Identify Regarding Books Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World
Title | : | Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World |
Author | : | Mark Twain |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 712 pages |
Published | : | September 1st 1989 by Dover Publications (first published January 1st 1897) |
Categories | : | Travel. Nonfiction. Classics. Humor. Adventure. History. Autobiography. Memoir |

Mark Twain
Paperback | Pages: 712 pages Rating: 3.97 | 1383 Users | 107 Reviews
Commentary During Books Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World
"We sai1ed for America, and there made certain preparations. This took but little time. Two members of my family elected to go with me. Also a carbuncle. The dictionary says a carbuncle is a kind of jewel. Humor is out of place in a dictionary." — Following the Equator So begins this classic piece of travel writing, brimming with Twain's celebrated brand of ironic, tongue-in-cheek humor. Written just before the turn of the century, the book recounts a lecture tour in which he circumnavigated the globe via steamship, including stops at the Hawaiian Islands, Australia, Fiji Islands, New Zealand, India, South Africa and elsewhere. View the world through the eyes of the celebrated author as he describes a rich range of experiences — visiting a leper colony in Hawaii, shark fishing in Australia, tiger hunting, diamond mining in South Africa, and riding the rails in India, an activity Twain enjoyed immensely as suggested by this description of a steep descent in a hand-car: "The road fell sharply down in front of us and went corkscrewing in and out around the crags and precipices, down, down, forever down, suggesting nothing so exactly or so uncomfortably as a crooked toboggan slide with no end to it. . . . I had previously had but one sensation like the shock of that departure, and that was the gaspy shock that took my breath away the first time that I was discharged from the summit of a toboggan slide. But in both instances the sensation was pleasurable — intensely so; it was a sudden and immense exaltation, a mixed ecstasy of deadly fright and unimaginable joy. I believe that this combination makes the perfection of human delight." A wealth of similarly revealing observations enhances this account, along with perceptive descriptions and discussions of people, climate, flora and fauna, indigenous cultures, religion, customs, politics, food, and many other topics. Despite its jocular tone, this book has a serious thread running through it, recording Twain's observations of the mistreatments and miseries of mankind. Enhanced by over 190 illustrations, including 173 photographs, this paperback edition — the only one avai1able — will be welcomed by all admirers of Mark Twain or classic travel books.Define Books Toward Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World
Original Title: | Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World |
ISBN: | 0486261131 (ISBN13: 9780486261133) |
Edition Language: | English |
Rating Regarding Books Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World
Ratings: 3.97 From 1383 Users | 107 ReviewsArticle Regarding Books Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World
This is one of my favourite books by Mark Twain and it is interesting to compare this with his youthful account of his voyage on the Quaker City (The Innocents Abroad, 1869) with its freshness, boisterousness, irreverence and total political incorrectness. Following the Equator (1897) is the work of an older, wiser, more thoughtful and philosophical Mark Twain and he has never written more beautiful prose; the chapters on India are priceless.There is humour, of course, but he doesnt goAs usual, a highly entertaining account of Twain travels. This time he travels through the Pacific - Australia, New Zealand, India, Africa mainly - with stops at various islands and smaller countries. The chapters on India were disturbing, detailing murder and suicide in the late 19th century there. My India history is somewhat vague. I had a general idea but the specifics were hard to take. Also hard to take were all of the chapters dealing with the white man's subjugation of black natives -
I had the impression that Twain was acerbic. Instead, I found him curious, respectful but no fraidy-cat either. His criticisms are wrapped in such wry humour, I think it would be difficult for his worst enemy not to laugh - at himself. My opinion of him shot skyward after reading this book. There is so much chatty information and wit in FTE that I am at a loss where to begin. Okay - loved the bit about the passengers watching dolphins covered with bioluminescence racing and diving through the

Five stars because it's by Mark Twain, whom I love and trust pretty much unconditionally.In his travel writing, Twain can be relied upon to cast upon humanity and its works a fresh, amused (or scornful), clear-eyed gaze. Except, it seems, Australia. No traveller has ever entertained so many pleasant illusions about this place. I wonder what we paid him?(But he was scathing about the use of indentured labour on the cane fields).
Ive enjoyed Twains books on travel, but perhaps this one felt a bit too much. Twain enjoys telling stories, thats for granted. Here, he goes back and forth telling stories about how great a foreign country is, with its buildings and nature and its people, then relating often second-hand stories of how terrible and savage those same people can be. His extended story of the Thugs of India and their non-stop murders got to be quite long, as did his history of the Boers. There was a mood of cynicism
My favorite chapter was conclusion cause it meant it was the last. It was a bucket list read. It was fun going around the globe but I wont read it again for a very long time
After Innocents Abroad and Roughing It this was a much rougher journey. I am surprised that Mark Twains wife and daughter accompanied him on this tough adventure. He barely mentions them. This is your real adventure into parts unknown. Twain digs into earlier histories of Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, India, as well as his notes from his own earlier journeys. He compares, for example, men only working in the fields in India, and women slaving in Bavaria, and France that he saw before. But he
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