Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

(APRIL '15) Absolutely excellent book - knew Twain was a great storyteller, but forgot what a good writer he is, too. That said, I'm halfway through (he's just finished Europe and heading to the Middle East), and so going to take a break before continuing. This is beautifully written - and hysterically funny - stuff, but probably better to spread it out and enjoy it, rather than race to the end like I do with fiction.

The Innocents Abroad reads like the best Bill Bryson, except even more politically incorrect and therefore even funnier. It's also surprising how current this is - except for references to things like horses and gaslights, most of this could have been written today; since basically ruins are ruins, and French and Italians are French and Italians, (or "macaroni-stuffing organ grinders," as Twain calls them in a particular fit of pique). Great, classic stuff.

(FINISHED, AUGUST '15) Aannndd...finished. Took forever, but this book is just so dense, so rich, so well-written...you really have to concentrate when you read, but you'll be rewarded with gems on almost every page. He goes on a bit when he actually gets to describing some of the temples, villages, etc. that he visits - but this is a travel book after all, and I came away not only wildly entertained, but also with a lot of new and fascinating information. Overall - and much to my surprise - I'd almost put this up there with Peter Fleming's News From Tartary, which is about the highest praise a humorous travel book can receive!