Publication

1996 - Oxford University Press, New York, New York (State)

Language

English

Word Count

66,000 words, Guess

Page Count

264 pages

Identifiers

and 2 more
  • Goodreads1319140
  • LibraryThing666273

Classifications

  • DDC818/.409
  • LCCPS1342.A54 F57 1996

Description

Lighting Out for the Territory: Reflections on Mark Twain and American Culture reveals who Mark Twain really was, how he got to be that way, and what we do with his legacies today. How did this son of slave holders come to write one the greatest anti-racist works of fiction of all time? Why is that remarkable odyssey erased today in his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri? Which aspects of Twain are celebrated or exploited today and which are ignored? Whether she is probing Twain's presence in cyberspace or in the classroom, in advertising or animated cartoons, author Shelley Fisher Fishkin is incisive and imaginative. Her boldly original blend of personal narrative, biography, history, and criticism will change the way we look at Mark Twain and, perhaps, ourselves. . Lighting Out for the Territory offers an intriguing look at how Mark Twain's life and work have been cherished, memorialized, exploited, and misunderstood. It offers a wealth of insight into Twain, into his work, and into our nation, both past and present.

First Sentence

June 20, 1995. The summer sun shot through the window in blinding flashes as my plane approached the runway for a landing.

Excerpt

June 20, 1995. The summer sun shot through the window in blinding flashes as my plane approached the runway for a landing.

Subjects

Other Editions

  • Lighting out for the territory: reflections on Mark Twain and American cultureOxford University Press1996-01-01

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