Back to one of my favorite topics: "Mark Twain, Not-So-Innocent Abroad", to mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Innocents Abroad
I wrote about why it mattered then, how (not) to read it today, & what it might tell us about Twain himself.
textualcultures.blogspot.com/2019/11/mark-t…
I wrote about why it mattered then, how (not) to read it today, & what it might tell us about Twain himself.
textualcultures.blogspot.com/2019/11/mark-t…
Thanks to @JonaLendering for making me think my original thread was worth expanding on:
(And thanks to @DimitriNakassis for the Arthur Evans reference.)
(And thanks to @DimitriNakassis for the Arthur Evans reference.)
A couple of years ago, I wrote about how The Innocents Abroad presents Palestine, to mark the 150th anniversary of Twain's actual trip
hyperallergic.com/400528/how-a-m…
hyperallergic.com/400528/how-a-m…
And I also followed Twain around Palestine day-by-day in this thread:
In my new essay, I looked at the broader impact of the book and some other aspects of Twain's trip.
I framed it around the portrait of Twain taken by Abdullah Frères
I framed it around the portrait of Twain taken by Abdullah Frères
I highlighted some of the absurd passages that have ended up being taken seriously.
The book managed to start a rumor that Egyptian train engines burned not on coal but on mummies:
The book managed to start a rumor that Egyptian train engines burned not on coal but on mummies:
Or, how at the end of the book Twain recommends travel as "fatal to prejudice" . . . after 600 or so pages of viciously mocking the people and places around the Mediterranean, his fellow travelers, and even himself.
And yet this quote is repeatedly read unironically for those emphasizing the importance of travel!
openculture.com/2017/12/mark-t…
goodreads.com/quotes/1716-tr…
psypost.org/2013/12/new-st…
openculture.com/2017/12/mark-t…
goodreads.com/quotes/1716-tr…
psypost.org/2013/12/new-st…
