Mark Twain's Letters from Hawaii

By: Mark Twain

Narrated by: McAvoy Layne

Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

The Huck Finn of foreign correspondents provides a colorful account of old Honolulu, the island nobility, the City of Refuge on the Kona coast, and the active volcano of Kilauea. These selections of Mark Twain's newspaper dispatches are both charming and informative. The light touch of the great humorist is seldom missing as he reveals the "loveliest fleet of islands that lie anchored in any ocean". This recording evokes the historical era with the eye of a verbal artist and the voice of the performing artist.

(P)2004 The Audio Partners Publishing Corp.

Critic reviews

"The unmistakable touch of [Twain's] comic genius can be seen, that sly alternation of hyperbole and deadpan understatement." (The Wall Street Journal)
"Twain's powers of observation and description are unsurpassed....A vivid picture of the life and scenery of these lovely islands." (Saturday Review)
"An amalgam of workaday journalism, whimsy, shrewd and poetic observation, accurate commercial prophecy...and tongue-in-cheek tall tales." (Times Literary Supplement)

Colorful and entertaining.

This is a great little audio. It's short and concise and gives the listener a glimpse of life in the islands over 150 years ago. I loved Twains description of the land and its inhabitants, cringed over his very Victorian tirade of the immorality of the hula, and was fascinated by descriptions of sites that are no longer available to see in the 21st century. There is a sharp contrast of reverence and irreverence that treads on modern sensibilities - yet that is the way it was (in and of itself a valuable lesson to the children of our age).

Mark Twain at the start of his career

This is a wonderful audiobook, short and sweet, containing letters written for publication by Mark Twain at the very beginning of his writing career. He was sent by a San Francisco newspaper to Hawaii with the understanding that he would describe his journey in periodic dispatches. And he does so, with all the humor, gusto, and incredibly rich evocations of natural beauty that characterize his later work. It also includes his one big journalistic coup: a detailed account of the harrowing experience of men who survived for 43 days in an open boat after their ship caught fire. Twain rushed to the scene of their rescue, interviewed them for days, compiled notes from their journals, and spun the tale into an absolute cliff-hanger. Ably narrated by McAvoy Layne.

Letters from Hawai'i

O'ahu was my home for 40 years. I truly enjoyed hearing Mark Twain's letters about people and places I am familiar with. The narration by McAvoy Layne was perfect. I could easily imagine that Mark Twain was just across the room, reading to me. Layne did a good job of pronouncing Hawaiian names too. I listened to this book in one sitting, I did not realize it was abridged, and might buy the unabridged edition.

Twain in Hawaik

enjoyable writing talented reporting..wry insights..easy listening..lotsa history and anecdotal delights..Twain loved this wonderland..Sandwich Islands Hawaii

Snapshot of Hawaii...from the words of Mark Twain!

If you love Hawaii...this is a wonderful book to give you a sense of what it was like back in 1866. It comes alive in Mark Twain's writings. This audio book was well read in the style of Mark Twain. Would recommend it highly.

Absurdly Abridged!

Just a few hours of excerpts focused on tedious descriptions of geography and dress. Omits the vast quantity of hilariously delightful material in this book.