Trash in glad rags, 22 Jun 2008
I do not understand the status of this novel. Firstly, it's racist, but we know that already. What really gets me is the weird language that one is expected to 'learn' in order to get the story. And lets be honest, it is a story for children with little subtle comment and no depth of character...everyone is 'Twain'! Do not waste your money....buy a Graham Greene novel instead.

An American classic that must be read by all (and never banned), 05 May 2007
If there's any book out there that needs no introduction (or review, to be honest), it's Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yet here I am reviewing it, anyway. I must admit (not without a fair share of embarrassment) that I just now got around to reading this American classic for the first time. I never had to read it in school, and to some degree I felt pretty familiar with the novel even without having read it - that's just how popular and important Huckleberry Finn is to the social fabric of America.

Nowadays, with all the politically correct liberals having escaped their Berkeley zoo and run amuck all over the nation, many of our young people are told not to read this novel. In fact, legions of voices cry out for poor little Huck Finn, that beloved rascal of literature, to be banned from schools and libraries - for the crime of using the n-word, a word commonly used by both blacks and whites up and down the Mississippi during Huck's time (not to mention numerous hip-hop artists of today). Turning a blind eye to the fact that Twain made the slave Jim a noble, human, easy-going fellow with his heart always in the right place (unlike Huck's other companions), the literary fascists contend that this novel is poison to the minds of youngsters. One can only imagine the reaction Mark Twain would have to the hysteria his book incites in liberals today (although he would certainly not be surprised, as he had to fight censorship of this book from the date of its publication).

One of the great ironies of the "Ban Huck Finn" brouhaha is the fact that young people will surely find this novel much more entertaining than the vast majority of other literary classics they are asked to read. This is a very funny book, especially once "the duke and the dauphin" arrive on the scene and, later, when Tom Sawyer meticulously plans out Jim's rescue from captivity (no thanks to the captors, who didn't even try to make it as difficult as Tom says it should be). Young readers will also relate to and understand this book, a fact which should give rise to spirited discussion of it in class. Don't we want our kids to be excited about books and reading?

The more outrageous the hissy fits thrown by liberal critics over the "dangers" of Huck Finn, the more important it is for everyone, young and old alike, to go out and read Twain's novel. Whenever someone tells you not to read something, it's important that you go out there and read it - and discover whatever it is the book banning loonies don't want you to know. Prove to them that you are intelligent enough to know the difference between the social values of the past and present, fiction and reality, right and wrong, etc. Think for yourself. Read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The classic American text?, 13 Feb 2007
Some will argue it is the first and still the best American novel. I don't wish to dwell on this debate, only to review the novel from my personal view.

Huckleberry Finn as a character is an immensely human and lovable rogue. He is a far more complex character than Tom Sawyer, and the reader can relate much better to him throughout. His adventures with his black companion Jim are life-changing experiences, and the fact that he goes through them in childhood makes them ever so more poignant.

As a novel it is an enjoyable read, and a journey into a rich and varied landscape dotted with very real and unique characters. The plot is far deeper than a glance will tell, and Hucks relationship with his adult role models is just a start for delving deeper into the philosophy of this book.

Whichever level you read Huckleberry Finn at, it is enjoyable, funny and heart warming from beginning to end. The richness of the novel will consume even the most unimaginative reader, and if you can set aside the differences in social life of the 1860s, you will find a marvellous read. It should be read by all.

Illustrative of the world, 27 Feb 2006
Huckleberry Finn is illustrative of the world, not only in the cosmopolitan characters entering and leaving the story, but also in the way people react to it. One reaction is that it is a racist novel, mentioning the word nigger 121 times. The people who interpret the novel in this way seem only glance at the surface and delve no deeper. They probably do this in all other aspects of their life. The second type of person will look deeper, as though delving into the depths of the Mississippi River setting. They will see past the racism of Huckleberry Finn himself as Huck comments on the definite signs of humanity and equality in Jim. They will see the underlying message, of how he is the product of a terrible system and look into the other messages encountered in the journey of the book. To this type of person no other novel can be so fascinating, yet remain humorous all the while.

A masterpiece of American literature, 05 Dec 2005
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is not only Twain's best work, but is considered by some, one of the greatest novels ever written. Episodic in form (as Twain warns, "persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot"), Huckleberry Finn is clearly, along with Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, one of the three most ambitious and artistically successful novels of America's 19th century.

But what is it about Huckleberry Finn that makes it stand out? Most young people reading it will declare that they thought Tom Sawyer was better, and for them, they would be right. It is a difficult novel to teach. The dialect is actually difficult for some inexperienced readers. The satire and ironies are often lost on some readers, and some minorities are offended by what they think is its racist tone. That, however, is an historical irony if ever there was one. Twain's intent was to belittle and make fun of the racist attitudes of most Americans. The very fact that Jim and Huck were able to achieve a fast friendship and to negotiate together the epic journey down the Mississippi with Jim often showing superior wisdom and a right smart common sense did not sit well with some prejudicial mind sets. Today what offends is the language, in particular the use of the "n" word.

But what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is first and foremost the indelible character of the often self-effacing Huck Finn himself and his compelling, lyrical, and ever so beautifully observed narrative. There is only one other novel in American literature that can be considered in the same league as far as first person narratives go, and that is Nabokov's Lolita. Strange to say Humbert Humbert and Huck Finn have one thing in common, an uncommon ability to make their differing worlds extraordinarily vivid through painstakingly clever and absolutely authentic voices. Both Twain and Nabokov achieved this rare veracity because of their command of language, their sense of character, and their fine ear for the nuances of speech.

Sense of character is also what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. The characters are so real they practically jump off the page. Even the minor characters are Shakespearean in their psychological verity. It is not exactly a co-incidence that the Duke of "Bilgewater" and the "King of France," those ornery rascals rescued by Huck and Jim, were experts in ersatz Shakespeare and various dodges. Twain knew people, and he knew them well. Too well, one might say, considering his low opinion of humankind.

The effective--even rhapsodic--use of dialect is another thing that makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. Writing a novel in dialect is a difficult thing to do well. Many have tried it and many have failed. Most writers are well advised to limit their use of dialect to the speech of their characters. But Twain was a master of dialect of many sorts, and was able to have Huck Finn narrate the entire novel in his voice while at the same time employ the various dialects of the other characters. Nabokov--although I don't think he ever acknowledged this--was undoubtedly influenced by Twain's authentic use of dialect; but because his narrator was a transplanted European professor of literature, he had to narrate in standard English; indeed a most eloquent standard English. Yet, one notices that Nabokov through Humbert took some delight in reproducing Lolita's authentic speech, her mid-twentieth century, New England, urban teenaged dialect.

Finally, what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is its humor. Twain was a master of all sorts of humor. (He was a great public speaker and story teller.) The language of the novel itself is replete with "malapropisms, puns, misquotations, understatement, exaggeration, incongruities, illiteracies, and absurd spellings," to quote from Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature, p. 259--most done for comedic effect. Additionally, the yarns themselves, the "stretchers," as Huck has it, are wondrous funny, and Huck's commonsensical take on life often contrasted humorously with what he actually saw and experienced.

Here's one of my favorite passages from the book to illustrate the master's humorous style. The ragged "King" is about to divulge "the secret of" his "being" to the supposed Duke of Bridgewater and to Huck and Jim. He says, doing the "Duke" one better:

"Bilgewater, I am the late Dauphin!"
Huck writes, "You bet you Jim and me stared, this time. Then the duke says:
'You are what?'
'Yes, my friend, it is too true--your eyes is lookin' at this very moment on the pore disappeared Dauphin, Looy the Seventeen, son of Looy the Sixteen and Marry Antonette.'
'You! At your age? No! You mean you're the late Charlemagne; you must be six or seven hundred years old, at the very least.'
'Trouble has done it, Bilgewater, trouble has done it; trouble has brung these gray hairs and this premature balditude. Yes, gentlemen, you see before you, in blue jeans and misery, the wanderin', exiled, trampled-on and sufferin' rightful King of France.'"

It is the sheer density of Twain's artistry that most impresses me. I wish I had room to quote the rest of the page as Huck goes on to describe how they "majestying" him so that it "done him heaps of good." There is so much on practically every page. I know of no other writer except Shakespeare who can reveal so much in so few words, and who could use words so creatively.

This is a great novel and anyone who cares about American literature has read it or will.

Trash in glad rags, 22 Jun 2008
I do not understand the status of this novel. Firstly, it's racist, but we know that already. What really gets me is the weird language that one is expected to 'learn' in order to get the story. And lets be honest, it is a story for children with little subtle comment and no depth of character...everyone is 'Twain'! Do not waste your money....buy a Graham Greene novel instead.

An American classic that must be read by all (and never banned), 05 May 2007
If there's any book out there that needs no introduction (or review, to be honest), it's Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yet here I am reviewing it, anyway. I must admit (not without a fair share of embarrassment) that I just now got around to reading this American classic for the first time. I never had to read it in school, and to some degree I felt pretty familiar with the novel even without having read it - that's just how popular and important Huckleberry Finn is to the social fabric of America.

Nowadays, with all the politically correct liberals having escaped their Berkeley zoo and run amuck all over the nation, many of our young people are told not to read this novel. In fact, legions of voices cry out for poor little Huck Finn, that beloved rascal of literature, to be banned from schools and libraries - for the crime of using the n-word, a word commonly used by both blacks and whites up and down the Mississippi during Huck's time (not to mention numerous hip-hop artists of today). Turning a blind eye to the fact that Twain made the slave Jim a noble, human, easy-going fellow with his heart always in the right place (unlike Huck's other companions), the literary fascists contend that this novel is poison to the minds of youngsters. One can only imagine the reaction Mark Twain would have to the hysteria his book incites in liberals today (although he would certainly not be surprised, as he had to fight censorship of this book from the date of its publication).

One of the great ironies of the "Ban Huck Finn" brouhaha is the fact that young people will surely find this novel much more entertaining than the vast majority of other literary classics they are asked to read. This is a very funny book, especially once "the duke and the dauphin" arrive on the scene and, later, when Tom Sawyer meticulously plans out Jim's rescue from captivity (no thanks to the captors, who didn't even try to make it as difficult as Tom says it should be). Young readers will also relate to and understand this book, a fact which should give rise to spirited discussion of it in class. Don't we want our kids to be excited about books and reading?

The more outrageous the hissy fits thrown by liberal critics over the "dangers" of Huck Finn, the more important it is for everyone, young and old alike, to go out and read Twain's novel. Whenever someone tells you not to read something, it's important that you go out there and read it - and discover whatever it is the book banning loonies don't want you to know. Prove to them that you are intelligent enough to know the difference between the social values of the past and present, fiction and reality, right and wrong, etc. Think for yourself. Read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The classic American text?, 13 Feb 2007
Some will argue it is the first and still the best American novel. I don't wish to dwell on this debate, only to review the novel from my personal view.

Huckleberry Finn as a character is an immensely human and lovable rogue. He is a far more complex character than Tom Sawyer, and the reader can relate much better to him throughout. His adventures with his black companion Jim are life-changing experiences, and the fact that he goes through them in childhood makes them ever so more poignant.

As a novel it is an enjoyable read, and a journey into a rich and varied landscape dotted with very real and unique characters. The plot is far deeper than a glance will tell, and Hucks relationship with his adult role models is just a start for delving deeper into the philosophy of this book.

Whichever level you read Huckleberry Finn at, it is enjoyable, funny and heart warming from beginning to end. The richness of the novel will consume even the most unimaginative reader, and if you can set aside the differences in social life of the 1860s, you will find a marvellous read. It should be read by all.

Illustrative of the world, 27 Feb 2006
Huckleberry Finn is illustrative of the world, not only in the cosmopolitan characters entering and leaving the story, but also in the way people react to it. One reaction is that it is a racist novel, mentioning the word nigger 121 times. The people who interpret the novel in this way seem only glance at the surface and delve no deeper. They probably do this in all other aspects of their life. The second type of person will look deeper, as though delving into the depths of the Mississippi River setting. They will see past the racism of Huckleberry Finn himself as Huck comments on the definite signs of humanity and equality in Jim. They will see the underlying message, of how he is the product of a terrible system and look into the other messages encountered in the journey of the book. To this type of person no other novel can be so fascinating, yet remain humorous all the while.

A masterpiece of American literature, 05 Dec 2005
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is not only Twain's best work, but is considered by some, one of the greatest novels ever written. Episodic in form (as Twain warns, "persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot"), Huckleberry Finn is clearly, along with Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, one of the three most ambitious and artistically successful novels of America's 19th century.

But what is it about Huckleberry Finn that makes it stand out? Most young people reading it will declare that they thought Tom Sawyer was better, and for them, they would be right. It is a difficult novel to teach. The dialect is actually difficult for some inexperienced readers. The satire and ironies are often lost on some readers, and some minorities are offended by what they think is its racist tone. That, however, is an historical irony if ever there was one. Twain's intent was to belittle and make fun of the racist attitudes of most Americans. The very fact that Jim and Huck were able to achieve a fast friendship and to negotiate together the epic journey down the Mississippi with Jim often showing superior wisdom and a right smart common sense did not sit well with some prejudicial mind sets. Today what offends is the language, in particular the use of the "n" word.

But what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is first and foremost the indelible character of the often self-effacing Huck Finn himself and his compelling, lyrical, and ever so beautifully observed narrative. There is only one other novel in American literature that can be considered in the same league as far as first person narratives go, and that is Nabokov's Lolita. Strange to say Humbert Humbert and Huck Finn have one thing in common, an uncommon ability to make their differing worlds extraordinarily vivid through painstakingly clever and absolutely authentic voices. Both Twain and Nabokov achieved this rare veracity because of their command of language, their sense of character, and their fine ear for the nuances of speech.

Sense of character is also what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. The characters are so real they practically jump off the page. Even the minor characters are Shakespearean in their psychological verity. It is not exactly a co-incidence that the Duke of "Bilgewater" and the "King of France," those ornery rascals rescued by Huck and Jim, were experts in ersatz Shakespeare and various dodges. Twain knew people, and he knew them well. Too well, one might say, considering his low opinion of humankind.

The effective--even rhapsodic--use of dialect is another thing that makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. Writing a novel in dialect is a difficult thing to do well. Many have tried it and many have failed. Most writers are well advised to limit their use of dialect to the speech of their characters. But Twain was a master of dialect of many sorts, and was able to have Huck Finn narrate the entire novel in his voice while at the same time employ the various dialects of the other characters. Nabokov--although I don't think he ever acknowledged this--was undoubtedly influenced by Twain's authentic use of dialect; but because his narrator was a transplanted European professor of literature, he had to narrate in standard English; indeed a most eloquent standard English. Yet, one notices that Nabokov through Humbert took some delight in reproducing Lolita's authentic speech, her mid-twentieth century, New England, urban teenaged dialect.

Finally, what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is its humor. Twain was a master of all sorts of humor. (He was a great public speaker and story teller.) The language of the novel itself is replete with "malapropisms, puns, misquotations, understatement, exaggeration, incongruities, illiteracies, and absurd spellings," to quote from Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature, p. 259--most done for comedic effect. Additionally, the yarns themselves, the "stretchers," as Huck has it, are wondrous funny, and Huck's commonsensical take on life often contrasted humorously with what he actually saw and experienced.

Here's one of my favorite passages from the book to illustrate the master's humorous style. The ragged "King" is about to divulge "the secret of" his "being" to the supposed Duke of Bridgewater and to Huck and Jim. He says, doing the "Duke" one better:

"Bilgewater, I am the late Dauphin!"
Huck writes, "You bet you Jim and me stared, this time. Then the duke says:
'You are what?'
'Yes, my friend, it is too true--your eyes is lookin' at this very moment on the pore disappeared Dauphin, Looy the Seventeen, son of Looy the Sixteen and Marry Antonette.'
'You! At your age? No! You mean you're the late Charlemagne; you must be six or seven hundred years old, at the very least.'
'Trouble has done it, Bilgewater, trouble has done it; trouble has brung these gray hairs and this premature balditude. Yes, gentlemen, you see before you, in blue jeans and misery, the wanderin', exiled, trampled-on and sufferin' rightful King of France.'"

It is the sheer density of Twain's artistry that most impresses me. I wish I had room to quote the rest of the page as Huck goes on to describe how they "majestying" him so that it "done him heaps of good." There is so much on practically every page. I know of no other writer except Shakespeare who can reveal so much in so few words, and who could use words so creatively.

This is a great novel and anyone who cares about American literature has read it or will.

A classic story of boyhood, 12 Feb 2007
Whatever age you are, this book is sure to enjoyed by all. Some people will read it as a purely entertaining account of the childhood of an over-imaginative but loveable boy. Even today, Toms exploits reverberate with growing up, and the pure joy of being young and free. Sadly, in a world of growing regulation and overprotectiveness by parents, some of the adventures of Tom Sawyer will not sadly be enjoyed by todays average twelve-year-old, but are still sure to be understood and provide amusement to all young people.

It is difficult to compare this novel with Huckleberry Finn, and at times seems to be written by a different author. That said, it typifies much of Mark Twain, and the area of the US in which he grew up, without relating too much to the serious issues that lie just under the surface of Huck Finn.

Overall, it is a book that deserves to be read, preferably as a child, and by those [slightly older people] that remember growing up and getting up to some of Toms adventures as a child, and want to reminisce.

Best book I have ever read, 23 Aug 2006
This book is good friend, powerful good. Not a sing fault with it. Would recomend it over all other bood of the form "Adventures of..." Especialy "Adventurs of Popular Democracy" which I found distastful. Powerful distastful.

Great for kids and adult alike, 16 Jul 2006
I love this book. Whether you're a kid or an adult, this book will delight. It conjures up wonderful images of life in America at this time and you can't help but be enchanted by the adventures Tom gets himself involved in, as well as the childhood rituals (simple things like swapping toys and playing in woods!) he takes part in, that we all did and don't realise we miss until reading a book like this. This is a delightful book about childhood and adventure. Superb.

My Review, 02 Mar 2006
“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is an amazing book. Mark Twain was excellent with his characters. He created them with the intent that we can relate to them. I think that there is a young Tom Sawyer in all of us. There is always that little spark for adventure. We all at one point in our life wanted to experience the things that Tom did. That is why he is a character that everyone loves. I’m pretty sure that everyone has a young Sid in their life, someone that is there to get them into more trouble. The reason this is a good book is because it allows the reader to escape their life and walk in the shoes of adventure. At points there is also suspense to keep the reader itching for more. If you pick this book up you will not be able to put it down.

A book that would be enjoyed by everyone, 21 Jul 2005
This is an enjoyable book with language used by olden day children, which gives excellent effect. It has thrilling and exciting chapters and adventures which are sometimes funny, strange or even scary. Mark Twain used a lot of adjectives to describe scenes, settings and characters. Something like "In a DREARY mood". He made the book Adventurous, Funny and Legendary. The characters in the book are well described and sounded really interesting. Mark Twain also used strong verbs and adverbs to make the story come to life. I think a lot of people would enjoy reading it.

I would recommend that children aged 10-13 to read this book. However people younger or older can as easily enjoy it as much as anyone else.

A seminal work of American literature that still commands deep praise and elicits controversy, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is essential to the understanding of the American soul. The recent discovery of the first half of Twain's manuscript, long thought to be lost, made front-page news. And this unprecedented edition, which contains for the first time omitted episodes and other variations present in the first half of the handwritten manuscript, as well as facsimile reproductions of thirty manuscript pages, is indispensable to a fuller understanding of the novel. The changes, deletions and additions made in the first half of the manuscript indicate that Mark Twain frequently checked his impulse to write an even darker, more confrontational book than the one he finally published.

Trash in glad rags, 22 Jun 2008
I do not understand the status of this novel. Firstly, it's racist, but we know that already. What really gets me is the weird language that one is expected to 'learn' in order to get the story. And lets be honest, it is a story for children with little subtle comment and no depth of character...everyone is 'Twain'! Do not waste your money....buy a Graham Greene novel instead.

An American classic that must be read by all (and never banned), 05 May 2007
If there's any book out there that needs no introduction (or review, to be honest), it's Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yet here I am reviewing it, anyway. I must admit (not without a fair share of embarrassment) that I just now got around to reading this American classic for the first time. I never had to read it in school, and to some degree I felt pretty familiar with the novel even without having read it - that's just how popular and important Huckleberry Finn is to the social fabric of America.

Nowadays, with all the politically correct liberals having escaped their Berkeley zoo and run amuck all over the nation, many of our young people are told not to read this novel. In fact, legions of voices cry out for poor little Huck Finn, that beloved rascal of literature, to be banned from schools and libraries - for the crime of using the n-word, a word commonly used by both blacks and whites up and down the Mississippi during Huck's time (not to mention numerous hip-hop artists of today). Turning a blind eye to the fact that Twain made the slave Jim a noble, human, easy-going fellow with his heart always in the right place (unlike Huck's other companions), the literary fascists contend that this novel is poison to the minds of youngsters. One can only imagine the reaction Mark Twain would have to the hysteria his book incites in liberals today (although he would certainly not be surprised, as he had to fight censorship of this book from the date of its publication).

One of the great ironies of the "Ban Huck Finn" brouhaha is the fact that young people will surely find this novel much more entertaining than the vast majority of other literary classics they are asked to read. This is a very funny book, especially once "the duke and the dauphin" arrive on the scene and, later, when Tom Sawyer meticulously plans out Jim's rescue from captivity (no thanks to the captors, who didn't even try to make it as difficult as Tom says it should be). Young readers will also relate to and understand this book, a fact which should give rise to spirited discussion of it in class. Don't we want our kids to be excited about books and reading?

The more outrageous the hissy fits thrown by liberal critics over the "dangers" of Huck Finn, the more important it is for everyone, young and old alike, to go out and read Twain's novel. Whenever someone tells you not to read something, it's important that you go out there and read it - and discover whatever it is the book banning loonies don't want you to know. Prove to them that you are intelligent enough to know the difference between the social values of the past and present, fiction and reality, right and wrong, etc. Think for yourself. Read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The classic American text?, 13 Feb 2007
Some will argue it is the first and still the best American novel. I don't wish to dwell on this debate, only to review the novel from my personal view.

Huckleberry Finn as a character is an immensely human and lovable rogue. He is a far more complex character than Tom Sawyer, and the reader can relate much better to him throughout. His adventures with his black companion Jim are life-changing experiences, and the fact that he goes through them in childhood makes them ever so more poignant.

As a novel it is an enjoyable read, and a journey into a rich and varied landscape dotted with very real and unique characters. The plot is far deeper than a glance will tell, and Hucks relationship with his adult role models is just a start for delving deeper into the philosophy of this book.

Whichever level you read Huckleberry Finn at, it is enjoyable, funny and heart warming from beginning to end. The richness of the novel will consume even the most unimaginative reader, and if you can set aside the differences in social life of the 1860s, you will find a marvellous read. It should be read by all.

Illustrative of the world, 27 Feb 2006
Huckleberry Finn is illustrative of the world, not only in the cosmopolitan characters entering and leaving the story, but also in the way people react to it. One reaction is that it is a racist novel, mentioning the word nigger 121 times. The people who interpret the novel in this way seem only glance at the surface and delve no deeper. They probably do this in all other aspects of their life. The second type of person will look deeper, as though delving into the depths of the Mississippi River setting. They will see past the racism of Huckleberry Finn himself as Huck comments on the definite signs of humanity and equality in Jim. They will see the underlying message, of how he is the product of a terrible system and look into the other messages encountered in the journey of the book. To this type of person no other novel can be so fascinating, yet remain humorous all the while.

A masterpiece of American literature, 05 Dec 2005
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is not only Twain's best work, but is considered by some, one of the greatest novels ever written. Episodic in form (as Twain warns, "persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot"), Huckleberry Finn is clearly, along with Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, one of the three most ambitious and artistically successful novels of America's 19th century.

But what is it about Huckleberry Finn that makes it stand out? Most young people reading it will declare that they thought Tom Sawyer was better, and for them, they would be right. It is a difficult novel to teach. The dialect is actually difficult for some inexperienced readers. The satire and ironies are often lost on some readers, and some minorities are offended by what they think is its racist tone. That, however, is an historical irony if ever there was one. Twain's intent was to belittle and make fun of the racist attitudes of most Americans. The very fact that Jim and Huck were able to achieve a fast friendship and to negotiate together the epic journey down the Mississippi with Jim often showing superior wisdom and a right smart common sense did not sit well with some prejudicial mind sets. Today what offends is the language, in particular the use of the "n" word.

But what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is first and foremost the indelible character of the often self-effacing Huck Finn himself and his compelling, lyrical, and ever so beautifully observed narrative. There is only one other novel in American literature that can be considered in the same league as far as first person narratives go, and that is Nabokov's Lolita. Strange to say Humbert Humbert and Huck Finn have one thing in common, an uncommon ability to make their differing worlds extraordinarily vivid through painstakingly clever and absolutely authentic voices. Both Twain and Nabokov achieved this rare veracity because of their command of language, their sense of character, and their fine ear for the nuances of speech.

Sense of character is also what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. The characters are so real they practically jump off the page. Even the minor characters are Shakespearean in their psychological verity. It is not exactly a co-incidence that the Duke of "Bilgewater" and the "King of France," those ornery rascals rescued by Huck and Jim, were experts in ersatz Shakespeare and various dodges. Twain knew people, and he knew them well. Too well, one might say, considering his low opinion of humankind.

The effective--even rhapsodic--use of dialect is another thing that makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. Writing a novel in dialect is a difficult thing to do well. Many have tried it and many have failed. Most writers are well advised to limit their use of dialect to the speech of their characters. But Twain was a master of dialect of many sorts, and was able to have Huck Finn narrate the entire novel in his voice while at the same time employ the various dialects of the other characters. Nabokov--although I don't think he ever acknowledged this--was undoubtedly influenced by Twain's authentic use of dialect; but because his narrator was a transplanted European professor of literature, he had to narrate in standard English; indeed a most eloquent standard English. Yet, one notices that Nabokov through Humbert took some delight in reproducing Lolita's authentic speech, her mid-twentieth century, New England, urban teenaged dialect.

Finally, what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is its humor. Twain was a master of all sorts of humor. (He was a great public speaker and story teller.) The language of the novel itself is replete with "malapropisms, puns, misquotations, understatement, exaggeration, incongruities, illiteracies, and absurd spellings," to quote from Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature, p. 259--most done for comedic effect. Additionally, the yarns themselves, the "stretchers," as Huck has it, are wondrous funny, and Huck's commonsensical take on life often contrasted humorously with what he actually saw and experienced.

Here's one of my favorite passages from the book to illustrate the master's humorous style. The ragged "King" is about to divulge "the secret of" his "being" to the supposed Duke of Bridgewater and to Huck and Jim. He says, doing the "Duke" one better:

"Bilgewater, I am the late Dauphin!"
Huck writes, "You bet you Jim and me stared, this time. Then the duke says:
'You are what?'
'Yes, my friend, it is too true--your eyes is lookin' at this very moment on the pore disappeared Dauphin, Looy the Seventeen, son of Looy the Sixteen and Marry Antonette.'
'You! At your age? No! You mean you're the late Charlemagne; you must be six or seven hundred years old, at the very least.'
'Trouble has done it, Bilgewater, trouble has done it; trouble has brung these gray hairs and this premature balditude. Yes, gentlemen, you see before you, in blue jeans and misery, the wanderin', exiled, trampled-on and sufferin' rightful King of France.'"

It is the sheer density of Twain's artistry that most impresses me. I wish I had room to quote the rest of the page as Huck goes on to describe how they "majestying" him so that it "done him heaps of good." There is so much on practically every page. I know of no other writer except Shakespeare who can reveal so much in so few words, and who could use words so creatively.

This is a great novel and anyone who cares about American literature has read it or will.

A classic story of boyhood, 12 Feb 2007
Whatever age you are, this book is sure to enjoyed by all. Some people will read it as a purely entertaining account of the childhood of an over-imaginative but loveable boy. Even today, Toms exploits reverberate with growing up, and the pure joy of being young and free. Sadly, in a world of growing regulation and overprotectiveness by parents, some of the adventures of Tom Sawyer will not sadly be enjoyed by todays average twelve-year-old, but are still sure to be understood and provide amusement to all young people.

It is difficult to compare this novel with Huckleberry Finn, and at times seems to be written by a different author. That said, it typifies much of Mark Twain, and the area of the US in which he grew up, without relating too much to the serious issues that lie just under the surface of Huck Finn.

Overall, it is a book that deserves to be read, preferably as a child, and by those [slightly older people] that remember growing up and getting up to some of Toms adventures as a child, and want to reminisce.

Best book I have ever read, 23 Aug 2006
This book is good friend, powerful good. Not a sing fault with it. Would recomend it over all other bood of the form "Adventures of..." Especialy "Adventurs of Popular Democracy" which I found distastful. Powerful distastful.

Great for kids and adult alike, 16 Jul 2006
I love this book. Whether you're a kid or an adult, this book will delight. It conjures up wonderful images of life in America at this time and you can't help but be enchanted by the adventures Tom gets himself involved in, as well as the childhood rituals (simple things like swapping toys and playing in woods!) he takes part in, that we all did and don't realise we miss until reading a book like this. This is a delightful book about childhood and adventure. Superb.

My Review, 02 Mar 2006
“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is an amazing book. Mark Twain was excellent with his characters. He created them with the intent that we can relate to them. I think that there is a young Tom Sawyer in all of us. There is always that little spark for adventure. We all at one point in our life wanted to experience the things that Tom did. That is why he is a character that everyone loves. I’m pretty sure that everyone has a young Sid in their life, someone that is there to get them into more trouble. The reason this is a good book is because it allows the reader to escape their life and walk in the shoes of adventure. At points there is also suspense to keep the reader itching for more. If you pick this book up you will not be able to put it down.

A book that would be enjoyed by everyone, 21 Jul 2005
This is an enjoyable book with language used by olden day children, which gives excellent effect. It has thrilling and exciting chapters and adventures which are sometimes funny, strange or even scary. Mark Twain used a lot of adjectives to describe scenes, settings and characters. Something like "In a DREARY mood". He made the book Adventurous, Funny and Legendary. The characters in the book are well described and sounded really interesting. Mark Twain also used strong verbs and adverbs to make the story come to life. I think a lot of people would enjoy reading it.

I would recommend that children aged 10-13 to read this book. However people younger or older can as easily enjoy it as much as anyone else.

An Unvarnished Look at the Human Soul, 28 May 2004
For such a simple story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn often proves to be elusive for its readers. Here are some guideposts to look out for:

This story is told by Huck, and is not in the classic shape of a novel. Rather it is a precursor to Ulysses and Remembrance of Things Past, where other great writers attempted to capture the essence of our internal dialogue.

Huck is also hiding a lot from himself. You as the reader can quickly see through him though. He is trying to put a brave and positive face on a very dangerous situation. We all do that.

Huck also has to face himself before the book ends. What really is important? We can all spout a lot of moral talk, but what we do is critical.

If we lived in Huck's times, we would also see that there was an emormous moral dilemma. The rules of humanity were often not applied to black people. You could choose to go along and feel like a hypocrite (if you thought about what you were doing), or you could do the right thing. Sensitive people of that day often found it hard to do the right thing. If your neighbors were open-minded and you lived in the North, you might do one thing. If your neighbors were slaveholderes and lived in the South, you might do another.

Also, think about the trip down the river as an analogy for going through life. How will it turn out if you just let your direction go with the current?

This is an amazing book, brilliant, really heart capturing!, 10 Nov 2001
This is one of the very best books. Huck Finn goes through so many trials and tribulations down the Mississippi River with his black slave friend Jim, lying and stealing and running into strange people. It is the best book I have ever read!

Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 17 Jul 2001
Mark Twain's classic, "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn" is a truely amazing read that appeals to the reader on all levels. It's language, difficult to grasp adds to the make-up and the bulk of this amazing read. Twain's writing draws the reader into living the adventures with Huck and Jim as the journey down the river. The reality of the characters and additional humor adds to the acessibility of the novel to the reader and adds to it's appeal.

Brilliant!!!, 14 Mar 2001
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's pure story telling, and really funny. The characters are so alive that when you finish reading it you start to miss them. When Huck says he's "striking out for the territories" you wish you were going with him! If you like Vonnegutt then buy this book, its got the same mix of the funny and the profound. Come to think of it, if you like STORIES buy this book because it really is one of the best ones ever written.

This book is my all time favorite book, it is so funny!, 10 Jun 1998
This book was one of the funniest I have ever read! Mark Twain makes it hilarious, exciting, and enjoyable all through the book! Huck is such a fun charatar to read about. His adventures will make you laugh and in the end you will be attached to his unique character. You can't miss reading this classic piece of literature!

A seminal work of American literature that still commands deep praise and elicits controversy, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is essential to the understanding of the American soul. The recent discovery of the first half of Twain's manuscript, long thought to be lost, made front-page news. And this unprecedented edition, which contains for the first time omitted episodes and other variations present in the first half of the handwritten manuscript, as well as facsimile reproductions of thirty manuscript pages, is indispensable to a fuller understanding of the novel. The changes, deletions and additions made in the first half of the manuscript indicate that Mark Twain frequently checked his impulse to write an even darker, more confrontational book than the one he finally published.

Trash in glad rags, 22 Jun 2008
I do not understand the status of this novel. Firstly, it's racist, but we know that already. What really gets me is the weird language that one is expected to 'learn' in order to get the story. And lets be honest, it is a story for children with little subtle comment and no depth of character...everyone is 'Twain'! Do not waste your money....buy a Graham Greene novel instead.

An American classic that must be read by all (and never banned), 05 May 2007
If there's any book out there that needs no introduction (or review, to be honest), it's Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yet here I am reviewing it, anyway. I must admit (not without a fair share of embarrassment) that I just now got around to reading this American classic for the first time. I never had to read it in school, and to some degree I felt pretty familiar with the novel even without having read it - that's just how popular and important Huckleberry Finn is to the social fabric of America.

Nowadays, with all the politically correct liberals having escaped their Berkeley zoo and run amuck all over the nation, many of our young people are told not to read this novel. In fact, legions of voices cry out for poor little Huck Finn, that beloved rascal of literature, to be banned from schools and libraries - for the crime of using the n-word, a word commonly used by both blacks and whites up and down the Mississippi during Huck's time (not to mention numerous hip-hop artists of today). Turning a blind eye to the fact that Twain made the slave Jim a noble, human, easy-going fellow with his heart always in the right place (unlike Huck's other companions), the literary fascists contend that this novel is poison to the minds of youngsters. One can only imagine the reaction Mark Twain would have to the hysteria his book incites in liberals today (although he would certainly not be surprised, as he had to fight censorship of this book from the date of its publication).

One of the great ironies of the "Ban Huck Finn" brouhaha is the fact that young people will surely find this novel much more entertaining than the vast majority of other literary classics they are asked to read. This is a very funny book, especially once "the duke and the dauphin" arrive on the scene and, later, when Tom Sawyer meticulously plans out Jim's rescue from captivity (no thanks to the captors, who didn't even try to make it as difficult as Tom says it should be). Young readers will also relate to and understand this book, a fact which should give rise to spirited discussion of it in class. Don't we want our kids to be excited about books and reading?

The more outrageous the hissy fits thrown by liberal critics over the "dangers" of Huck Finn, the more important it is for everyone, young and old alike, to go out and read Twain's novel. Whenever someone tells you not to read something, it's important that you go out there and read it - and discover whatever it is the book banning loonies don't want you to know. Prove to them that you are intelligent enough to know the difference between the social values of the past and present, fiction and reality, right and wrong, etc. Think for yourself. Read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The classic American text?, 13 Feb 2007
Some will argue it is the first and still the best American novel. I don't wish to dwell on this debate, only to review the novel from my personal view.

Huckleberry Finn as a character is an immensely human and lovable rogue. He is a far more complex character than Tom Sawyer, and the reader can relate much better to him throughout. His adventures with his black companion Jim are life-changing experiences, and the fact that he goes through them in childhood makes them ever so more poignant.

As a novel it is an enjoyable read, and a journey into a rich and varied landscape dotted with very real and unique characters. The plot is far deeper than a glance will tell, and Hucks relationship with his adult role models is just a start for delving deeper into the philosophy of this book.

Whichever level you read Huckleberry Finn at, it is enjoyable, funny and heart warming from beginning to end. The richness of the novel will consume even the most unimaginative reader, and if you can set aside the differences in social life of the 1860s, you will find a marvellous read. It should be read by all.

Illustrative of the world, 27 Feb 2006
Huckleberry Finn is illustrative of the world, not only in the cosmopolitan characters entering and leaving the story, but also in the way people react to it. One reaction is that it is a racist novel, mentioning the word nigger 121 times. The people who interpret the novel in this way seem only glance at the surface and delve no deeper. They probably do this in all other aspects of their life. The second type of person will look deeper, as though delving into the depths of the Mississippi River setting. They will see past the racism of Huckleberry Finn himself as Huck comments on the definite signs of humanity and equality in Jim. They will see the underlying message, of how he is the product of a terrible system and look into the other messages encountered in the journey of the book. To this type of person no other novel can be so fascinating, yet remain humorous all the while.

A masterpiece of American literature, 05 Dec 2005
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is not only Twain's best work, but is considered by some, one of the greatest novels ever written. Episodic in form (as Twain warns, "persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot"), Huckleberry Finn is clearly, along with Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, one of the three most ambitious and artistically successful novels of America's 19th century.

But what is it about Huckleberry Finn that makes it stand out? Most young people reading it will declare that they thought Tom Sawyer was better, and for them, they would be right. It is a difficult novel to teach. The dialect is actually difficult for some inexperienced readers. The satire and ironies are often lost on some readers, and some minorities are offended by what they think is its racist tone. That, however, is an historical irony if ever there was one. Twain's intent was to belittle and make fun of the racist attitudes of most Americans. The very fact that Jim and Huck were able to achieve a fast friendship and to negotiate together the epic journey down the Mississippi with Jim often showing superior wisdom and a right smart common sense did not sit well with some prejudicial mind sets. Today what offends is the language, in particular the use of the "n" word.

But what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is first and foremost the indelible character of the often self-effacing Huck Finn himself and his compelling, lyrical, and ever so beautifully observed narrative. There is only one other novel in American literature that can be considered in the same league as far as first person narratives go, and that is Nabokov's Lolita. Strange to say Humbert Humbert and Huck Finn have one thing in common, an uncommon ability to make their differing worlds extraordinarily vivid through painstakingly clever and absolutely authentic voices. Both Twain and Nabokov achieved this rare veracity because of their command of language, their sense of character, and their fine ear for the nuances of speech.

Sense of character is also what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. The characters are so real they practically jump off the page. Even the minor characters are Shakespearean in their psychological verity. It is not exactly a co-incidence that the Duke of "Bilgewater" and the "King of France," those ornery rascals rescued by Huck and Jim, were experts in ersatz Shakespeare and various dodges. Twain knew people, and he knew them well. Too well, one might say, considering his low opinion of humankind.

The effective--even rhapsodic--use of dialect is another thing that makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. Writing a novel in dialect is a difficult thing to do well. Many have tried it and many have failed. Most writers are well advised to limit their use of dialect to the speech of their characters. But Twain was a master of dialect of many sorts, and was able to have Huck Finn narrate the entire novel in his voice while at the same time employ the various dialects of the other characters. Nabokov--although I don't think he ever acknowledged this--was undoubtedly influenced by Twain's authentic use of dialect; but because his narrator was a transplanted European professor of literature, he had to narrate in standard English; indeed a most eloquent standard English. Yet, one notices that Nabokov through Humbert took some delight in reproducing Lolita's authentic speech, her mid-twentieth century, New England, urban teenaged dialect.

Finally, what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is its humor. Twain was a master of all sorts of humor. (He was a great public speaker and story teller.) The language of the novel itself is replete with "malapropisms, puns, misquotations, understatement, exaggeration, incongruities, illiteracies, and absurd spellings," to quote from Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature, p. 259--most done for comedic effect. Additionally, the yarns themselves, the "stretchers," as Huck has it, are wondrous funny, and Huck's commonsensical take on life often contrasted humorously with what he actually saw and experienced.

Here's one of my favorite passages from the book to illustrate the master's humorous style. The ragged "King" is about to divulge "the secret of" his "being" to the supposed Duke of Bridgewater and to Huck and Jim. He says, doing the "Duke" one better:

"Bilgewater, I am the late Dauphin!"
Huck writes, "You bet you Jim and me stared, this time. Then the duke says:
'You are what?'
'Yes, my friend, it is too true--your eyes is lookin' at this very moment on the pore disappeared Dauphin, Looy the Seventeen, son of Looy the Sixteen and Marry Antonette.'
'You! At your age? No! You mean you're the late Charlemagne; you must be six or seven hundred years old, at the very least.'
'Trouble has done it, Bilgewater, trouble has done it; trouble has brung these gray hairs and this premature balditude. Yes, gentlemen, you see before you, in blue jeans and misery, the wanderin', exiled, trampled-on and sufferin' rightful King of France.'"

It is the sheer density of Twain's artistry that most impresses me. I wish I had room to quote the rest of the page as Huck goes on to describe how they "majestying" him so that it "done him heaps of good." There is so much on practically every page. I know of no other writer except Shakespeare who can reveal so much in so few words, and who could use words so creatively.

This is a great novel and anyone who cares about American literature has read it or will.

A classic story of boyhood, 12 Feb 2007
Whatever age you are, this book is sure to enjoyed by all. Some people will read it as a purely entertaining account of the childhood of an over-imaginative but loveable boy. Even today, Toms exploits reverberate with growing up, and the pure joy of being young and free. Sadly, in a world of growing regulation and overprotectiveness by parents, some of the adventures of Tom Sawyer will not sadly be enjoyed by todays average twelve-year-old, but are still sure to be understood and provide amusement to all young people.

It is difficult to compare this novel with Huckleberry Finn, and at times seems to be written by a different author. That said, it typifies much of Mark Twain, and the area of the US in which he grew up, without relating too much to the serious issues that lie just under the surface of Huck Finn.

Overall, it is a book that deserves to be read, preferably as a child, and by those [slightly older people] that remember growing up and getting up to some of Toms adventures as a child, and want to reminisce.

Best book I have ever read, 23 Aug 2006
This book is good friend, powerful good. Not a sing fault with it. Would recomend it over all other bood of the form "Adventures of..." Especialy "Adventurs of Popular Democracy" which I found distastful. Powerful distastful.

Great for kids and adult alike, 16 Jul 2006
I love this book. Whether you're a kid or an adult, this book will delight. It conjures up wonderful images of life in America at this time and you can't help but be enchanted by the adventures Tom gets himself involved in, as well as the childhood rituals (simple things like swapping toys and playing in woods!) he takes part in, that we all did and don't realise we miss until reading a book like this. This is a delightful book about childhood and adventure. Superb.

My Review, 02 Mar 2006
“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is an amazing book. Mark Twain was excellent with his characters. He created them with the intent that we can relate to them. I think that there is a young Tom Sawyer in all of us. There is always that little spark for adventure. We all at one point in our life wanted to experience the things that Tom did. That is why he is a character that everyone loves. I’m pretty sure that everyone has a young Sid in their life, someone that is there to get them into more trouble. The reason this is a good book is because it allows the reader to escape their life and walk in the shoes of adventure. At points there is also suspense to keep the reader itching for more. If you pick this book up you will not be able to put it down.

A book that would be enjoyed by everyone, 21 Jul 2005
This is an enjoyable book with language used by olden day children, which gives excellent effect. It has thrilling and exciting chapters and adventures which are sometimes funny, strange or even scary. Mark Twain used a lot of adjectives to describe scenes, settings and characters. Something like "In a DREARY mood". He made the book Adventurous, Funny and Legendary. The characters in the book are well described and sounded really interesting. Mark Twain also used strong verbs and adverbs to make the story come to life. I think a lot of people would enjoy reading it.

I would recommend that children aged 10-13 to read this book. However people younger or older can as easily enjoy it as much as anyone else.

An Unvarnished Look at the Human Soul, 28 May 2004
For such a simple story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn often proves to be elusive for its readers. Here are some guideposts to look out for:

This story is told by Huck, and is not in the classic shape of a novel. Rather it is a precursor to Ulysses and Remembrance of Things Past, where other great writers attempted to capture the essence of our internal dialogue.

Huck is also hiding a lot from himself. You as the reader can quickly see through him though. He is trying to put a brave and positive face on a very dangerous situation. We all do that.

Huck also has to face himself before the book ends. What really is important? We can all spout a lot of moral talk, but what we do is critical.

If we lived in Huck's times, we would also see that there was an emormous moral dilemma. The rules of humanity were often not applied to black people. You could choose to go along and feel like a hypocrite (if you thought about what you were doing), or you could do the right thing. Sensitive people of that day often found it hard to do the right thing. If your neighbors were open-minded and you lived in the North, you might do one thing. If your neighbors were slaveholderes and lived in the South, you might do another.

Also, think about the trip down the river as an analogy for going through life. How will it turn out if you just let your direction go with the current?

This is an amazing book, brilliant, really heart capturing!, 10 Nov 2001
This is one of the very best books. Huck Finn goes through so many trials and tribulations down the Mississippi River with his black slave friend Jim, lying and stealing and running into strange people. It is the best book I have ever read!

Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 17 Jul 2001
Mark Twain's classic, "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn" is a truely amazing read that appeals to the reader on all levels. It's language, difficult to grasp adds to the make-up and the bulk of this amazing read. Twain's writing draws the reader into living the adventures with Huck and Jim as the journey down the river. The reality of the characters and additional humor adds to the acessibility of the novel to the reader and adds to it's appeal.

Brilliant!!!, 14 Mar 2001
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's pure story telling, and really funny. The characters are so alive that when you finish reading it you start to miss them. When Huck says he's "striking out for the territories" you wish you were going with him! If you like Vonnegutt then buy this book, its got the same mix of the funny and the profound. Come to think of it, if you like STORIES buy this book because it really is one of the best ones ever written.

This book is my all time favorite book, it is so funny!, 10 Jun 1998
This book was one of the funniest I have ever read! Mark Twain makes it hilarious, exciting, and enjoyable all through the book! Huck is such a fun charatar to read about. His adventures will make you laugh and in the end you will be attached to his unique character. You can't miss reading this classic piece of literature!

An Unvarnished Look at the Human Soul, 28 May 2004
For such a simple story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn often proves to be elusive for its readers. Here are some guideposts to look out for:

This story is told by Huck, and is not in the classic shape of a novel. Rather it is a precursor to Ulysses and Remembrance of Things Past, where other great writers attempted to capture the essence of our internal dialogue.

Huck is also hiding a lot from himself. You as the reader can quickly see through him though. He is trying to put a brave and positive face on a very dangerous situation. We all do that.

Huck also has to face himself before the book ends. What really is important? We can all spout a lot of moral talk, but what we do is critical.

If we lived in Huck's times, we would also see that there was an emormous moral dilemma. The rules of humanity were often not applied to black people. You could choose to go along and feel like a hypocrite (if you thought about what you were doing), or you could do the right thing. Sensitive people of that day often found it hard to do the right thing. If your neighbors were open-minded and you lived in the North, you might do one thing. If your neighbors were slaveholderes and lived in the South, you might do another.

Also, think about the trip down the river as an analogy for going through life. How will it turn out if you just let your direction go with the current?

This is an amazing book, brilliant, really heart capturing!, 10 Nov 2001
This is one of the very best books. Huck Finn goes through so many trials and tribulations down the Mississippi River with his black slave friend Jim, lying and stealing and running into strange people. It is the best book I have ever read!

Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 17 Jul 2001
Mark Twain's classic, "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn" is a truely amazing read that appeals to the reader on all levels. It's language, difficult to grasp adds to the make-up and the bulk of this amazing read. Twain's writing draws the reader into living the adventures with Huck and Jim as the journey down the river. The reality of the characters and additional humor adds to the acessibility of the novel to the reader and adds to it's appeal.

Brilliant!!!, 14 Mar 2001
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's pure story telling, and really funny. The characters are so alive that when you finish reading it you start to miss them. When Huck says he's "striking out for the territories" you wish you were going with him! If you like Vonnegutt then buy this book, its got the same mix of the funny and the profound. Come to think of it, if you like STORIES buy this book because it really is one of the best ones ever written.

This book is my all time favorite book, it is so funny!, 10 Jun 1998
This book was one of the funniest I have ever read! Mark Twain makes it hilarious, exciting, and enjoyable all through the book! Huck is such a fun charatar to read about. His adventures will make you laugh and in the end you will be attached to his unique character. You can't miss reading this classic piece of literature!

Trash in glad rags, 22 Jun 2008
I do not understand the status of this novel. Firstly, it's racist, but we know that already. What really gets me is the weird language that one is expected to 'learn' in order to get the story. And lets be honest, it is a story for children with little subtle comment and no depth of character...everyone is 'Twain'! Do not waste your money....buy a Graham Greene novel instead.

An American classic that must be read by all (and never banned), 05 May 2007
If there's any book out there that needs no introduction (or review, to be honest), it's Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yet here I am reviewing it, anyway. I must admit (not without a fair share of embarrassment) that I just now got around to reading this American classic for the first time. I never had to read it in school, and to some degree I felt pretty familiar with the novel even without having read it - that's just how popular and important Huckleberry Finn is to the social fabric of America.

Nowadays, with all the politically correct liberals having escaped their Berkeley zoo and run amuck all over the nation, many of our young people are told not to read this novel. In fact, legions of voices cry out for poor little Huck Finn, that beloved rascal of literature, to be banned from schools and libraries - for the crime of using the n-word, a word commonly used by both blacks and whites up and down the Mississippi during Huck's time (not to mention numerous hip-hop artists of today). Turning a blind eye to the fact that Twain made the slave Jim a noble, human, easy-going fellow with his heart always in the right place (unlike Huck's other companions), the literary fascists contend that this novel is poison to the minds of youngsters. One can only imagine the reaction Mark Twain would have to the hysteria his book incites in liberals today (although he would certainly not be surprised, as he had to fight censorship of this book from the date of its publication).

One of the great ironies of the "Ban Huck Finn" brouhaha is the fact that young people will surely find this novel much more entertaining than the vast majority of other literary classics they are asked to read. This is a very funny book, especially once "the duke and the dauphin" arrive on the scene and, later, when Tom Sawyer meticulously plans out Jim's rescue from captivity (no thanks to the captors, who didn't even try to make it as difficult as Tom says it should be). Young readers will also relate to and understand this book, a fact which should give rise to spirited discussion of it in class. Don't we want our kids to be excited about books and reading?

The more outrageous the hissy fits thrown by liberal critics over the "dangers" of Huck Finn, the more important it is for everyone, young and old alike, to go out and read Twain's novel. Whenever someone tells you not to read something, it's important that you go out there and read it - and discover whatever it is the book banning loonies don't want you to know. Prove to them that you are intelligent enough to know the difference between the social values of the past and present, fiction and reality, right and wrong, etc. Think for yourself. Read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The classic American text?, 13 Feb 2007
Some will argue it is the first and still the best American novel. I don't wish to dwell on this debate, only to review the novel from my personal view.

Huckleberry Finn as a character is an immensely human and lovable rogue. He is a far more complex character than Tom Sawyer, and the reader can relate much better to him throughout. His adventures with his black companion Jim are life-changing experiences, and the fact that he goes through them in childhood makes them ever so more poignant.

As a novel it is an enjoyable read, and a journey into a rich and varied landscape dotted with very real and unique characters. The plot is far deeper than a glance will tell, and Hucks relationship with his adult role models is just a start for delving deeper into the philosophy of this book.

Whichever level you read Huckleberry Finn at, it is enjoyable, funny and heart warming from beginning to end. The richness of the novel will consume even the most unimaginative reader, and if you can set aside the differences in social life of the 1860s, you will find a marvellous read. It should be read by all.

Illustrative of the world, 27 Feb 2006
Huckleberry Finn is illustrative of the world, not only in the cosmopolitan characters entering and leaving the story, but also in the way people react to it. One reaction is that it is a racist novel, mentioning the word nigger 121 times. The people who interpret the novel in this way seem only glance at the surface and delve no deeper. They probably do this in all other aspects of their life. The second type of person will look deeper, as though delving into the depths of the Mississippi River setting. They will see past the racism of Huckleberry Finn himself as Huck comments on the definite signs of humanity and equality in Jim. They will see the underlying message, of how he is the product of a terrible system and look into the other messages encountered in the journey of the book. To this type of person no other novel can be so fascinating, yet remain humorous all the while.

A masterpiece of American literature, 05 Dec 2005
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is not only Twain's best work, but is considered by some, one of the greatest novels ever written. Episodic in form (as Twain warns, "persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot"), Huckleberry Finn is clearly, along with Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, one of the three most ambitious and artistically successful novels of America's 19th century.

But what is it about Huckleberry Finn that makes it stand out? Most young people reading it will declare that they thought Tom Sawyer was better, and for them, they would be right. It is a difficult novel to teach. The dialect is actually difficult for some inexperienced readers. The satire and ironies are often lost on some readers, and some minorities are offended by what they think is its racist tone. That, however, is an historical irony if ever there was one. Twain's intent was to belittle and make fun of the racist attitudes of most Americans. The very fact that Jim and Huck were able to achieve a fast friendship and to negotiate together the epic journey down the Mississippi with Jim often showing superior wisdom and a right smart common sense did not sit well with some prejudicial mind sets. Today what offends is the language, in particular the use of the "n" word.

But what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is first and foremost the indelible character of the often self-effacing Huck Finn himself and his compelling, lyrical, and ever so beautifully observed narrative. There is only one other novel in American literature that can be considered in the same league as far as first person narratives go, and that is Nabokov's Lolita. Strange to say Humbert Humbert and Huck Finn have one thing in common, an uncommon ability to make their differing worlds extraordinarily vivid through painstakingly clever and absolutely authentic voices. Both Twain and Nabokov achieved this rare veracity because of their command of language, their sense of character, and their fine ear for the nuances of speech.

Sense of character is also what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. The characters are so real they practically jump off the page. Even the minor characters are Shakespearean in their psychological verity. It is not exactly a co-incidence that the Duke of "Bilgewater" and the "King of France," those ornery rascals rescued by Huck and Jim, were experts in ersatz Shakespeare and various dodges. Twain knew people, and he knew them well. Too well, one might say, considering his low opinion of humankind.

The effective--even rhapsodic--use of dialect is another thing that makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel. Writing a novel in dialect is a difficult thing to do well. Many have tried it and many have failed. Most writers are well advised to limit their use of dialect to the speech of their characters. But Twain was a master of dialect of many sorts, and was able to have Huck Finn narrate the entire novel in his voice while at the same time employ the various dialects of the other characters. Nabokov--although I don't think he ever acknowledged this--was undoubtedly influenced by Twain's authentic use of dialect; but because his narrator was a transplanted European professor of literature, he had to narrate in standard English; indeed a most eloquent standard English. Yet, one notices that Nabokov through Humbert took some delight in reproducing Lolita's authentic speech, her mid-twentieth century, New England, urban teenaged dialect.

Finally, what makes Huckleberry Finn a great novel is its humor. Twain was a master of all sorts of humor. (He was a great public speaker and story teller.) The language of the novel itself is replete with "malapropisms, puns, misquotations, understatement, exaggeration, incongruities, illiteracies, and absurd spellings," to quote from Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature, p. 259--most done for comedic effect. Additionally, the yarns themselves, the "stretchers," as Huck has it, are wondrous funny, and Huck's commonsensical take on life often contrasted humorously with what he actually saw and experienced.

Here's one of my favorite passages from the book to illustrate the master's humorous style. The ragged "King" is about to divulge "the secret of" his "being" to the supposed Duke of Bridgewater and to Huck and Jim. He says, doing the "Duke" one better:

"Bilgewater, I am the late Dauphin!"
Huck writes, "You bet you Jim and me stared, this time. Then the duke says:
'You are what?'
'Yes, my friend, it is too true--your eyes is lookin' at this very moment on the pore disappeared Dauphin, Looy the Seventeen, son of Looy the Sixteen and Marry Antonette.'
'You! At your age? No! You mean you're the late Charlemagne; you must be six or seven hundred years old, at the very least.'
'Trouble has done it, Bilgewater, trouble has done it; trouble has brung these gray hairs and this premature balditude. Yes, gentlemen, you see before you, in blue jeans and misery, the wanderin', exiled, trampled-on and sufferin' rightful King of France.'"

It is the sheer density of Twain's artistry that most impresses me. I wish I had room to quote the rest of the page as Huck goes on to describe how they "majestying" him so that it "done him heaps of good." There is so much on practically every page. I know of no other writer except Shakespeare who can reveal so much in so few words, and who could use words so creatively.

This is a great novel and anyone who cares about American literature has read it or will.

A classic story of boyhood, 12 Feb 2007
Whatever age you are, this book is sure to enjoyed by all. Some people will read it as a purely entertaining account of the childhood of an over-imaginative but loveable boy. Even today, Toms exploits reverberate with growing up, and the pure joy of being young and free. Sadly, in a world of growing regulation and overprotectiveness by parents, some of the adventures of Tom Sawyer will not sadly be enjoyed by todays average twelve-year-old, but are still sure to be understood and provide amusement to all young people.

It is difficult to compare this novel with Huckleberry Finn, and at times seems to be written by a different author. That said, it typifies much of Mark Twain, and the area of the US in which he grew up, without relating too much to the serious issues that lie just under the surface of Huck Finn.

Overall, it is a book that deserves to be read, preferably as a child, and by those [slightly older people] that remember growing up and getting up to some of Toms adventures as a child, and want to reminisce.

Best book I have ever read, 23 Aug 2006
This book is good friend, powerful good. Not a sing fault with it. Would recomend it over all other bood of the form "Adventures of..." Especialy "Adventurs of Popular Democracy" which I found distastful. Powerful distastful.

Great for kids and adult alike, 16 Jul 2006
I love this book. Whether you're a kid or an adult, this book will delight. It conjures up wonderful images of life in America at this time and you can't help but be enchanted by the adventures Tom gets himself involved in, as well as the childhood rituals (simple things like swapping toys and playing in woods!) he takes part in, that we all did and don't realise we miss until reading a book like this. This is a delightful book about childhood and adventure. Superb.

My Review, 02 Mar 2006
“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is an amazing book. Mark Twain was excellent with his characters. He created them with the intent that we can relate to them. I think that there is a young Tom Sawyer in all of us. There is always that little spark for adventure. We all at one point in our life wanted to experience the things that Tom did. That is why he is a character that everyone loves. I’m pretty sure that everyone has a young Sid in their life, someone that is there to get them into more trouble. The reason this is a good book is because it allows the reader to escape their life and walk in the shoes of adventure. At points there is also suspense to keep the reader itching for more. If you pick this book up you will not be able to put it down.

A book that would be enjoyed by everyone, 21 Jul 2005
This is an enjoyable book with language used by olden day children, which gives excellent effect. It has thrilling and exciting chapters and adventures which are sometimes funny, strange or even scary. Mark Twain used a lot of adjectives to describe scenes, settings and characters. Something like "In a DREARY mood". He made the book Adventurous, Funny and Legendary. The characters in the book are well described and sounded really interesting. Mark Twain also used strong verbs and adverbs to make the story come to life. I think a lot of people would enjoy reading it.

I would recommend that children aged 10-13 to read this book. However people younger or older can as easily enjoy it as much as anyone else.

An Unvarnished Look at the Human Soul, 28 May 2004
For such a simple story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn often proves to be elusive for its readers. Here are some guideposts to look out for:

This story is told by Huck, and is not in the classic shape of a novel. Rather it is a precursor to Ulysses and Remembrance of Things Past, where other great writers attempted to capture the essence of our internal dialogue.

Huck is also hiding a lot from himself. You as the reader can quickly see through him though. He is trying to put a brave and positive face on a very dangerous situation. We all do that.

Huck also has to face himself before the book ends. What really is important? We can all spout a lot of moral talk, but what we do is critical.

If we lived in Huck's times, we would also see that there was an emormous moral dilemma. The rules of humanity were often not applied to black people. You could choose to go along and feel like a hypocrite (if you thought about what you were doing), or you could do the right thing. Sensitive people of that day often found it hard to do the right thing. If your neighbors were open-minded and you lived in the North, you might do one thing. If your neighbors were slaveholderes and lived in the South, you might do another.

Also, think about the trip down the river as an analogy for going through life. How will it turn out if you just let your direction go with the current?

This is an amazing book, brilliant, really heart capturing!, 10 Nov 2001
This is one of the very best books. Huck Finn goes through so many trials and tribulations down the Mississippi River with his black slave friend Jim, lying and stealing and running into strange people. It is the best book I have ever read!

Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 17 Jul 2001
Mark Twain's classic, "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn" is a truely amazing read that appeals to the reader on all levels. It's language, difficult to grasp adds to the make-up and the bulk of this amazing read. Twain's writing draws the reader into living the adventures with Huck and Jim as the journey down the river. The reality of the characters and additional humor adds to the acessibility of the novel to the reader and adds to it's appeal.

Brilliant!!!, 14 Mar 2001
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's pure story telling, and really funny. The characters are so alive that when you finish reading it you start to miss them. When Huck says he's "striking out for the territories" you wish you were going with him! If you like Vonnegutt then buy this book, its got the same mix of the funny and the profound. Come to think of it, if you like STORIES buy this book because it really is one of the best ones ever written.

This book is my all time favorite book, it is so funny!, 10 Jun 1998
This book was one of the funniest I have ever read! Mark Twain makes it hilarious, exciting, and enjoyable all through the book! Huck is such a fun charatar to read about. His adventures will make you laugh and in the end you will be attached to his unique character. You can't miss reading this classic piece of literature!

An Unvarnished Look at the Human Soul, 28 May 2004
For such a simple story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn often proves to be elusive for its readers. Here are some guideposts to look out for:

This story is told by Huck, and is not in the classic shape of a novel. Rather it is a precursor to Ulysses and Remembrance of Things Past, where other great writers attempted to capture the essence of our internal dialogue.

Huck is also hiding a lot from himself. You as the reader can quickly see through him though. He is trying to put a brave and positive face on a very dangerous situation. We all do that.

Huck also has to face himself before the book ends. What really is important? We can all spout a lot of moral talk, but what we do is critical.

If we lived in Huck's times, we would also see that there was an emormous moral dilemma. The rules of humanity were often not applied to black people. You could choose to go along and feel like a hypocrite (if you thought about what you were doing), or you could do the right thing. Sensitive people of that day often found it hard to do the right thing. If your neighbors were open-minded and you lived in the North, you might do one thing. If your neighbors were slaveholderes and lived in the South, you might do another.

Also, think about the trip down the river as an analogy for going through life. How will it turn out if you just let your direction go with the current?

This is an amazing book, brilliant, really heart capturing!, 10 Nov 2001
This is one of the very best books. Huck Finn goes through so many trials and tribulations down the Mississippi River with his black slave friend Jim, lying and stealing and running into strange people. It is the best book I have ever read!

Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 17 Jul 2001
Mark Twain's classic, "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn" is a truely amazing read that appeals to the reader on all levels. It's language, difficult to grasp adds to the make-up and the bulk of this amazing read. Twain's writing draws the reader into living the adventures with Huck and Jim as the journey down the river. The reality of the characters and additional humor adds to the acessibility of the novel to the reader and adds to it's appeal.

Brilliant!!!, 14 Mar 2001
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's pure story telling, and really funny. The characters are so alive that when you finish reading it you start to miss them. When Huck says he's "striking out for the territories" you wish you were going with him! If you like Vonnegutt then buy this book, its got the same mix of the funny and the profound. Come to think of it, if you like STORIES buy this book because it really is one of the best ones ever written.

This book is my all time favorite book, it is so funny!, 10 Jun 1998
This book was one of the funniest I have ever read! Mark Twain makes it hilarious, exciting, and enjoyable all through the book! Huck is such a fun charatar to read about. His adventures will make you laugh and in the end you will be attached to his unique character. You can't miss reading this classic piece of literature!

A classic to pick up again, 31 Jul 2008
Although Twain intended the novel mainly for young readers, it has to be admitted that his literary style and references to contemporary life will make it hard going for today's child reader.
Thousands of adults will enjoy coming back to the work, however, epecially if they have not read it since they were children themselves. What comes over most vividly is a boy's zest for life and adventure, and the freedom that boys apparently enjoyed in that era, and as another reader has pointed out, the degree of superstition among young and old. In this respect, however, one has only to read the earlier novels of Thomas Hardy to appreciate that superstition was equally rampant in England at the same time.
It is not only Twain's ability to create boyish adventure that continues to charm us; it is also his ability to smile at the nature of boys, and to make his readers smile too.

A classic, 05 Jan 2008
For some reason I decided to re-read this over Christmas (I hadn't read it since I was at school) and I'm so glad I did because it was much more fun and far more interesting and perceptive than I remembered.

It draws a picture of a time and place I know little about but seemed utterly convincing and I was really struck by the amount of superstition the characters in the book displayed - adults as well as children. Parts of it reminded me of my own childhood (in Essex - a long way from the Mississippi!), parts of it were very touching and parts of it were laugh out loud funny.

It's a gentle read, and the writing is both stylish and wry. I'm going to re-read Huck Finn as soon as I get time!

I thought this book was ok, 22 Apr 1999
This book was one where u had to understand the time period it was written in and also the authors writing.

Trash in glad rags, 22 Jun 2008
I do not understand the status of this novel. Firstly, it's racist, but we know that already. What really gets me is the weird language that one is expected to 'learn' in order to get the story. And lets be honest, it is a story for children with little subtle comment and no depth of character...everyone is 'Twain'! Do not waste your money....buy a Graham Greene novel instead.

An American classic that must be read by all (and never banned), 05 May 2007
If there's any book out there that needs no introduction (or review, to be honest), it's Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yet here I am reviewing it, anyway. I must admit (not without a fair share of embarrassment) that I just now got around to reading this American classic for the first time. I never had to read it in school, and to some degree I felt pretty familiar with the novel even without having read it - that's just how popular and important Huckleberry Finn is to the social fabric of America.

Nowadays, with all the politically correct liberals having escaped their Berkeley zoo and run amuck all over the nation, many of our young people are told not to read this novel. In fact, legions of voices cry out for poor little Huck Finn, that beloved rascal of literature, to be banned from schools and libraries - for the crime of using the n-word, a word commonly used by both blacks and whites up and down the Mississippi during Huck's time (not to mention numerous hip-hop artists of today). Turning a blind eye to the fact that Twain made the slave Jim a noble, human, easy-going fellow with his heart always in the right place (unlike Huck's other companions), the literary fascists contend that this novel is poison to the minds of youngsters. One can only imagine the reaction Mark Twain would have to the hysteria his book incites in liberals today (although he would certainly not be surprised, as he had to fight censorship of this book from the date of its publication).

One of the great ironies of the "Ban Huck Finn" brouhaha is the fact that young people will surely find this novel much more entertaining than the vast majority of other literary classics they are asked to read. This is a very funny book, especially once "the duke and the dauphin" arrive on the scene and, later, when Tom Sawyer meticulously plans out Jim's rescue from captivity (no thanks to the captors, who didn't even try to make it as difficult as Tom says it should be). Young readers will also relate to and understand this book, a fact which should give rise to spirited discussion of it in class. Don't we want our kids to be excited about books and reading?

The more outrageous the hissy fits thrown by liberal critics over the "dangers" of Huck Finn, the more important it is for everyone, young and old alike, to go out and read Twain's novel. Whenever someone tells you not to read something, it's important that you go out there and read it - and discover whatever it is the book banning loonies don't want you to know. Prove to them that you are intelligent enough to know the difference between the social values of the past and present, fiction and reality, right and wrong, etc. Think for yourself. Read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The classic American text?, 13 Feb 2007
Some will argue it is the first and still the best American novel. I don't wish to dwell on this debate, only to review the novel from my personal view.

Huckleberry Finn as a character is an immensely human and lovable rogue. He is a far more complex character than Tom Sawyer, and the reader can relate much better to him throughout. His adventures with his black companion Jim are life-changing experiences, and the fact that he goes through them in childhood makes them ever so more poignant.

As a novel it is an enjoyable read, and a journey into a rich and varied landscape dotted with very real and unique characters. The plot is far deeper than a glance will tell, and Hucks relationship with his adult role models is just a start for delving deeper into the philosophy of this book.

Whichever level you read Huckleberry Finn at, it is enjoyable, funny and heart warming from beginning to end. The richness of the novel will consume even the most unimaginative reader, and if you can set aside the differences in social life of the 1860s, you will find a marvellous read. It should be read by all.

Illustrative of the world, 27 Feb 2006
Huckleberry Finn is illustrative of the world, not only in the cosmopolitan characters entering and leaving the story, but also in the way people react to it. One reaction is that it is a racist novel, mentioning the word nigger 121 times. The people who interpret the novel in this way seem only glance at the surface and delve no deeper. They probably do this in all other aspects of their life. The second type of person will look deeper, as though delving into the depths of the Mississippi River setting. They will see past the racism of Huckleberry Finn himself as Huck comments on the definite signs of humanity and equality in Jim. They will see the underlying message, of how he is the product of a terrible system and look into the other messages encountered in the journey of the book. To this type of person no other novel can be so fascinating, yet remain humorous all the while.

A masterpiece of American literature, 05 Dec 2005
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is not only Twain's best work, but is considered by some, one of the greatest novels ever written. Episodic in form (as Twain warns, "persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot"), Huckleberry Finn is clearly, along with Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, one of the three most ambitious and artistically successful novels of America's 19th century.

But what is it about Huckleberry Finn that makes it stand out? Most young people reading it will declare that t