Bedside, Bathtub and Armchair Companion to Mark Twain |
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Author:
| McAllister, Pam |
Series title: | Bedside, Bathtub and Armchair Companions Ser. |
ISBN: | 978-0-8264-1813-5 |
Publication Date: | Jun 2008 |
Publisher: | Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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Book Format: | Paperback |
List Price: | AUD $35.00 |
Book Description:
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This entertaining survey of Twainiana is a tribute to the world's first global celebrity and most quotable American. Chock full of illustrations, the lively text follows Sam Clemens from his early days as a "printer's devil" to his Mark Twain days as a "devil's advocate." Provided here are summaries of Twain's works, long and short; a filmography; a crossword puzzle based on Twain's colorful quips; a map of Huck and Jim's trip down the Mississippi River; and short...
More Description This entertaining survey of Twainiana is a tribute to the world's first global celebrity and most quotable American. Chock full of illustrations, the lively text follows Sam Clemens from his early days as a "printer's devil" to his Mark Twain days as a "devil's advocate." Provided here are summaries of Twain's works, long and short; a filmography; a crossword puzzle based on Twain's colorful quips; a map of Huck and Jim's trip down the Mississippi River; and short takes on long controversies. Pam McAllister (who has co-authored books in the Companion series on Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, and Sherlock Holmes), answers such questions as:
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? Why did Twain stop going to school when he was only twelve?
? What national catastrophe ended his stint as a riverboat pilot?
? What public humiliation inspired him to move his family to Europe for ten years?
? What book did he think was his best? (Hint: the main character is a girl!)
? Where is there a toilet seat with the sign mark twain sat here?
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YOU KNOW that Mark Twain's real name was Sam Clemens,
¿¿¿¿ BUT DID YOU KNOW that he...
~ is believed to be the first author to submit a typewritten manuscript?
~ had red hair, a funny talk, and an odd (Chaplainesque) waddle-walk?
~ started smoking at age 7 and often smoked 40 cigars a day?
~ was born (two months premature) under Halley's comet and died at the comet's next return?
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YOU KNOW all about Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn,
¿BUT DID YOU KNOW that Twain ....
~ died in 1910, but had a newly-published bestseller in 1962?
~ wrote science fiction stories, (including several gender-benders) as well as an antiwar book, several animal-rights stories, and a number of anti-imperialist rants?
~ once sardonically suggested that the U.S. change its flag from the stars and stripes to the skull and crossbones?
~ wrote about television and long-distance telephoning before these were invented?
~ was initially best known for his travel books?