The End of Twain! -- Northwest Nerds Bookclub

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Date Posted: 06:42:15 05/31/00 Wed
Author: Marla
Subject: The End of Twain!

At long last, I've finished "Following the Equator"...and not a moment too soon! If you've read any of my previous posts to this site, you know that I've struggled with this book, primarily because of its (to borrow a word from David) "episodic" storytelling approach. And for once, I can't blame the author because Twain does a fine job of constructing a travelogue (though I question his title when he clearly doesn't go all the way around the world). For those of you planning to read the whole thing, look for a stop in South Africa after India. Beyond that, don't expect any new countries/continents.

On the bright side, the travelogue ends with one of the best quotes I've ever seen in print: "Human pride is not worth while; there is always something lying in wait to take the wind out of it." Twain offers this as an admonishment not to be too impressed by his travels, arguing that others have and will probably continue to do it in less time, accomplishing more along the way. A somewhat ironic ending, I think, to a 712-page, detail-driven capsule of his experiences!

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