weight of its importance as a classic piece of literature.
This book was one that deserves all the praise which has been bestowed upon it. I found every chapter & page to be filled with interesting information, opinions & reflections. Twain is renowned for being a fantastic writer & his entries on personal experiences are no exception. Every instance in which I had to pause in my reading saw myself actively longing to return to the journey across time & through spaces coexistent between our two worlds.
The aspect of this book that I found to be the most interesting was Twainâs descriptions of landscapes; cities & towns. Itâs incredible to note that, though so much time has elapsed since the writing & publication of this book took place, the people & places esteemed throughout have remained much as they were. Of course, humanity has experienced many a great change in our societies & lives but, the way that Twain describes his first jaunts in unknown places; seeing the pyramids, & walking around water that runs smoothly to this day; all made me feel as though his earnest experiences could have been my own.
I donât know that this needs to be said but, I shall say it nonetheless; some of Twainâs points of viewâhis opinions on citizens of specific nationsâare harsh, often bordering on uncouth. This voyage did, after all, take place in 1867. It is not unfounded for people of such a time to view anyone unlike themselves through a less-than-rose-coloured lens. That being said, the terminology did not take away from the overall experience which can be deduced from reading this book, nor did it take away from the quality of what was being written.
If you find yourself seeking a journey as an innocent abroad; or if you have the time to dedicate to a boat ride across the ocean; I would suggest you read this book. I appreciate & recognize the weight of its importance as a classic piece of literature.