Here is the story of Tom, Huck, Becky, and Aunt Polly; a tale of adventures, pranks, playing hookey, and summertime fun. Written by the author sometimes called "the Lincoln of literature," The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was surprisingly neither a critical nor a financial success when it was first published in 1876. It was Mark Twain's first novel. However, since then Tom Sawyer has become his most popular work, enjoying dramatic, film, and even Broadway musical interpretations.
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up-British actor Mike McShane provides a superb portrayal of Mark Twain's classic characters, nailing the Mississippi drawl and cadence. For those who know and love the story or are following along with an unabridged edition, however, this production is marred somewhat by what the publisher has chosen to leave out. The more descriptive chapters are shortened or expurgated entirely, which is understandable in the interest of editing for time. Some of the more distasteful racial epithets are gone as well, although Injun Joe retains his moniker. Sid and Mary are also cut entirely, as well as references to smoking, slavery, most of Tom's ludicrously funny romantic notions about the violence inflicted by pirates and robbers, and even the naked figure in the schoolmaster's anatomy book. The result is a watered down Tom and, especially, Huck. The ending also lacks the satisfaction of the original version. The party scene where the fortune is revealed has been cut as has Twain's concluding paragraphs which "endeth this chronicle." It lacks even the closure of the customary, "You have been listening to-." The sturdy plastic case will survive many circulations. If your facility serves an elementary-age population for which the language of the original would not be appropriate, or there is a teacher looking for a sanitized version, McShane's excellent performance makes this edition worth recommending.
Diana Dickerson, White Pigeon Community Schools, MI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Diana Dickerson, White Pigeon Community Schools, MI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Huckleberry Finn may be the greater book, but Tom Sawyer has always been more widely read. Moreover, it is a book that can be enjoyed equally by both children and adults. Twain, who called it a "hymn" to boyhood, would be thrilled that in narrator Patrick Fraley his hymn has found its most passionate voice. Many good unabridged readings of Tom Sawyer have already been recorded, but most are simply that: readings. Fraley's performance is something more; in attempting to bring each character to life, his enthusiasm for the material is so palpable that the mere sound of his voice commands attention. A can't-miss addition to all libraries, including those that have other Tom Sawyer programs. Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
82 of 89 people found the following review helpful
By tracy
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Both this book and the Unabridged Huckleberry Finn suffer
the
same problem in that they are not formatted properly for
the
Kindle. You don't see proper paragraphs, it was set up
for a
page with a wider margin and the line breaks are hard
coded
so what you get is an entire book broken up just like
what
you see here.
Which is very annoying to read. I tried changing the
font
sizes as well as the line spacing and the page orientation
but was
unable to get the pages to view properly. I called Amazon
Kindle
Customer Service about this since it isn't just a few typos
but the
entire book that is this way & told them I wanted a refund,
which
they said they would do but I still haven't gotten that
confirmation
email from them yet. Yeah, it's only a dollar but it is more
about
the principle of the matter, doesn't anyone proof these
before
they go on sale? Apparently no one bothered to look at
these
two books on a Kindle.
the
same problem in that they are not formatted properly for
the
Kindle. You don't see proper paragraphs, it was set up
for a
page with a wider margin and the line breaks are hard
coded
so what you get is an entire book broken up just like
what
you see here.
Which is very annoying to read. I tried changing the
font
sizes as well as the line spacing and the page orientation
but was
unable to get the pages to view properly. I called Amazon
Kindle
Customer Service about this since it isn't just a few typos
but the
entire book that is this way & told them I wanted a refund,
which
they said they would do but I still haven't gotten that
confirmation
email from them yet. Yeah, it's only a dollar but it is more
about
the principle of the matter, doesn't anyone proof these
before
they go on sale? Apparently no one bothered to look at
these
two books on a Kindle.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is a true classic. I loved the abridged version as a child and decided to read it in the original form as an adult.
It is a lively, charming and light-hearted story about a rebellious young boy (his age is never stated), who thrives on playing hilarious pranks and is constantly getting in trouble for disorderly conduct of the most original kind. Under it all though he has a good and generous heart.
Huckleberry Finn is introduced as a dirt-poor, uneducated and disreputable boy whose mother has died and whose drunkard father has abandoned him. An instantly endearing character to the reader, he is nevertheless shunned by the adults of "civilized" society, who warn their children to stay away from him because "he was idle and lawless and vulgar and bad". Tom, like the rest of the respectable boys is under strict orders not to play with him.
Not surprisingly, Tom "played with him every time he got a chance."
Thus begins a deep and enduring friendship that remains the central theme for the rest of the book.
The book is part memoir and part social critique against prevailing attitudes and hypocrisies, but mostly it is a witty and charming story jumping blithely from one adventure to the next, and told in deceptively simple but deftly crafted language. Therefore it is thoroughly enjoyable, even when the subject matter is inconsequential. I loved his description of a rather one-sided contest between a poodle and a "pinch bug" in the middle of a chruch service - it is a minor event in the book, but absolutely hilarious and a joy to read and re-read. It is quintessential Mark Twain writing at the pinnacle of his wit and style. An excerpt: "Presently a vagrant poodle dog came idling along, sad at heart, lazy with the summer softness and the quiet, weary of captivity, sighing for change. He spied the beetle; the drooping tail lifted and wagged..."
No wonder this book has remained a favorite for generations. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
It is a lively, charming and light-hearted story about a rebellious young boy (his age is never stated), who thrives on playing hilarious pranks and is constantly getting in trouble for disorderly conduct of the most original kind. Under it all though he has a good and generous heart.
Huckleberry Finn is introduced as a dirt-poor, uneducated and disreputable boy whose mother has died and whose drunkard father has abandoned him. An instantly endearing character to the reader, he is nevertheless shunned by the adults of "civilized" society, who warn their children to stay away from him because "he was idle and lawless and vulgar and bad". Tom, like the rest of the respectable boys is under strict orders not to play with him.
Not surprisingly, Tom "played with him every time he got a chance."
Thus begins a deep and enduring friendship that remains the central theme for the rest of the book.
The book is part memoir and part social critique against prevailing attitudes and hypocrisies, but mostly it is a witty and charming story jumping blithely from one adventure to the next, and told in deceptively simple but deftly crafted language. Therefore it is thoroughly enjoyable, even when the subject matter is inconsequential. I loved his description of a rather one-sided contest between a poodle and a "pinch bug" in the middle of a chruch service - it is a minor event in the book, but absolutely hilarious and a joy to read and re-read. It is quintessential Mark Twain writing at the pinnacle of his wit and style. An excerpt: "Presently a vagrant poodle dog came idling along, sad at heart, lazy with the summer softness and the quiet, weary of captivity, sighing for change. He spied the beetle; the drooping tail lifted and wagged..."
No wonder this book has remained a favorite for generations. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
77 of 95 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Tom Sawyer is one of the most endearing characters in American fiction. This wonderful book deals with all the challenges that any young person faces, and resolves them in exciting and unusual ways.
Like many young people, Tom would rather be having fun than going to school and church. This is always getting him into trouble, from which he finds unusual solutions. One of the great scenes in this book has Tom persuading his friends to help him whitewash a fence by making them think that nothing could be finer than doing his punishment for playing hooky from school. When I first read this story, it opened up my mind to the potential power of persuasion.
Tom also is given up for dead and has the unusual experience of watching his own funeral and hearing what people really thought of him. That's something we all should be able to do. By imagining what people will say at our funeral, we can help establish the purpose of our own lives. Mark Twain has given us a powerful tool for self-examination in this wonderful sequence.
Tom and Huck Finn also witness a murder, and have to decide how to handle the fact that they were not supposed to be there and their fear of retribution from the murderer, Injun Joe.
Girls are a part of Tom's life, and Becky Thatcher and he have a remarkable adventure in a cave with Injun Joe. Any young person will remember the excitement of being near someone they cared about alone in this vignette.
Tom stands for the freedom that the American frontier offered to everyone. His aunt Polly represents the civilizing influence of adults and towns. Twain sets up a rewarding novel that makes us rethink the advantages of both freedom and civilization. In this day of the Internet frontier, this story can still provide valuable lessons about listening to our inner selves and acting on what they have to say. Enjoy!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
How can you go wrong
Great entertainment from America's greatest author. You can not go wrong reading this one to yourself or with your kids.
Published 1 day ago by Speedy Dad
5.0 out of 5 stars
The adventures of Tom Sawyer
Excellent book I can see how I can see how it became a classic I suggest you read this book.
Published 1 day ago by Darrell
3.0 out of 5 stars
THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
Tom saywer is one of my favorite characters in this book. This books covers TOM from when he was a imature child to a mature kid.
Published 1 day ago by So much fun to play!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tom Sawyer
I loved this book. It was awesome. It kept me interested and I was pleased. I recommend you read it.
Published 3 days ago by Wyatt Dueker
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's Twain, what else is there to say.
This is still an excellent read after all these years. Great literature is great literature and this is no exception.
Published 3 days ago by KM
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific!
I had forgotten how charming these adventures were to read!We are taking grandchildren to Hannibal, MO this summer, so reading this and Huck Finn's adventures are the best... Read more
Published 3 days ago by Anne M. Perry
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
I first read the adventures of huckleberry Finn and realized that was the sequel of Tom Sawyer and was drawn to it I couldn't stop picking it up and I'm twelve!
Published 4 days ago by Mrgrover
5.0 out of 5 stars
Young or old this is a great read!!
This book is always on the top 25 list of greatest books ever written and that's not surprising because it truly is fantastic but unlike most of the other books on the top 25 list... Read more
Published 4 days ago by TwoGirls
1.0 out of 5 stars
Idk
I only skimmed though the book just to see what it was about. But someday I will read it, but I don't know when.
Published 5 days ago by Maddie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better as an adult.
I had to read this book in grade school. I liked it then, but it's much better now as an adult. There are boring parts, but the book as a whole is great. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Vci
