Great writer's 1897 account of circumnavigating the globe by steamship. Brimming with ironic, tongue-in-cheek humor, the book describes shark fishi...
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Jul 08, 2007
Frederick
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If anybody tells you Mark Twain wasn't a liberal, find this book, put it in your posession and read every other chapter outloud to that person. Written rather late in his life (1891 or so), this is Twain's nonfiction account of a trip on a passenger ship around the equator. He writes a chapter describing a comic incident aboard ship and then the next chapter is a sober indictment of man's inhumanity to man. The chapters on Australia are most telling. He sees the Australia's treatment of Aborigin
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Sep 28, 2010
Tony
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Twain, Mark. FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR. (1897). *****. Here’s the Twain I know and love. Maybe because he is truly seeing some things for the first time, he is capable of being more inventive. His voyage this time follows the path of various British colonies or possessions including Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. Of course there are other stops along the way. Twain was not a patient traveler. Delays were aimed at him personally, as were bad meals and accomodations. All of
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May 22, 2010
John
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I feel sorry for folks whose exposure to Mark Twain is limited to Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Although those are good books, I really love his travel writing. Following the Equator is not a book you would want to read to find out the best route to take, the best places to eat and sleep or what to see. But, it is a book to read if you enjoy sardonic humor, with Twain's wry comments about what he sees. One surprising thing to me, given Twain's causal use of racial slurs is his outrage at
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Jan 26, 2011
Jed
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Twain is a delightful companion. This rambling remembrance of his round-the-world lecture tour with his wife & daughter charms & engrosses with the same warm, empathetic, critical, chuckling mind that informs his fiction.
There is only one trait that is hard to take. Twain was an unmitigated apologist for Western imperialism. He displays not the slightest understanding of why the "natives" might fail to appreciate the gifts of order & "civilization" bestow More...
There is only one trait that is hard to take. Twain was an unmitigated apologist for Western imperialism. He displays not the slightest understanding of why the "natives" might fail to appreciate the gifts of order & "civilization" bestow More...
Feb 22, 2008
Dad
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The guy was a genius- read it. And what a sense of humor!
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Aug 09, 2007
Ann
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I can hardly imagine anything better than traveling the globe with Mark Twain. His wit and keen powers of observation were abundantly apparent. Sadly, so was his prejudice; although, one must remember that this was written in an entirely different time, and that, thankfully most people have become more evolved and educated since then. One also has to remember that, as Twain reminds us himself in the book, he was brought up during slavery, to accept slavery and denigration of those of different e
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Oct 11, 2010
Maria
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As usual, a highly entertaining account of Twain travels. This time he travels through the Pacific - Australia, New Zealand, India, Africa mainly - with stops at various islands and smaller countries. The chapters on India were disturbing, detailing murder and suicide in the late 19th century there. My India history is somewhat vague. I had a general idea but the specifics were hard to take. Also hard to take were all of the chapters dealing with the white man's subjugation of black natives
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Feb 04, 2010
Tuck
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while i love(ed) mark twain for many years. and "innocents abroad" or "roughing it" are a classics, this "following the equator" is a dud for the most part. he was giving "lectures" (stand-up) around the whole earth in 1897-88, and this vol. 2 covers Ceylon, India, Mauritius, and south Africa. i think he was just too busy and too wasted from work to write a good book. some little sparks of brilliance, but not much. fast read though.
Apr 24, 2008
Niem
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the quote at the beginning of the book is "Be good, and you will be lonesome". not your typical Twain but if you like him, his humor and his political commentary you will love this book. it was unpublished for 100 years or so and is a play by play of his round the world lecture tour of 1895-1896. likely organized to take his mind off a number of personal tragedies (including the death of his 24 year old daughter) he paints a great picture of steamship life and the lost arts of storytel
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Jan 04, 2011
Amanda
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For my first book on my brand new nook color, I thought I would start with one of the books that I have always wanted to read, but could never find a copy. Reading it would be a new experience.
I enjoyed this book. I have always enjoyed Twain's nonfiction-- or whatever you want to call it-- immensely. This one stood up to the earlier ones that I've read until about three-quarters the way through where it moves into an essay about South African politics much like his essay on the Congo More...
I enjoyed this book. I have always enjoyed Twain's nonfiction-- or whatever you want to call it-- immensely. This one stood up to the earlier ones that I've read until about three-quarters the way through where it moves into an essay about South African politics much like his essay on the Congo More...
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May 18, 2011
Clint
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Somewhat uneven. Not as good as Innocents Abroad or Roughing It, but first class in stretches. Overall, pretty good.
I did not care for the first section aboard ship.
Some of my favorite parts were the historical digressions, especially the Indian revolt.
I did not care for the first section aboard ship.
Some of my favorite parts were the historical digressions, especially the Indian revolt.
Nov 07, 2009
David
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Lonely Planet has nothing on Mark Twain! Twain sets sail from Victoria, BC and stops by Hawai'i en route to Australia and New Zealand. I wish I had read this before going to Tasmania last summer. It's funny and wickedly subversive and still quite informative.
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Feb 02, 2011
L'occhio di un grande scrittore su alcuni luoghi del mondo che erano e rimangono esotici e lontani dall'australia all'india un viaggio in giro per l mondo raccontato dalla penna sempre incisiva e sferzante di twain.
Mar 29, 2010
Al
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This book is a gift from the mature Twain on his sail around the world, past Hawaii, to Fiji, Australia, India and beyond. It's worth reading just for Puddn'head Wilson's epigraphs beginning each chapter.
Aug 04, 2011
Colleen
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Twain's account of a lecture tour that took him pretty much everywhere is a fascinating glimpse of the world of yesteryear through surprisingly unjaded eyes.
Jan 25, 2009
Paul
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One of America's finest interpreters of life, with an all too rare understanding of how pain and humor are faces on the same coin.
Feb 09, 2012
Miriam
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The first Twain non-fiction I read. I enjoyed it, but thought it would be funnier.
Aug 15, 2011
Emily
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I liked it. Want to read part 2 now. I thought it was interesting to read about boat travel at the turn of the century
Jun 16, 2011
Rachel
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After reading The Innocents Abroad, I really wanted to read more of Twain's travels. Unfortunately, this book was less about travel than Twain piecing together random anecdotes and recopying texts that had to do with the places he traveled to. He went to so many amazing places, but there just wasn't as much detail as the Innocents Abroad. I think my favorite part were the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, many of which were totally brilliant. Anyway, a very slow read with only a few very
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Nov 30, 2008
Jesse
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While this is an interesting look at life in Australia and New Zealand in the late 1800’s I just couldn’t get into it. Perhaps it was far more relevant for readers in its day.
Apr 06, 2010
Johanna
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What a treat to travel to exotic places with Mark Twain. His wit is very much in evidence in this more obscure cousin to "The Innocents Abroad" and "Roughing It" and at one point he had me laughing out loud for at least 10 minutes. It is wondrous indeed to see the faraway corners of the world (Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa) at that point in time through his eyes.
Mar 16, 2011
Molly
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I've been reading this for a long time-off and on. At first I didn't get into it, but now that I've read a lot of Mark Twain's works I understand this book better and am starting to devour it.
Feb 17, 2011
David
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this mixed a lot of tedium in with the gems of wit and wisdom. In recommending it, I'd say for the biggest of Twain fans. But read Innocents Abroad, A Tramp Abroad, Roughing It before you read this one.
Aug 10, 2008
E.d.
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I learned that Mark Twain was ahead of his time in regards to some of his ideas about race and culture. He had an appreciative attitude towards the religions of others.
May 04, 2010
Janeen
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Very interesting book...Mark Twain is so funny. I find it a slow read and pick it up between other books I'm reading. I'm about half way through.
Aug 15, 2011
Glad Sam got to take this trip with his wife and daughters. Probably one of the last bright times in his life, and it shows in his writing.
Nov 18, 2008
Andrea
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Of Twain's book length works, this is the most obviously anti-imperialist, but it is also funny. Enlightening and entertaining.
Jun 11, 2008
Sam
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Interesting and recommended. Many anecdotal sketches. This one failed to captivate me as much as others, but was enjoyable.
