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The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories
By Mark Twain
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
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About this ebook
The author of outstanding travel books, autobiographical works and novels, including the classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835–1910) is regarded by many as America's finest humorist and a major writer of short stories.
The four selections in this volume span his entire writing career and are among his best-known stories. They include: "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," one of Twain's most amusing pieces of folk humor, first published in 1865; "The £1,000,000 Bank Note," a lighthearted exploration of the power of money; "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg," a masterfully written short story about greed; and his last work, "The Mysterious Stranger," a novelette published posthumously in 1916, presenting Twain's rather grim views of God, man, and the universe.
The four selections in this volume span his entire writing career and are among his best-known stories. They include: "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," one of Twain's most amusing pieces of folk humor, first published in 1865; "The £1,000,000 Bank Note," a lighthearted exploration of the power of money; "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg," a masterfully written short story about greed; and his last work, "The Mysterious Stranger," a novelette published posthumously in 1916, presenting Twain's rather grim views of God, man, and the universe.
Author
Mark Twain
Mark Twain, who was born Samuel L. Clemens in Missouri in 1835, wrote some of the most enduring works of literature in the English language, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc was his last completed book—and, by his own estimate, his best. Its acquisition by Harper & Brothers allowed Twain to stave off bankruptcy. He died in 1910.
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Reviews for The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
3 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The four stories in this collection span Twain's career. The first two are light-hearted, but 'The Man that conquered Hadleyburg' and 'The Mysterious Stranger' are both bitter in their playing out of the plot. The latter was particularly dark (which is appropriate, since it was set in the Dark Ages!). I found myself, as a Christian, thinking that this story was an embodiment of what Satan really does - he tells half truths and deludes one into thinking that it is the whole truth.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Linda (Whisper1) sent me this book because I had never heard of Twain’s novella, The Mysterious Stranger. Of the four stories in the book I had previously read only the first story, The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, a short and humorous folk tale published in 1865. According to the blurb on the back, the stories in this volume were chosen to span Twain’s entire writing career. The second story, The 1,000,000 Pound Bank-Note, is a light-hearted tale about a destitute young man who is given a bank note he can’t cash so how will he be able to survive? I loved The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, a masterful story about greed and hypocrisy. The final story, The Mysterious Stranger, was published posthumously in 1916 and reveals how disillusioned Twain had ultimately become with humanity and the universe. It’s a strange but fascinating dark fantasy set in the Middle Ages with a character who is omniscient and a surprising twist at the end. Although I cannot buy Twain’s ending this story gives the reader a lot to ponder. Highly recommended
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I enjoyed all of the stories except the title story. The first time I've run across something by Mark Twain that I just didn't like at all.
Book preview
The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories - Mark Twain
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