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on July 9, 2015
This novel should be read by every person on Earth. The story of a young boy in Middle America at a pretty peaceful and settled agrarian time. Tom's story is that of every boy of that age, no matter where that boy, who has now become a man, lives. He may not whitewash a fence, or run away to play pirates, but all the little things that Tom enjoys and experiences, we all have or wish we had. Please don't stop at seeing the many remakes of this book at the movies. Experience the fun, love and excitement of Tom as he experiences his young life. I would recommend The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to everyone from the ages of about twelve years to old folks like me. It is fun, entertaining and enduring. Enjoy this novel by the genius of Mark Twain. David G. Parsons
on August 18, 2015
Oh, the adventures of youth! I recently re-read this book in preparation for my son Sawyer's Tom Sawyer- themed first birthday party and I quite enjoyed it. Mark Twain says in the introduction that he hopes adults will enjoy his work because they were once children too... and it's fun to reminisce on the days of youth.
I love how adventurous, free-spirited, independent and curious Tom Sawyer and his friends are, just like my own son. I think today's helicopter/over-protective parents would faint and die at all of these kids' adventures. They roam wild and free... until returning home for supper and bedtime prayers. ;) I like how Tom Sawyer is in the middle of the bunch in terms of standing-- he's not a ragtag son of a hobo like Huck Finn but he's also not the richest or most upstanding boy in school (although he is able to pull off stunts so elaborate that even the esteeemed Judge Thatcher, Becky's father, admires him... and in the end, Tom really does earn and deserve his reputation that he earlier faked his way into). I feel bad for him not having a mother or father and having to live with the brown-nosing teacher's/parent's pet cousin Sid, but I think he manages to stay quite happy with his imagination and adventures, and that he does love his Aunt Polly and she him... although I wish she and every other adult in the book would lay off the child beatings!
This book is not only one of the first great American novels but it's also the quintessential story of boyhood! Pirates, Robinhood, fishing, rafting, running away, getting lost in a cave, sneaking out at night, playing with marbles and other toys (even dead animals!)... it's all in here. And even falling in love! I really enjoyed reading the parts about how much Tom loves Becky Thatcher. I believe this book is a romance as well as a childrens' story. And of course I enjoyed the famous part about Tom tricking everyone into doing his work for him. He's clever, spunky, AND sweet... the perfect boy! Just like mine!
Yet this book reminds us that being a young child is not all about fun and games. Tom and his gang learn some important life lessons and Tom is forced to step up and tell the truth in the name of justice. There's even some legal drama in this book as well.
I would rate this book 4.5 stars. My only critique of this book is that it starts and ends with a bang but seems to fizzle out in the middle. I think it could have been shorter but I believe it was written as a serial and needed more volume/words. Although I was a little bored and restless in the middle (much like Tom is in church!), it soon picked up and the entire last third really delivered. My eyes were glued to my Kindle, wondering "What's going to happen?" Even though I'm an adult and had read the book before, I had no idea, and totally fell into the suspense.
I highly enjoyed reading this book, both for getting ideas for my son's party as well as for fun. I would recommend it to children AND adults everywhere. I plan to read the other three books in the series soon.
I love how adventurous, free-spirited, independent and curious Tom Sawyer and his friends are, just like my own son. I think today's helicopter/over-protective parents would faint and die at all of these kids' adventures. They roam wild and free... until returning home for supper and bedtime prayers. ;) I like how Tom Sawyer is in the middle of the bunch in terms of standing-- he's not a ragtag son of a hobo like Huck Finn but he's also not the richest or most upstanding boy in school (although he is able to pull off stunts so elaborate that even the esteeemed Judge Thatcher, Becky's father, admires him... and in the end, Tom really does earn and deserve his reputation that he earlier faked his way into). I feel bad for him not having a mother or father and having to live with the brown-nosing teacher's/parent's pet cousin Sid, but I think he manages to stay quite happy with his imagination and adventures, and that he does love his Aunt Polly and she him... although I wish she and every other adult in the book would lay off the child beatings!
This book is not only one of the first great American novels but it's also the quintessential story of boyhood! Pirates, Robinhood, fishing, rafting, running away, getting lost in a cave, sneaking out at night, playing with marbles and other toys (even dead animals!)... it's all in here. And even falling in love! I really enjoyed reading the parts about how much Tom loves Becky Thatcher. I believe this book is a romance as well as a childrens' story. And of course I enjoyed the famous part about Tom tricking everyone into doing his work for him. He's clever, spunky, AND sweet... the perfect boy! Just like mine!
Yet this book reminds us that being a young child is not all about fun and games. Tom and his gang learn some important life lessons and Tom is forced to step up and tell the truth in the name of justice. There's even some legal drama in this book as well.
I would rate this book 4.5 stars. My only critique of this book is that it starts and ends with a bang but seems to fizzle out in the middle. I think it could have been shorter but I believe it was written as a serial and needed more volume/words. Although I was a little bored and restless in the middle (much like Tom is in church!), it soon picked up and the entire last third really delivered. My eyes were glued to my Kindle, wondering "What's going to happen?" Even though I'm an adult and had read the book before, I had no idea, and totally fell into the suspense.
I highly enjoyed reading this book, both for getting ideas for my son's party as well as for fun. I would recommend it to children AND adults everywhere. I plan to read the other three books in the series soon.
on November 15, 2014
I hate to say it but Tom Sawyer was a let-down, considering how much I liked Huckleberry Finn.
And I think one of the reasons I was bored (again, I hate to say it because Twain is one of my all-time favorites) is because nothing much happens in this book, except that whole Injun Joe business.
Speaking of which, this is where Twain gets all the "banned book" reputation. Besides being liberal with the "n" word, Twain's Injun Joe is a pretty crass stereotype of a Native American and there couldn't be a more evil person in Sawyer's world. So much so that I found some of the situations Injun Joe was involved in very scary (too scary for children, in my opinion).
On the other hand, Tom and Huck are clever depictions of young male mischievousness. They struggle to be good just as much as they struggle to be bad. And that's interesting to see
And I think one of the reasons I was bored (again, I hate to say it because Twain is one of my all-time favorites) is because nothing much happens in this book, except that whole Injun Joe business.
Speaking of which, this is where Twain gets all the "banned book" reputation. Besides being liberal with the "n" word, Twain's Injun Joe is a pretty crass stereotype of a Native American and there couldn't be a more evil person in Sawyer's world. So much so that I found some of the situations Injun Joe was involved in very scary (too scary for children, in my opinion).
On the other hand, Tom and Huck are clever depictions of young male mischievousness. They struggle to be good just as much as they struggle to be bad. And that's interesting to see
on August 21, 2014
My 13-year old nephew, who hates reading, had this as his summer reading assignment for 7th grade. While he pretended to read the first few chapters, and could not answer the questions I was asking to check on his reading comprehension, he really got into the book after I had him read out loud some of Tom's antics - boys never change! The dialect can be a challenge but we would discuss each chapter after he read it. I took advantage of the great resources available online to help challenge him to think about and understand what was happening throughout the book.
I also highlighted Twain's use and borrowing of Christian concepts and worldview whenever I could (e.g. The boys making a promise and signing an oath in blood, we see the God of the Bible make a promise to Abraham which was kept thru the shed blood of Christ on the cross or when Tom takes the whippings for Becky knowing she could not bear such punishment, similar to the biblical account of Jesus Christ taking the place of sinful man, bearing the punishment for our sins on the cross.)
When my nephew finished (which took him about two weeks) he could not believe it was over, so we have downloaded Huck Finn for him to read! He is looking forward to reading more about the boys and the place Twain introduced him to in Tom Sawyer.
Truly a timeless classic of American literature.
I also highlighted Twain's use and borrowing of Christian concepts and worldview whenever I could (e.g. The boys making a promise and signing an oath in blood, we see the God of the Bible make a promise to Abraham which was kept thru the shed blood of Christ on the cross or when Tom takes the whippings for Becky knowing she could not bear such punishment, similar to the biblical account of Jesus Christ taking the place of sinful man, bearing the punishment for our sins on the cross.)
When my nephew finished (which took him about two weeks) he could not believe it was over, so we have downloaded Huck Finn for him to read! He is looking forward to reading more about the boys and the place Twain introduced him to in Tom Sawyer.
Truly a timeless classic of American literature.
on May 20, 2015
I listened to the Adventures of Tom Sawyer through an Audible audiobook, and it was entertaining and quick! The whole story was only about four hours and kept me engaged throughout. Mark Twain is a master of dialect. I don't know of many authors that can effectively pull off that technique today. Twain includes so much action in every chapter, and I can see why this book has remained a classic for so many years.
However, I wonder if this book was published today, would it still receive the same attention it has over the years? Would a publisher even want to publish it? There is much violence in the story since a lot of it centers on a murder in the small southern town, and since this book is intended for children, I don't think parents would approve of it anymore. It took place during a different time where kids could go off on their own and be missing for hours before parents worried. Many parents are overprotective of their children, and I think several of them would think this story would give bad ideas to children.
I'd love to hear what other people think.
Overall, I found the story humorous, charming, and engaging. I would recommend to people of all ages, including children reading at the middle grade level.
However, I wonder if this book was published today, would it still receive the same attention it has over the years? Would a publisher even want to publish it? There is much violence in the story since a lot of it centers on a murder in the small southern town, and since this book is intended for children, I don't think parents would approve of it anymore. It took place during a different time where kids could go off on their own and be missing for hours before parents worried. Many parents are overprotective of their children, and I think several of them would think this story would give bad ideas to children.
I'd love to hear what other people think.
Overall, I found the story humorous, charming, and engaging. I would recommend to people of all ages, including children reading at the middle grade level.
on November 25, 2015
Kindle version is hard to read. The sections are mixed up and the pictures are missing. I think some of the chapters are missing too
on August 12, 2015
I'm not sure I should bother reviewing Tom Sawyer, but--just in case you were imprisoned in a block of ice before the invention of the printing press and recently escaped--it's a classic and you ought to read it.
I picked it up because I dabble in writing and I wanted to immerse myself in Twain for a bit (not to mention having a collection of decent Kindle books in case of nuclear attack or airport layover). If you are a writer and have managed to avoid reading this I recommend it doubly.
Twain has more personality and wit in his little finger than the rest of us combined and he's a joy to read or to sample and (try to) emulate.
I picked it up because I dabble in writing and I wanted to immerse myself in Twain for a bit (not to mention having a collection of decent Kindle books in case of nuclear attack or airport layover). If you are a writer and have managed to avoid reading this I recommend it doubly.
Twain has more personality and wit in his little finger than the rest of us combined and he's a joy to read or to sample and (try to) emulate.
on June 27, 2014
Samuel Clemens is a distant relative of mine. Unfortunately I'd not read any of his works until I recently read "A Short Life of Mark Twain". It stirred my interest to the extent I wanted to read his (Twain's) writings. When i received my Kindle for this past Christmas. I chose The Adventures of Tm Sawyer as my first "Classic". Mr. Clemens writes in a wonderful and most entertaining way, developing his characters, giving them the a most believable dialogue, and totally acceptable background, that I was taken into that story and its environs completely. The book gave more than I'd anticipated and kept my interest page after page. I'd recommend this book as mandatory reading in every high school, as an introduction to that period in our history, for boys and girls equally. Well written, great story, A fascinating read.
on November 30, 2016
A story which can stand the test of time. Whether you're 6 or 60, there's plenty of character- and more importantly, "characters"- in these tall tales. Reading this for the second time has not diminished it's appeal. Part of it is the plot (and plotting), but what elevates this book to classic status is the subtle way in which the narrator inserts small asides. More often than not these moments expose just how laughable social norms are, and how ridiculous we are in our humanity. This being said, the modern reader who has no experience with antebellum American literature should be warned. This story was written when slavery was a part of every day life and the language reflects this.
