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A review by graff_fuller
The Innocents Abroad: Or, the New Pilgrims' Progress by Mark Twain
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
I'm not sure I am the person that would've liked Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), if I had had the chance to have met him. I have loved his books and some of his humour (that of which I've read). I have known that as a humourist, he could be biting. Well, in this book...I've seen it.
This is a Travel Log. Unlike some other travel logs, he REALLY did it. Unfortunately, he looked down on pretty much EVERYONE that he met. He was the stereotypical American.
I know that humour doesn't always age well, but I had problems with some things he said about other people (from the people he met during his journey). He even made quips at others who were worse than him, while NOT seeing that he TOO was not a well tempered traveller, either.
He was travelling in areas that had withstood the test of time, many times more than Americans had, and he made fun of them at every turn, as if OUR way, was not just superior, but laughingly so.
Yes, I love our country, but being a person who loves history, know that our short existence in this world of nations...is still seen as an experiment. Democracy is fragile (as we see...in our real life politics that are occurring today). But when travelling, to lift your nose and look down at these other cultures as uncooth and dimished is rude. While in their country, learn to navigate it with humility and understanding. They will most likely do things differently than we do. You may think that OUR way is better, but be curtious to keep that to yourself, and possibly, you may learn something NEW that day. Maybe even a new way to do something...then you can carry that in your pocket, when you get back home.
I felt like he was a short man, in a tall man's world...and the only way that he could feel good about himself, and our country, was to belittle everyone else's. That, didn't sit well with me. If we are better, there really doesn't need to be a comment at all. Right?
In other areas, too...him being a "Christian" makes the above even worse. Compassion and humility are part and parcel to being a Christian, but not all Christians have mastered this...and so I will say, that over his life, I do hope that he grew into these core beliefs before his end.
Now that I've unburdened myself with what I was frustrated with about this book, there were a lot of good things, too.
This was a REAL travel log. I repeat this, for it is notorious that OTHERS wrote travel logs, but actually never left their house of state, or even nation. He really did it.
Also, on trips to other places, you are bound to be seen as a mark. You do not know the local customs, and more often than not, are taken by age long schemes of this or that...to where you lose money, time or even the things you own (hopefully not your life), but leaving the comfort of your home...is challenging.
He really went to these places. He got swindled (as all travellers do), and being the humourist that he was, he derided the locals for his experience. I chuckled at some of them, at least until I felt he had gone over the line.
I learned a lot about the places he went, for he DID have a keen eye and a wit, that he was able to learn, by observing the locals and the things that were going on around him...and reporting it, by writing this journal.
We are the beneficiaries of his trip. Forever it is a benchmark of travellers. And, no doubt...many who have read The Innocents Abroad...gained valuable insight to the way other countries/cultures did things, but I also fear that they ALSO learned a lot of his bad habits, sadly.
When I was ten years old, my Da gave me the Unabridged Collection of Mark Twain's works. I had thought I was going to get a toy, but instead...I got a book that was THOUSANDS of pages long. It was NOT well received. I am, after all these years...trying to right THAT wrong. My Da...wanted me to share in a writer that he had loved his entire life...and he wanted his son, to love him...too. I have, but I have made it my goal to read all of his works (from beginning to end). It may take more than 2024, but I am determined to do it. So, this was the first step.
The Innocents Abroad has been read.
NB - I have read many of his novels over the years, but I will be rereading them, too...since I am in my late fifties...and what we read as a child, sometimes sits differently (good/bad), later in life. So...one down.
This is a Travel Log. Unlike some other travel logs, he REALLY did it. Unfortunately, he looked down on pretty much EVERYONE that he met. He was the stereotypical American.
I know that humour doesn't always age well, but I had problems with some things he said about other people (from the people he met during his journey). He even made quips at others who were worse than him, while NOT seeing that he TOO was not a well tempered traveller, either.
He was travelling in areas that had withstood the test of time, many times more than Americans had, and he made fun of them at every turn, as if OUR way, was not just superior, but laughingly so.
Yes, I love our country, but being a person who loves history, know that our short existence in this world of nations...is still seen as an experiment. Democracy is fragile (as we see...in our real life politics that are occurring today). But when travelling, to lift your nose and look down at these other cultures as uncooth and dimished is rude. While in their country, learn to navigate it with humility and understanding. They will most likely do things differently than we do. You may think that OUR way is better, but be curtious to keep that to yourself, and possibly, you may learn something NEW that day. Maybe even a new way to do something...then you can carry that in your pocket, when you get back home.
I felt like he was a short man, in a tall man's world...and the only way that he could feel good about himself, and our country, was to belittle everyone else's. That, didn't sit well with me. If we are better, there really doesn't need to be a comment at all. Right?
In other areas, too...him being a "Christian" makes the above even worse. Compassion and humility are part and parcel to being a Christian, but not all Christians have mastered this...and so I will say, that over his life, I do hope that he grew into these core beliefs before his end.
Now that I've unburdened myself with what I was frustrated with about this book, there were a lot of good things, too.
This was a REAL travel log. I repeat this, for it is notorious that OTHERS wrote travel logs, but actually never left their house of state, or even nation. He really did it.
Also, on trips to other places, you are bound to be seen as a mark. You do not know the local customs, and more often than not, are taken by age long schemes of this or that...to where you lose money, time or even the things you own (hopefully not your life), but leaving the comfort of your home...is challenging.
He really went to these places. He got swindled (as all travellers do), and being the humourist that he was, he derided the locals for his experience. I chuckled at some of them, at least until I felt he had gone over the line.
I learned a lot about the places he went, for he DID have a keen eye and a wit, that he was able to learn, by observing the locals and the things that were going on around him...and reporting it, by writing this journal.
We are the beneficiaries of his trip. Forever it is a benchmark of travellers. And, no doubt...many who have read The Innocents Abroad...gained valuable insight to the way other countries/cultures did things, but I also fear that they ALSO learned a lot of his bad habits, sadly.
When I was ten years old, my Da gave me the Unabridged Collection of Mark Twain's works. I had thought I was going to get a toy, but instead...I got a book that was THOUSANDS of pages long. It was NOT well received. I am, after all these years...trying to right THAT wrong. My Da...wanted me to share in a writer that he had loved his entire life...and he wanted his son, to love him...too. I have, but I have made it my goal to read all of his works (from beginning to end). It may take more than 2024, but I am determined to do it. So, this was the first step.
The Innocents Abroad has been read.
NB - I have read many of his novels over the years, but I will be rereading them, too...since I am in my late fifties...and what we read as a child, sometimes sits differently (good/bad), later in life. So...one down.