Christian Science (1907) (Oxford Mark Twain) [Hardcover]

Mark Twain (Author), Shelley Fisher Fishkin (Series Editor), Garry Wills (Introduction), Hamlin Hill (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 5, 1996 | Series: Oxford Mark Twain

Christian Science begins, as Garry Wills notes in his introduction, with Twain's description of a man who "falls off a cliff and finds his bones projecting from him like the arms of a hat rack. After a course of treatment from a Christian Science practitioner, he calls in a veterinarian and pays the Christian Scientist with an imaginary check for an imaginary cure." Although Twain recognized that everyone was born with "the power which a man's imagination has over his body to heal it or make it sick," he was deeply suspicious of the empire-building, power-mongering, delusions, and evasions of the founder of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Mary Baker Eddy. Wills notes that "Christian Science can be read at several levels, all rewarding--first, as a satire on Christian Science's wilder pretensions and its founder's deceptions; then, as an example of Twain's regard for language as the indicator of mental and moral conditions; and finally as part of a biographical descent into the nihilism of his last days. On all these counts the book gets us very close to the heart of American culture."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

American author and lecturer, Mark Twain received universal acclaim for his accounts of youthful escapades. His writings are also known for pragmatism of place and language, unforgettable characters, and abhorrence of pretense and tyranny. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 5, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195101553
• ISBN-13: 978-0195101553
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,290,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mark Twain (1835-1910) was an American humorist, satirist, social critic, lecturer and novelist. He is mostly remembered for his classic novels The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars funny even to a non-CS, July 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Christian Science (Skeptic's Bookshelf) (Paperback)

This isn't one of Twain's best books, but it is a pretty hilarious send-up of Christian Science nonetheless. I think it is funnier if you know a little bit about the religion, but it probably doesn't seem as funny to people who actually practice the religion.

A CS friend told me that CSs are fond of quoting passages from Twain that "prove" he became a fan of Eddy in later life. The quote they cite as proof is typical of the sarcasm in this book: "Mother Eddy deserves a place in the Trinity as much as any member of it. She has organized and made available a healing principle that for two thousand years has never been employed except as the merest kind of guesswork. She is the benefactor of the age."

If the above quote strikes you as funny, buy this book. If you believe the quote is serious, I'd advise you to give it a miss.

43 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still one of the best books about "Christian 'Science'", July 6, 2001

By 

Super Woman Three (Lake Ellias, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christian Science (Skeptic's Bookshelf) (Paperback)

The first part of Mark Tawin's work on "Christian 'Science'" is very funny; he shows through parody and wit just how ignorant, stupid, superstitious, and gullible human beings can be. The second part is much more serious: Twain shows how the sinister organization came into existance, and remarks upon Eddy's criminal and abusive acts when starting the business, as well as mentions some of the plagerism she committed.

This is by far one of the best books about how the "Christian 'Science'" organization came to exist. While the book is a classic, it is also timeless.

If you are interested in Eddy or "Christian 'Science,'" this is the single best source for you to explore. I recomend this book HIGHLY!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Twain lovers, September 1, 2009

By 

Anna Shepherd "Love2read" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Christian Science (Paperback)

If you love Mark Twain, you'll love this book. Be prepared there is no Becky and Big Jim to be found, just Twain's delightful writing style. Twain taking on the CHristian Scientists is enlightening and informative. I liked it very much