Sunday, December 30, 2018

December Digireads

Mark Twain’s catalog is lengthy and most are familiar with the Mississippi tales, but one that is not often referenced is “Roughing It.”
Exaggeration and outright lies form the overland trip from Missouri to California. Some of the tales are humorous but underlying them is the discomfort and dissatisfaction of the ride. So the tales were one way to ease the rigors of the journey.
Once in California Mr. Clemens lapses into the memoir phase and we find out much about his ramshackle employment as a writer. It’s a pillar to post existence for him with some humor thrown in along with a tall tale or two (some funny, some not).
He doesn’t hit his stride as a reporter until he goes to Virginia City to strike it rich, which, of course he doesn’t. What he does do there is give us a splendid view of what the miners and their claims were like. He also provides an interesting view of the city by way of his being a reporter for the Territorial Enterprise newspaper.
Clemens really sparkles when he takes ship to visit Hawaii. There he is an earlier version of Huell Howser of PBS fame giving us a blow by blow description of the scenery, the people that inhabit the islands, the architecture (what there was), the history of Captain Cook’s unfortunate demise and a spectacular go with as he explores the volcanoes of the chain.
Once back in the US, specifically in San Francisco, Clemens is out of money and ideas. One of his compatriots suggests hiring a hall and giving lectures, something that had great success on the east coast. He is reluctant, but finally agrees to buy (on credit) the hall for a night, the posters necessary and the tickets.
All is in readiness for the big to-do, but Clemens is almost sick with stage fright. He goes on stage, looks at the very large audience that is waiting for enlightenment and shrinks within. The pause lasts for some time, time enough for the audience to become uncomfortable, but then he emerges from his self-induced coma and begins to relate some of the experiences he’s had during his life.
Thus the “Mark Twain pause” becomes part of the lecture circuit lore as does his famous “Doors open at 7:30, trouble begins at 8:00.”
Part of the book requires great patience and stamina while others are page turners. There are also illustrations of various parts of the book, some straight out of the same fantastic realm that his tales emerged from and others more realistic like his experiential narrative.
Have fun storming the book.