Play Book Tag discussion

[Listopia #6]
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
***Audible edition read by Nick Offerman***
3 stars for the stories and 5 stars for Nick's reading of it (I may have a slight crush on him)

I always keep an Audible book going for my commuting around town (it's a 20 min drive from my house to town and a minimum hour drive to work on the days that I go in). I've been on a Nick Offerman kick lately and have been listening to all of his books because he has such a delightful speaking voice. When literary fiction got picked for the November tag, I decided it was the perfect time to listen to Nick's reading of Tom Sawyer. It did not disappoint.

I'm not the biggest Mark Twain fan. I think he is an amazing writer but I struggle sometimes with his writing style. I've been trying to figure out ways to finally get the books of his that I haven't read and Audible may be the answer. When Joi told me that Nick was doing the reading of a couple of his classics, I was interested. This month was the perfect time to try it and I throughly enjoyed his reading.

For me it was the perfect way to consume this classic and I hope they use him to add a voice to many more.

I've also struggled with Mark Twain's writing style and I've never actually managed to make it through one of his works. Thanks for the review - I'll have to try it with Nick Offerman's voice buttering me up. I wish I could pinpoint what it is about Twain's writing style that stops me dead in my tracks. I mean... I'm a bit of a classic literature nerd and I've made my way through more difficult books. Thanks again for the review - it's kinda been driving me crazy that I haven't been able to make it through even one.

LiteraryMania wrote: "I've also struggled with Mark Twain's writing style and I've never actually managed to make it through one of his works. Thanks for the review - I'll have to try it with Nick Offerman's voice butte..."

I just started listening to an Audible original called Twain’s Feast that is partially narrated by Nick Offerman but there are many others involved. It's an interesting premise where they organize a feast with Twain's favorite foods. There are a lot of stories involved but what is helping me on my Twain journey is there are scholars that are talking about when they finally "got" Twain or what was the turning point for them. I think I may read my next Twain novel through different lenses after listening to it and having more understanding.

I am a huge Mark Twain fan, so I am glad you found a way to appreciate him.

Twain's Feast sounds delightful. Food history and literature discussions? I'm absolutely in! Thank you for the recommendation! I really appreciate it, because it's always kind of irritated me that I can't get into his books, but I love his stories.

I'm a big fan of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It was voted in the top 20 of American's favorite reads this summer. (Nostalgic books did well in the polling. PBS The Great American Read).

When I was reading it to my son (while I was in grad school), I noticed that the book illustrated a couple of motivation and social psychology concepts that weren't discussed by academics (as "new" findings) until nearly a century after Twain wrote about them.

I think it's difficult to read authentic dialect from a different time. I found the same thing when I read Their Eyes Were Watching God this summer. Like Charlotte, I found that the audio book made it much more enjoyable. Ruby Dee's voice is beautifully rich and perfect for the story. It turned out to be my favorite surprise of the summer. I think I will want to read portions of that book every year for the rest of my life. I later got the kindle and highlighted my favorite parts.

NancyJ wrote: "I'm a big fan of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It was voted in the top 20 of American's favorite reads this summer. (Nostalgic books did well in the polling. PBS The Great American Read).

When I ..."

You know, that's the thing that really astounds me about this book. You'd think it would be the dialect that would be the problem, but it isn't. I come from a family with several generations of English majors. As such, I practically had books shoved into my cradle and I was already reading short chapter books by the time I entered elementary school. By the 5th grade, I'd already developed a taste for classic literature.

I think that's why it confuses me that I can't get into Twain. I just can't pinpoint what my hang up is. It's gotta be something about his writing style, because I find the dialect to be easily understandable. I just can't pinpoint what it is. Granted, I've never tried the audiobook version and I had the same trouble with Heart of Darkness. Now that I'm working my way through the audiobook, I LOVE Heart of Darkness. I think some stories are just easier to appreciate verbally.

I'm quite curious though, what concepts did you notice that were neglected by academics for so long?

I've actually never read any of Mark Twain, but when I do- I know it's going to be this version.

Glad you liked it!