On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

Comments on this board should be written with the assumption that not all readers have finished the book. Please avoid revealing any spoilers.

Good afternoon all. I chose Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson as my Moderator's selection thanks to the light hearted persistence of our Trail walker Jane in nominating it more than once, and all those who voted for it. The setting is a fictional Missouri town along the Mississippi River. The time is 1830. Twain leaps forward 20 years to 1850 to continue the story. As you read note the novel's themes: slavery, what constitutes race, ethics and morality, and more in Twain's inimitable style. Please join me in reading Pudd'n Head Wilson.

I'm getting a library copy. I've never read this one. Not a bad idea to start the year off with Twain.

Can t wait !;) in my opinion a much overlooked work of Twain

Many thanks to the moderator !

Wow Twain disappeared will try to correct :)

Damn! It's not in my copy of The Unabridged Mark Twain. In looking through what the library offers I'm confused. Is there a difference between Pudd'nhead Wilson and The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson?

I think they're the same book, Tom. Seems to depend on publication date of the edition.

The story was serialized in The Century Magazine before being published as a book. My guess is the serialization had The Tragedy as a title, being more melodramatic. Then the novel had the simpler title.

Diane wrote: "The story was serialized in The Century Magazine before being published as a book. My guess is the serialization had The Tragedy as a title, being more melodramatic. Then the novel had the simpler ..."

Could be. Even Wikipedia was pretty vague on the subject. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pudd%27...

I downloaded the Dover Thrift Edition from Amazon to my Kindle today for $0.59 so that I can highlight text, but several different editions are also available for free on Hoopla. I’m looking forward to this one - it has been many, many years since I’ve read Mr. Twain.

Wyndy wrote: "I downloaded the Dover Thrift Edition from Amazon to my Kindle today for $0.59 so that I can highlight text, but several different editions are also available for free on Hoopla. I’m looking forwar..."

I ended up getting that edition myself.

Jane wrote: "Can t wait !;) in my opinion a much overlooked work of Twain

Many thanks to the moderator !"

You're most welcome! I agree poor Pudd'n Head is often overlooked. Filled with irony, this novel is quite dark. Quite the study of nature versus nurture.

Jane wrote: "Can t wait !;) in my opinion a much overlooked work of Twain

Many thanks to the moderator !"

You're most welcome! I'll be interested to follow the discussion on this one. Pudd'n Head is often overlooked, perhaps because it is quite darker than readers expect. Twain was a master of irony and it is most evident here.

One of the few Twain's I have not ever read. Looking forward to it.

Hi all! I’m new to the group and am excited to join. I have an unabridged copy with The Tragedy of Puddn’head Wilson and Those Extraordinary Twins.

Sara wrote: "One of the few Twain's I have not ever read. Looking forward to it."

I very much enjoyed Pudd'n Head Wilson. My first read since college. I hope will enjoy it as I did.

Lori wrote: "Hi all! I’m new to the group and am excited to join. I have an unabridged copy with The Tragedy of Puddn’head Wilson and Those Extraordinary Twins."

Welcome to "The Trail," Lori. Great to see you ready to join the read of Pudd'n Head Wilson. I finished my first read of this since college this past evening.

Diane wrote: "The story was serialized in The Century Magazine before being published as a book. My guess is the serialization had The Tragedy as a title, being more melodramatic. Then the novel had the simpler ..."

Diane wrote: "I think they're the same book, Tom. Seems to depend on publication date of the edition."

Tom wrote: "Damn! It's not in my copy of The Unabridged Mark Twain. In looking through what the library offers I'm confused. Is there a difference between Pudd'nhead Wilson and [boo..."

There is no difference between the two titles. They are the same story. "The Tragedy of Pudd'n Head Wilson was Twain's original title. It was also the title of the first edition.

Twain sold the serialization to the Century Magazine for $6,500.00, a hefty chunk of change for the time. Century published the novel in seven segments from December 1893 to June 1894. Century offered a promotion to customers-a complete copy of Pudd'n Head's calendar.

Twain's books were sold by subscription before they were printed. Agents for the American Publishing Co. went door to door handing out a prospectus about the book. Customers were offered three different editions: Bound in cloth,, $2.50; Bound in leather, $3.25; or, Bound in half levant Morroco, with gold gilt page edges, $5.00.

I first read this at university many moons ago , so have had time to forget a lot of it , it was on an American novel module.

However, what I can remember about it is the whole “reading around it “process that is just as interesting as the actual book .Thank you to lawyer for these facts. I am reading the penguin classics edition because my Norton one is hiding . Kindle is brilliant for the note sharing and again thanks lawyer.

This novel always seems to pose a lot of problems for me . I am not referring to the language because I feel that would be unfair and that it should be read in the context of its time , maybe I am wrong ; it is more to do with the story and plot , anybody else having the same problem ?

In hoping to start in the next day or so, Jane. I'll let you know.

Jane wrote: "This novel always seems to pose a lot of problems for me . I am not referring to the language because I feel that would be unfair and that it should be read in the context of its time , maybe I am ..."

I completely agree, Jane. I do find it an uncomfortable read on several levels. As I had said previously, this is a dark read. It lacks the context of innocence found in Huckleberry Finn's conscience in protecting Jim from the slave catchers. Essentially, to me, Twain expressed his judgment on the moral evil of slavery in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In Pudd'n Head Wilson, Twain drives the plot through the facts of what happened. He offers no comfort of conscience, nor does he intimate any personal opinion on the morality of the principal players. I think this question is best discussed in final impressions to avoid spoilers. 😉

Jane, I do understand where you’re coming from. Do you think the issue is with the lack of transitions that we are used to in modern writing? There were times throughout the plot that I wondered, “how did we get here?”

Lori yes! I agree with you also maybe Twain got carried away with the idea of the twin story when he changed it

Lawyer I think you nailed it when you said that it lacks innocence

I just cracked it today. I love Mark Twain's writing. I read this one a number of years ago. This time I am listening to the audible version. The reader captures the voice of the book perfectly. I am loving it!

I’m going to love reading this one again.

Lori wrote: "Jane, I do understand where you’re coming from. Do you think the issue is with the lack of transitions that we are used to in modern writing? There were times throughout the plot that I wondered, “..."

A very good point, Lori. Criticism of Pudd'n Head Wilson has focused on the same issue. Twain facetiously touched on this in "Those Extraordinary Twins," the inspiration for this novel.

Jane wrote: "Lawyer I think you nailed it when you said that it lacks innocence"

Thank you, Ma'am. *GRIN*

Judi wrote: "I just cracked it today. I love Mark Twain's writing. I read this one a number of years ago. This time I am listening to the audible version. The reader captures the voice of the book perfectly. I ..."

Excellent! Who is the "Reader" in the Audible recording?

Leslie wrote: "I’m going to love reading this one again."

I'm so glad to see you enjoying your re-read. I certainly did. Any change of opinion, thoughts, this time around?

I read this years ago and enjoyed it, but have forgotten some of the details and what not, so I will try to get to it soon and maybe do a reread of it.

I just finished this. I'll let you know my thoughts in the other thread in a bit.

I’m listening to the audible version also. The narrator is Norman Dietz.

I'm in the middle of this book. It was included in the Mississippi reading volume of Twain's writings published by Library of America So I'm glad to be reading it with others. more later ..

For what it’s worth, the travel writer Paul Theroux read this book (among others) on his little train ride from Boston to Patagonia. He liked it very much. I recently read the Theroux book. I know what you’re thinking, “read the book yourself.” Yes, maybe, but I think a thumbs up from Theroux is a good referral.

Just put this back on its shelf and would like to say how much I enjoyed rereading it with you. The input here gave me much to think about even if I did nt post much Pudden head has been a problem book for me for so long but this time time around I just sat back and enjoyed ! Thanks to all