Chapters from My Autobiography

By: Mark Twain

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Samuel Langhorne Clemens – who wrote under the pseudonym Mark Twain - was born in Florida, Missouri, in 1835. He spent his childhood in the Mississippi River town of Hannibal, Missouri, leaving home in 1853. His brief career as a riverboat pilot was ended by the Civil War, in which he served as a Confederate irregular. He then traveled to Nevada to strike it rich, and when that plan failed went on to achieve renown as a deft humorist, masterful satirist, great novelist and memorable travel writer, using the name “Mark Twain” – a river pilot’s measurement of depth. Beloved by readers around the world, Clemens died in 1910. Collected here is a wonderful selection of anecdotes from Mark Twain's life, as told with candor by the great man himself. This book is part memoir, part philosophical text, part study in human behavior, from one of America's greatest literary treasures. Narrated masterfully by Bronson Pinchot, this audiobook also includes Twain’s popular short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", as well as a printable eBook in PDF format.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

Public Domain (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

An Inspiring Author

I was very inspired, as a fellow author, by the writing style of Mark Twain. I was shocked to discover his dishonesty, but perhaps that’s because he lived in his own world of fiction.

If I wait 100 years more...

The book is, as expected, wonderful - humor, drama, pathos. The narration is very well done. I had the opportunity to see Hal Holbrook during his one man show of Twain and didn't think anyone could approach his portrayal of Twain with his drawling twang. However, the narrator enhances the book, you are drawn into Twain's world. Highly recommended.

Fabulous Performance AND Read

I have to admit I was a tad put off that "Cousin Balky" was the narrator, until I began to listen, and without exaggeration, this has to be about the best, most consistent long-term performance I've ever heard. This is probably as close as currently possible to actually sit down in Samuel Clemens' presence and hear him humorously relate hitherto unknown details of his life. Pinchot is that good in his reading. Remarkable feat. The southern-fried accent is never overdone, but more growled and grumbled in a lovable singularity (you can almost smell the cigar smoke). Mark Twain's material is wonderful, as always, but Bronson Pinchot's performance is what both seals and steals this production as an Audible.com classic (and it should win many awards). Heart-breaking in parts, laugh-out-funny in many parts (and that's not the usual review hyperbole), and always historically engrossing, I highly recommend "Chapters from My Autobiography" (and keep your eyes, especially ears, on Bronson Pinchot). Art et Amour Toujours

One of the finest narrators on Audible

Bronson Pinchot takes Twain's words and turns them into a living play. Another reviewer suggested that Twain's real voice was different - high and almost whiny. I couldn't care less. Pinchot doesn't read, and he doesn't sound like he's acting. He sounds like a truly original person reliving a fascinating life, with all its poignant moments, humor, etc. He'll bring tears to your eyes. That person being Mark Twain, much of the writing is beautiful. I read somewhere else that Twain dictated his memoirs verbatim with almost no revisions. Think about this as you listen - it makes the quality of the "writing" even more startling.

Awesome

Not only are the facts of this American heroes life interesting but the narration of Pinchot made me feel like I was listening to Mark Twain tell me the story from the stage. An easy listen that also shows a simpler but more complex time.

Powerful Mark Train and Powerful Bronson Pinchot

Mark Twain on a far more personal and emotional level.

And Bronson Pinchot's portrayal (because it's so much more than simple narration) is nothing short of Masterful! He draws you in and you being it's Mark Twain himself telling his own story.

Wonderful Performance!

I'm a Twain fan. If I had to invite several people from history to dinner Mark Twain would definitely be one. He knows the art of storytelling and can make an amusing story from virtually nothing. That's a little of what this book is - little stories about this or that which happened to him or his family over the years.

The stories are sweet and sentimental and full of love and warmth. I would not say that this is an autobiography in the conventional sense and the author will tell you as much in his opening forward. For a better biography I would read "Life on the Mississippi" which covers most of Twain's early life as a river boat pilot. There are overlaps between the books but the "Life on.." book is much more chronological and orderly about the tales.

I liked this book because Twain has a sweetness and innocence in his style that I think speaks to an age gone by - an age I would have liked to have known. From his stories I like the man. I feel that he was a very generous and kind man and for that I like to listen to him rattle on about this or that. Those that don't feel such a kinsmanship with Twain or that are new to Twain might see this book as a collection of the ramblings of an old man in no real order or sense which could be frustrating.

The real hero in this presentation is Bronson Pinchot. His narration was one of the best I have encountered. The inflections were perfect. Even the tearful reminiscences were so skillfully done that I would swear it was Twain himself recounting these tales to me personally.

Inspired performance of a masterful work

Any additional comments?

Bronson Pinchot's performance is magnificent. And Twain is Twain. One of the most enjoyable productions I've encountered from Audible.

Love it!

A funny man and a sentimental husband and father. Also an incredible handful as a child.

Didn’t finish this one

Couldn’t get into this book at all, which disappointed and surprised me. I think it was the narrator. Just didn’t have the dialect I was expecting for Mark Twain.