Format:Abridged, Audiobook Media:Audio CD Edition:Abridged Reading Level:Young Adult Number Of Items:2 Shipping Weight (lbs):0.2 Dimensions (in):5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
Publication Date:September 30, 2004 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days Condition:Brand New. Expected UK delivery in 7-10 business days
A book that would be enjoyed by everyoneJuly 21, 2005 6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is an enjoyable book with language used by olden day children, which gives excellent effect. It has thrilling and exciting chapters and adventures which are sometimes funny, strange or even scary. Mark Twain used a lot of adjectives to describe scenes, settings and characters. Something like "In a DREARY mood". He made the book Adventurous, Funny and Legendary. The characters in the book are well described and sounded really interesting. Mark Twain also used strong verbs and adverbs to make the story come to life. I think a lot of people would enjoy reading it.
I would recommend that children aged 10-13 to read this book. However people younger or older can as easily enjoy it as much as anyone else.
Growing into a ManMay 13, 2004 Donald Mitchell(Boston) 5 out of 7 found this review helpful
Tom Sawyer is the first great coming of age American novel. In addition, 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 desire to enjoy life is always getting him into trouble, from which he finds unusual and imaginative 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 looking for fun in new ways!
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a wonderful novel.August 27, 1998 12 out of 13 found this review helpful
Tom Sawyer is one of my favorite books. It's a well written, truly American classic, that's just a lot of fun to read. The characters, Tom, Huck, Aunt Polly and Joe Harper, among others, are lively and colorful. The plot moves swiftly from scenes that are rioutously funny to scenes that are quite horrifying. And the book gives the reader an accurate picture of life in the South. But most importantly, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a very truthful account of childhood. Twain had the psychology of children nailed down, and this is apparent in almost every scene. He truly understood children, and that is why this book is a masterpiece.
