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23rd out of 25 books
—
32 voters
Helpful Hints for Good Living: A Handbook for the Damned Human Race
Irreverent, charming, eminently quotable, this handbook--an eccentric etiquette guide for the human race--contains sixty-nine aphorisms, anecdotes, whimsical suggestions, maxims, and cautionary tales from Mark Twain's private and published writings. It dispenses advice and reflections on family life and public manners; opinions on topics such as dress, health, food, and ch...more
Hardcover, 221 pages
Published
October 18th 2004
by University of California Press
(first published 1962)
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Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer are two of my favorite books. I picked up this book because I was interested in reading something else "Mark Twain" and this book received great reviews.
The book is a collection of letters, short stories and rantings published in various newspapers and literary works. The stories are often humorous and even irreverent anecdotes.
I found the narrators inputs to be somewhat intrusive and annoying. There were also several occasions where the pictures showed a particular s...more
Twain is the only fictional writer I like. This book is not a surprise in its humor, candidness, or poignancy from any of his other books. That is not a trite statement, those qualities, and many, many more are what make Twain the icon he is today.
There are so many good things to be said about this book.
I was very familiar with Mark Twain prior to reading this, honors and AP english classes have been crammed full of his works. However, this book still allowed me to know him even better.
I love the organization of this book into topics of "advice". I especially enjoyed the topic involving children as Twain's hilarious tone really worked well when telling the stories of his children. Through this book I came to know Twain as not only a funny...more
I was very familiar with Mark Twain prior to reading this, honors and AP english classes have been crammed full of his works. However, this book still allowed me to know him even better.
I love the organization of this book into topics of "advice". I especially enjoyed the topic involving children as Twain's hilarious tone really worked well when telling the stories of his children. Through this book I came to know Twain as not only a funny...more
Delightful! A collection of writings, from 30 page essays to 1 pages scribbles transcribed from various scraps of paper, I found this to be a perfect introduction to the Non-Huckleberry works of Mark Twain. Mark Twain has the uncanny ability to make me laugh out loud without my knowing why. He just tickles my funny-bone. The writings range from the subject of child-rearing (I think he raised 3 girls) to high fashion of his time. His analysis of American culture, from the perspective of a seasone...more
Although it has been awhile since I read this book, Mark Twain proves to be not only a master of satire, but also a thoughtful and candid assessor of the political climate of the late 19th, early 20th century. It may seem unimportant to comprehend the conflicts, both physical and ideological, that were transpiring at this time; however the outcome of these conflicts laid the groundwork for the world as we know it today.
Fans of The Daily Show and Jon Stewart might imagine the discourse that coul...more
Fans of The Daily Show and Jon Stewart might imagine the discourse that coul...more
Apr 20, 2009
Traci
is currently reading it
You can criticize follow Americans, but temper those criticisms with humor, even more so in a witty vein, then in a negative grid of arrogance.
Nice collection! I enjoyed this. Lots of little Twainian gems I had not read before.
brilliant. wish he could remark on today's white house...
Love Mark Twain aka Samuel Clemens.
A great resource for any teacher considering an author study of Mark Twain.
Although I have read selections of this book, I would still like to sit down and read in its entirety this collection of Twain's short stories, poems, letters and more. I used some of the pieces in class to display Twain's humor in his writing. I'm sure if I went through the entire book, I could add to my collection of humorous examples from the master.
Although I have read selections of this book, I would still like to sit down and read in its entirety this collection of Twain's short stories, poems, letters and more. I used some of the pieces in class to display Twain's humor in his writing. I'm sure if I went through the entire book, I could add to my collection of humorous examples from the master.
I love Mark Twain, so I liked the book. I think he's funny; I was kind of surprised to learn Justin enjoyed the bits he read too. But, it's one you can't just sit down and read you have to read it a little at a time because it's a collection of short little rantings and anecdotes. I liked it, but it's hard for me to tell if you have to be a fan of his humor to enjoy the book. Probably.
Patrick lent me this book and it is awesome! It's really funny in that turn of the century yankee kind of way...It's basically a compilation of Twain's stuff taken from essays, books, and other stuff. Plus it's got amazing pictures. Um, it really made me want to be friends with Mark Twain. Yeah...
I love Mark Twain's humor. If he was alive today, or if I had lived in his time, I think we could have been good friends. I found myself reading quite a few of the essays/selections out loud to my family, or just anyone who was nearby!
We picked this for book club because we wanted something light-hearted and a quick read. But it was boring. I don't think I'm a short story person! C'mon Mark Twain! I much preferred Huckleberry Finn...
Dare anyone to call Mark Twain a children's author after looking into this one. see Ambrose Bierce
Light and entertaining. Exactly what I was looking for.
Hilarious!
May 16, 2013
Shawna Doering
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Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He is noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), called "the Great American Novel", and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).
Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which would later provide the setting for Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. He apprenticed with a printer. He also work...more
More about Mark Twain...
Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which would later provide the setting for Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. He apprenticed with a printer. He also work...more
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May 17, 2013 07:44am