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| Letters From The Earth | 
 enlarge | Author: Mark Twain
Publisher: NuVision Publications
Category: Book
List Price: $9.99
Buy New: $5.32
You Save: $4.67 (47%)
New (16) Used (4) from $5.32
Avg. Customer Rating:  42 reviews
Sales Rank: 61399
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 68
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 9 x 5.9 x 0.3
ISBN: 1595477349
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9781595477347
ASIN: 1595477349
Publication Date: March 18, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
If you're already familiar with Finn and Sawyer, perhaps this collection of fragments, short stories, and essays--assembled posthumously some few decades ago now, but still fresh--will enhance your sense of Twain's true range. A particular favorite: his essay "The Damned Human Race," wherein he proves, rather convincingly, that an anaconda snake is a higher form of life than an English Earl.
Product Description
This is a strange place, and extraordinary place, and interesting. There is nothing resembling it at home. The people are all insane, the other animals are all insane, the earth is insane, Nature itself is insane. Man is a marvelous curiosity. When he is at his very very best he is a sort of low grade nickel-plated angel; at is worst he is unspeakable, unimaginable; and first and last and all the time he is a sarcasm. Yet he blandly and in all sincerity calls himself the "noblest work of God." This is the truth I am telling you. And this is not a new idea with him, he has talked it through all the ages, and believed it. Believed it, and found nobody among all his race to laugh at it. Moreover -- if I may put another strain upon you -- he thinks he is the Creator's pet. He believes the Creator is proud of him; he even believes the Creator loves him; has a passion for him; sits up nights to admire him; yes, and watch over him and keep him out of trouble. He prays to Him, and thinks He listens. Isn't it a quaint idea? Fills his prayers with crude and bald and florid flatteries of Him, and thinks He sits and purrs over these extravagancies and enjoys them. He prays for help, and favor, and protection, every day; and does it with hopefulness and confidence, too, although no prayer of his has ever been answered. The daily affront, the daily defeat, do not discourage him, he goes on praying just the same. There is something almost fine about this perseverance. I must put one more strain upon you: he thinks he is going to heaven! He has salaried teachers who tell him that. They also tell him there is a hell, of everlasting fire, and that he will go to it if he doesn't keep the Commandments. What are Commandments? They are a curiosity. I will tell you about them by and by.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 37 more reviews...
 Pleasantly un-Twain-like October 26, 2008
Bought this upon the recomendation of Robin Williams in Rolling Stone, and was not disappointed. It's been a while since I read Finn and Sawyer, etc., but this was a wonderful, adult eye-opener of wit and narrative style. Twain truly was a brilliant man, and his every day genious comes through here in commentary on American life and religion as pointed as any of the current/respected commentators. Reminded me a bit of C.S. Lewis. Excellent and enjoyable read.
 Not the whole book. October 9, 2008
I was disappointed when I received the book. Bernard Devos edited a collection of MT's late writings entitled _Letters from the Earth_, and that's what I expected. What I received was just those essays comprising "Letters from the Earth" that comprised a small part of the book. It did not include "Etiquette at a Funeral", "The Awful German Language", "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses", "On Repentance", and a number of other superb essays and stories.
Twain at its best May 4, 2008
The book was published posthumously, and you immediately understand why by reading the first part, about Satan on holiday on earth, writing letters with his impressions of the place back to his pals in heaven. As with most collections, this one is a bit uneven, with several parts you may want to skip, or that have lost their appeal because of the different time we live in. Nonetheless, many of these pages represent Twain at its most ironic, penetrating, witty self.
 STILL HAVE IT! April 16, 2008
I have a had an old paperback copy of this for 20 years now, so this copy is just a "newer version". I fell in love with MT as a result of this work that I originally read in 1984, and have not taken religion, or anything about it seriously since! It doesn't get any better then this!
Outstanding Book--A Definate Must Read! February 8, 2008
This book has sincerely changed my life in a very positive way. It is an intraspective look into basic beliefs and conceptions (often misconceptions) about religion and discusses the big questions like "If God is all powerful and all good then why does he allow innocent children to contract unspeakable malodies and horrific diseases?". Growing up I always had questions about religion and why beliefs and teachings were held to be true--now I realize that I'm not alone in my thoughts and feelings. This book breaks down the bible and seeks to make the reader think logically about its teachings. Whether you are an ordained minister or simply curious like I was, this book will impact your life forever and improve your critical thinking skills--I promise you will not be disappointed!
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