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orsuros's review against another edition
3.0
The style and wit was great but I feel the choice of essays sometimes made it a little more dull than it could have been. Still, it was fun to hear a bit of Mark Twain's opinions on life and living, especially seeing the historical tidbits between how life was different and similar to now. As a discounted audio book, I feel it was worth the price.
librarylapin's review against another edition
3.0
Parts of this book were very entertaining as Twain was indeed very witty but the book seemed like a very forced gathering of random things he wrote to make up a book. There wasn't much of a thread to unite the book and at times it could turn tedious.
tabithar's review against another edition
4.0
This compilation of short stories was organized posthumously from some of the many documents within the Mark Twain estate. The topics varied across a range of advice topics from complaints and everyday etiquette to diet, raising ethical children, and what to do in case of emergency. Some tied together but were written many years apart (e.g. Notice. To the Next Burgular., Burglary and the Well Tempered Householder, and Under the Policeman's Eye). My favorites included: An Innovative Dinner Party System, pretty much all of his commentary on children (especially the Sample of Childish Ethics), Playing "Bear", and Experience of the McWilliamses with Membranous Croup.
The subtitle comes from a quote he made at some point and might be off putting to some. I would note that the title really has little to do with the rest of the book other than trying to catch people's eye. The text is similar to any other prose written by Mark Twain.
This is not a long book but its not an exceptionally short read. As I read the stories, their breaks tended to force some pause for reflection rather than continuing directly into the next page.
The subtitle comes from a quote he made at some point and might be off putting to some. I would note that the title really has little to do with the rest of the book other than trying to catch people's eye. The text is similar to any other prose written by Mark Twain.
This is not a long book but its not an exceptionally short read. As I read the stories, their breaks tended to force some pause for reflection rather than continuing directly into the next page.
vivianfonseca's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun collection of texts... but it didn't quite hit the spot for me.
2.75☆
(rounded the 3)
2.75☆
(rounded the 3)
lubinka's review
5.0
Although this book is not intended so much as a manual of helpful hints, but rather as a compilation of humorous and insightful short stories, essays, and observations, it contains many helpful advice of the kind that I generously like to bestow on my innocent and unsuspecting friends who never seem to appreciate my wisdom as much as it deserves, oftentimes to their own detriment.
I mostly enjoyed his views on parenting and raising an ethical child which I wish would be better absorbed by said child (alas, an elusive hope of any parent):
Always obey your parents, when they are present. This is the best policy in the long run; because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do; and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition than you can by acting on your own better judgment. Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any; also to strangers, and sometimes to others. If a person offend you, and you are in doubt as to whether it was intentional or not, do not resort to extreme measures; simply watch your chance and hit him with a brick. That will be sufficient. If you shall find that he had not intended any offense, come out frankly and confess yourself in the wrong when you struck him; acknowledge it like a man, and say you didn’t mean to. Yes, always avoid violence; in this age of charity and kindliness, the time has gone by for such things. Leave dynamite to the low and unrefined.
Compared to the overly (and absolutely unnecessarily) verbose edition of his autobiography that I read last year and which was flooded with millions of insignificant trivialities, this book was a breath of fresh air.
I mostly enjoyed his views on parenting and raising an ethical child which I wish would be better absorbed by said child (alas, an elusive hope of any parent):
Always obey your parents, when they are present. This is the best policy in the long run; because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do; and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition than you can by acting on your own better judgment. Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any; also to strangers, and sometimes to others. If a person offend you, and you are in doubt as to whether it was intentional or not, do not resort to extreme measures; simply watch your chance and hit him with a brick. That will be sufficient. If you shall find that he had not intended any offense, come out frankly and confess yourself in the wrong when you struck him; acknowledge it like a man, and say you didn’t mean to. Yes, always avoid violence; in this age of charity and kindliness, the time has gone by for such things. Leave dynamite to the low and unrefined.
Compared to the overly (and absolutely unnecessarily) verbose edition of his autobiography that I read last year and which was flooded with millions of insignificant trivialities, this book was a breath of fresh air.
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