Mark Twain was an awfully talented writer. I thoroughly enjoyed my third read through of "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." I read a gorgeous Easton Press version of the book that had the original illustrations throughout it. The book was heavily illustrated. I don't even know how many illustrations there were throughout it but there were quite a few. It also came in a case to protect it and to add some panache to it.
I love the tone of this book. It's so familiar and down-to-earth. I have only read "Adventures of Tom Sawyer" once and I really need to remedy that as I don't remember it all that well. This one, though, I've read three times as I mentioned. I have liked it a little more each time I have read it.
My son is in the process of reading this book as well - one of the things that gave me impetus to pick it up again. That and the fact that I had recently acquired this rather nice copy of it to accompany my nice copy of "Adventures of Tom Sawyer."
The book has a mini-cycle to it of Huckleberry Finn getting into trouble, often over his head, and lying his mouth off and somehow getting out of trouble, getting back on the raft with Jim, and traveling further upriver. It's episodic in design but does build on itself at times. Hilarious stuff. I found myself filling my wife in on the goings-on just because they struck me as so amusing and fantastic.
Late in the book, Huck reunites with Tom Sawyer himself and the two of them stir up mounds of trouble. Everything comes together nicely, though, and the book stands by itself as well as along its companion book "Adventures of Tom Sawyer" quite well. I found myself craving more and also missing Huck after finishing the book. I've got to keep moving, though, much like Huck did throughout his book.
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