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A review by encounterswiththemoon
The Innocents Abroad by Grover Gardner, Mark Twain
4.0
In his chronicling of the “Great Pleasure Excursion”, 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 Twain’s descriptions of landscapes; cities & towns. It’s 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 don’t know that this needs to be said but, I shall say it nonetheless; some of Twain’s points of view—his opinions on citizens of specific nations—are 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 Twain’s descriptions of landscapes; cities & towns. It’s 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 don’t know that this needs to be said but, I shall say it nonetheless; some of Twain’s points of view—his opinions on citizens of specific nations—are 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.