| Author |
Twain, Mark, 1835-1910 |
| Title |
Life on the Mississippi, Part 8.
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 66.7 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
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| Credits |
Produced by David Widger
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| Summary |
"Life on the Mississippi, Part 8" by Mark Twain is a historical account written during the late 19th century. This segment of Twain's work provides insight into the lives and experiences along the Mississippi River, particularly focusing on the culture, people, and various events that unfolded during this period. The narrative captures a sense of time and place, illustrating the social dynamics and economic activities in this pivotal region of America. In this part, Twain shares a story about a young land-surveyor, who reminisces about his journey to California, where he meets a cattle-raiser named John Backus on a steamboat. Their conversations reveal Backus's enthusiasm for cattle and his naive attempts to engage in dishonest dealings with professional gamblers. The plot unfolds as Backus, despite some initial wisdom in avoiding gambles, is ultimately seduced into a dangerous betting game. Twain effectively captures the essence of human folly and greed, culminating in a twist that reveals the true character of the seemingly simple farmer. This segment not only illustrates Twain's witty storytelling style but also comments on the broader themes of deception and the lure of wealth during this transformative era. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
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| Subject |
Mississippi River -- Description and travel
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| Subject |
Mississippi River Valley -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
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| Subject |
Authors, American -- 19th century -- Biography
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| Subject |
Pilots and pilotage -- Mississippi River
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| Subject |
Twain, Mark, 1835-1910 -- Travel -- Mississippi River
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
8478 |
| Release Date |
Jul 10, 2004 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Dec 26, 2020 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
77 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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