The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood Hardcover - 1995
by Mark Twain; Howard G. Baetzhold (Editor); Joseph B. McCullough (Editor)
From the rear cover
This volume collects the most important writings by Mark Twain in which he used biblical settings, themes, and figures. Featuring Twain's singular portrayals of God, Adam, Eve, Satan, Methuselah, Shem, St. Peter, and others, the writings stand among Twain's most imaginative expressions of his views on human nature and humankind's relation to the Creator and the universe. Composed over four decades (1871-1910), the writings range from farce to fantasy to satire, each one bearing the mark of Twain's unmistakable wit and insight. Among the many delights in store for readers are Adam and Eve's divergent accounts of their domestic troubles; Methuselah's discussion of an ancient version of baseball, complete with a parody of baseball jargon; Shem's hand-wringing account of how material shortages and labor troubles were hampering the progress of the ark his father, Noah, was building; a description of the disruptive actions of the fire-and-brimstone evangelist Sam Jones upon arriving in heaven; Captain Stormfield's revelations of what heaven is really like; Satan's musings on our puerile concepts of the afterlife; and Twain's advice on how to dress and tip properly in heaven. Twain's humor, however, is never gratuitous. As readers laugh their way through this volume, they will find ample evidence of Twain's concerns about scriptural fallacies and inconsistencies, the Bible's rather flat portrayal of important characters, and our limited notions about the nature and meaning of our own - and God's - existence. Many of the pieces in this collection, even the most light-hearted, might still be considered controversial; of some of the darker pieces, Twain himself acknowledged that they would beheretical in any age. Moreover, these writings are valuable cultural artifacts of a time when, across the Western world, fundamental religious beliefs were being called into question by the precepts of Darwinism and the rapid advances of science and technology. Several of this volume's selections are previously unpublished; others, like Letters from the Earth, are classics. Virtually all have been newly edited to reflect as closely as possible Twain's final intentions for their form and content. For serious Twain devotees, editors Howard G. Baetzhold and Joseph B. McCullough have supplied an abundance of background material on the writings, including details on the history of their composition, publication, and relevance to the Twain canon.
Details
- Title The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
- Author Mark Twain; Howard G. Baetzhold (Editor); Joseph B. McCullough (Editor)
- Binding Hardcover
- Edition First Edition
- Pages 408
- Volumes 1
- Language ENG
- Publisher University of Georgia Press, Bogart, Georgia, U.S.A.
- Date 1995-06-01
- ISBN 9780820316505 / 0820316504
- Weight 1.74 lbs (0.79 kg)
- Dimensions 9.54 x 6.33 x 1.13 in (24.23 x 16.08 x 2.87 cm)
- Library of Congress subjects Religion - Quotations, maxims, etc, Quotations, American
- Library of Congress Catalog Number 93-45002
- Dewey Decimal Code 818.402
Media reviews
Citations
- Booklist, 06/01/1995, Page 1717
- Kirkus Reviews, 05/01/1995, Page 588
More Copies for Sale
The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
by Mark Twain
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Used - very good
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780820316505 / 0820316504
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Item Price
-
NZ$45.96NZ$7.66 shipping to USA
Show Details
The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
by Mark Twain; Editor-Howard G. Baetzhold; Editor-Joseph B. McCullough
- Used
- good
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780820316505 / 0820316504
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
HOUSTON, Texas, United States
- Item Price
-
NZ$62.74FREE shipping to USA
Show Details
The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
by Mark Twain
- Used
- near fine
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780820316505 / 0820316504
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Austin, Minnesota, United States
- Item Price
-
NZ$81.71NZ$8.43 shipping to USA
Show Details
The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
by Mark Twain
- New
- Hardcover
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780820316505 / 0820316504
- Quantity Available
- 507
- Seller
-
Uxbridge, Greater London, United Kingdom
- Item Price
-
NZ$131.45NZ$17.01 shipping to USA
Show Details
The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
by Mark Twain; Howard G. Baetzhold [Editor]; Joseph B. McCullough [Editor];
- New
- Hardcover
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780820316505 / 0820316504
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
San Diego, California, United States
- Item Price
-
NZ$114.90NZ$9.28 shipping to USA
Show Details
The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
by Mark Twain; Howard G. Baetzhold [Editor]; Joseph B. McCullough [Editor];
- New
- Hardcover
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780820316505 / 0820316504
- Quantity Available
- 5
- Seller
-
campbelltown, Florida, United States
- Item Price
-
NZ$117.45NZ$17.02 shipping to USA
Show Details
The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden and the Flood
by Mark Twain
- New
- Hardcover
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780820316505 / 0820316504
- Quantity Available
- 10
- Seller
-
Southport, Merseyside, United Kingdom
- Item Price
-
NZ$148.79NZ$21.19 shipping to USA