The Modern Scholar: The Life and Times of Mark Twain

By: Prof. Michael Shelden

Narrated by: Michael Shelden

Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Professor of English at Indiana State University and the author of the literary biography Mark Twain: Man in White, Michael Shelden is the perfect candidate to lead this series of lectures on one of the most important—and most influential—of all American authors. From Twain’s early history through his landmark achievements and the defining moments of his extraordinary life, Shelden imparts a learned understanding of both the man and his astounding body of work.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2010 Andrew Garman (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

INSTRUCTIVE OVERVIEW OF LIFE AND WORK

These 14 half-hour talks are presented in quiet way that lets the words and ideas speak for themselves.

Highly recommended to those who want to know more about this important American author.

Flat delivery, great content

This is by far one of the more satisfying biographical treatments of Mark Twain available on Audible. Michael Shelden relates the high points of Twain’s life and career, and along the way provides passionate and sometimes moving analyses of his major works.

Unfortunately his delivery is flat, so much so that it took me a long time to get around to listening to it all the way through. What I found is that his voice grew on me, and I was able to focus on the content and stop thinking about the unemotional (and sometimes repetitive) way it was presented.

Shelden knows what he’s talking about. He wrote one of the best books available about the later years of Mark Twain, Man in White, also available on Audible (and fortunately with a better narrator who is able to do justice to the book). Despite Shelden’s weakness as a speaker, this is definitely worth a listen.

perfect

What made the experience of listening to The Modern Scholar: The Life and Times of Mark Twain the most enjoyable?

Felt like the author knew him and is just telling about a friend.

What did you like best about this story?

Followed a distinct timeline.

Any additional comments?

The author/performer is pretty soft spoken, but it was alright. Just made me pay that much more attention.

Poorly presented

the narrator pauses in the middle of sentences over and over again. very annoying.

Loved these lectures on Mark Twain, life and lit

I just loved this lecture series. The lectures were perfectly done for a gentle listen in the evening before bed. Yet they were thought provoking. To be honest, I hadn't really thought about Mark Twain for decades! And these lectures opened me up to why he has a timeless appeal and relevance to those interested in the American experience. I loved the lecturer and have gone on to listen/read some of Twain's novels again.

Skip this one, listen to a Great Courses lecture

The content is there however the professor presenting this lecture is not good. I had to speed it up because of his slow talking. His stream of consciousness style presentation feels like he's trying to think about the next word he's saying constantly.