Customer Reviews

The Gilded Age

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Let me first say: I want so much to be wrong about my perceptions of this book. It appears to me that I'm not wrong.

Having done a ton of research about the beginnings of the Central Pacific Railroad, and the building of the western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad (less so the eastern portion under the Union Pacific Railroad), I somewhere became aware that Mark Twain's novel The Gilded Age (written with Charles Dudley Warner) was roughly-speaking about the same time period - and the same gung-ho speculative super-capitalism.

So I found the book on Amazon.com, ordered it, got it timely, and started to read. First off, the physical aspect of the book caught me by surprise, looking for all the world like a print-on-demand dissertation from University Microfilms, only less attractive and less well-done.

Part way into the book however, I started seeing strange things: The word "abort" in a context that demanded the word "about." And strange punctuation, including seemingly gratuitous commas everywhere. And this, from page 191: "And, now! Philip looked at leis torn clothes, and thought with disgust of his haste in getting into a fight with such an autocrat." "Leis" is so clearly intended to be "his."

And then it dawned on me. "Quill Pen Classics - New York, New York" (the publisher), appears (I repeat appears, and here I wish and hope I'm wrong) has scanned and OCR-ed the original literary work, and then committed it immediately to ink on paper - bypassing the editorial department completely. If Quill Pen Classics even has an "editorial department."

When you buy a Mark Twain book, you have certain expectations. At least I do. You expect Twain-like prose. And you expect a certain level of care in editing. Wow, is that latter expectation misplaced in this case. Whatever the failed process, this production does violence to the literary memory of Twain. I cannot recommend it.

"The Gilded Age" by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is classic work of historical fiction from the post Civil War Era. The book is definitely a case of fiction allowing the reader an understanding of American history just as capably as a text book would. In age of wild speculation and corruption like the one depicted in this novel, the personalities and motivations of the parties involved are essential in understanding the larger climate of the times in which they lived. It is easy enough to say that era following the Civil War was plagued by fraudulent investors, corrupt politicians and schemers everywhere looking to make an overnight fortune instead of accumulating it bit by bit, but by bringing human characters to life, the reader sees into the pitfalls that allow such excesses and vice to rule the land. The novel's conclusion bears witness to the virtues of patience, fortitude and loyalty, while exposing the sinful for what they are. I would not say that they authors are sermonizing on the weaknesses of the society in which they lived, but rather exposing is wickedness and urging a note of caution through the downfall of some of its characters, while uplifting the virtuous qualities of others.
O
ne of the most unique aspects of the book is its dual authorship. Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner create an excellent team in writing this novel which is just under 500 pages. At first I thought that this would create some problems, as the segments by each author would stand out and not mesh together. There is definitely a noticeable difference between the two styles, but they clearly brainstormed the themes and plot development as one, allowing the book to flow very nicely. I was usually able to guess which chapter was written by whom, but each style serves a different purpose in portraying the two groups of characters. Twain's style is slightly more rambling and boisterous as he sets up the Hawkins family in the first 12 chapters, a somewhat impoverished group that moves from Tennessee to Missouri. Warner writes 13-23 in a smoother, more subtle way (perhaps reminiscent of Henry James, another native of Massachusetts), creating a group of characters from Pennsylvania, New York and New England. As Warner hailed from Massachusetts and Twain from Missouri, the writing comes of very natural as each is in his comfort zone in describing the type of people found in their respective states.

Another character which serves as the essential glue which binds the two groups together is Colonel Eschol Sellers. Whether he was actually a Colonel is debatable, as the man was prone to taking on fabricated airs and ridiculous graces. He constantly has a "get rich quick scheme" brewing, but like an inveterate gambler always comes up short changed. He is really the author's Gilded Age personified, as through his character the reader can learn the way not to do business, while simultaneously having a laugh at Sellers' expense.

Sellers is the architect of a governmental appropriation for the Hawkins Tennessee land, and along with Senator Dilworthy the main body of the book sees them pushing the bill through Congress with every manner of trickery and guile. Through Dilworthy the authors write very well on Washington of the post Civil War era, mainly during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant (1868 1876). This goes farther than any text book could in laying forth the corrupt practices that make Washington run, from bribery to blackmail to chicanery through legal fine print. In a way the novel is still relevant today, giving it an unfortunately timeless appeal to readers wondering about the intricacies of government during so called "booms" of expansion.