The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood

Front Cover
University of Georgia Press, 1995 - Literary Criticism - 384 pages
In this brilliant and hilarious compilation of essays, letters, diaries, and excerpts - some never before published - Mark Twain takes on Heaven and Hell, sinners and saints and showcases his own unique approach to the Holy Scriptures including Adam and Eve's divergent accounts of their domestic troubles, Satan's take on our concept of the afterlife, Methuselah's discussion of an ancient version of baseball, and advice on how to dress and tip properly in heaven. Behind the humor of these pieces, readers will see Twain's serious thoughts on the relationship between God and man, biblical inconsistencies, Darwinism, science, and the impact of technology on religious beliefs. The Bible According to Mark Twain is vintage Twain and is sure to surprise, delight, and perhaps shock modern readers.
 

Selected pages

Contents

Eves Diary
17
Autobiography of Eve and Diaries Antedating the Flood
35
Documents Related to Diaries Antedating the Flood
85
Two Additional PreDeluge Diarists
91
Adams Expulsion III
111
Adams Soliloquy
117
Captain Stormfields Visit to Heaven
129
Captain Simon Wheelers Dream Visit to Heaven
189
Letters from the Earth
213
Original Continuation of Autobiography of Eve
263
Planning Notes for Autobiography of Eve
275
Planning Notes for Methuselahs Diary
287
Passages from Stormfield Preserved in
299
Discussion of the Fall from Schoolhouse Hill
306
God of the Bible vs God of the Present Day 1870s
313
Notes
333

The Reception of Rev Sam Jones in Heaven
195
Mental Telegraphy?
203
Works Cited
381
Copyright

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The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
Mark Twain
No preview available - 1995

Common terms and phrases

Abel Absalom Jones Adam Adam and Eve Adam's Diary ain't Albert Bigelow Paine angels animals Antedating the Flood Autobiography of Eve beginning Bernard DeVoto Bible biblical Cain called Captain Stormfield's Visit century chapter child Clemens comet copy-text creature death Diaries Antedating dream earth Eve's Diary eyes father Genesis happened Harper's Harper's Monthly head heart human hundred idea invented kind later Letters light-years look Lord manuscript Mark Twain Mark Twain Papers Mental Telegraphy Methuselah's Midianite miles million mind Moral never night Noah Noah's Ark book original Paine passage person poor pretty published pulpit race Sam Jones Sandy Satan satire says Schoolhouse Hill sleep Stormfield story talk Telegraphy tell thing thou thought thousand told Tramp Abroad turned Visit to Heaven Wakeman wanted word Zuar

About the author (1995)

Howard G. Baetzhold is Rebecca Clifton Reade Professor of English Emeritus at Butler University in Indianapolis and John S. Tuckey Memorial Research Fellow at Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies at Quarry Farm. An advisory board member and contributor to the Mark Twain Encyclopedia, he is currently an editor of Tales and Sketches of the Middle Years and Tales and Sketches of the Later Years for the Mark Twain Project. Joseph B. McCullough is Professor of English at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In addition to a number of articles on Mark Twain, he is the author of Hamlin Garland, and editor of Hamlin Garland's Tales of the Middle Border and Hamlin Garland's Son of the Middle Border.

Bibliographic information

TitleThe Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood
Political Thought; 3
AuthorMark Twain
EditorsHoward G. Baetzhold, Joseph B. McCullough
PublisherUniversity of Georgia Press, 1995
ISBN0820316504, 9780820316505
Length384 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Literary Criticism / American / General
Literary Criticism / Semiotics & Theory
  
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