A review by coltonmray
Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

3.0

This was exactly what it says in the title - a rambling, funny, interesting look at life on the Mississippi River during the mid to late 1800s, taking time to throw in local legends, history, statistics, quotations, etc. It's a hefty book and quite dense at times, but Twain's folksy, fun writing style salvages what could have been pretty dry information. It's clear from the beginning, where he chronicles his teenage years spent learning the ropes on a steamboat, that he has a deep affection for the material and the area, and that comes through in the writing. Huck Finn even makes a short appearance in one chapter! While I did start skimming through after a while, I enjoyed the book overall. As a picture of a time and place that are gone and never coming back, this book is invaluable.