A brisk audiobook read, read by the amazing John Lithgow, which totally made this a special experience. Lithgow is brilliant, and he makes Twain's prose that much more wonderful. The piece about the Austrian housemaid about gave me an aneurism while I was out on my morning walk. If nothing else, this little collection of unpublished shorts shows Twain's far ranging mind, and its insightful brilliance at calling 'bullshit' on anything and everything. We should all count ourselves lucky that we have never been the target of one of Twain's biographical satires. His scalpel is infinitesimally sharp and he uses it with the skill of a prize knife fighter. Not all the essays here are as solid - some are fragmentary and unfinished, and some are a bit boring, frankly, but they all show a mind like none other found in the history or writing - or complaining. ( )

I'm a big fan of Mark Twain's non-fiction, so I was intrigued by the concept of this book. However, while it contained a few clever pieces, overall, it didn't really seem to hold up to his larger, finished works. If you are a diehard fan who wants to read every scrap of Twain available, enjoy. But if you are a more casual admirer and want to read his best, go for Innocents Abroad or one of his other major works. ( )

Glorious, absolutely glorious. ( )

Not a masterpiece, but definitely interesting. This is a work of non-published short stories and essays that were left behind unpublished at Twain's death. Most of these works reflect Twain's familiar style, but several of them are unfinished. Some are autobiographical, others are purely literary. It is a bit spotty and sporadic, as posthumous collections usually are, since the author has no ability to control or edit his own work to ensure it's what he really meant/wanted. Overall, a quick, enjoyable read, but not on a par with most of what has been published earlier. ( )

While it’s certainly not necessary that one be a Twain expert to enjoy this collection, readers who have some familiarity with Twain and a fondness for his work and his history will get the most out of it. This one-sitting read would be a great gift for lovers of American literature and a nice addition to any serious reader’s library.

Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog. ( )