I have to admit I was inspired to read Mark Twain's 1869 travelog, Innocents Abroad (1869) due to Anthony Bourdain's urging-he said it's one of the best travel books. I have to agree. The fact that Twain was doing travel writing when it was really an obscure hobby, since it required several months or at least a year's commitment to undertake in those days. Twain is such a smart ass-almost two hundred years ago. People always make fun of Americans for being so naive and serious, but Twain was busting the balls of every tour guide as were his mates. First of all, they deiced they couldn't be bothered to remember the tour guides names so they all became "Ferguson"-which they all hated. I also like how he would torture tour guides by asking them after their lectures whether or not the principles were dead or not-funny stuff... Furthermore, Twain wrote about culture fatigue. I, personally first encountered, like Twain in Europe. I saw so many churches and religious paintings and was flummoxed. Then it happened again in Asian, when I saw so many temples and shrines. I had to laugh about most of his commentary on Italy and the fact that Micheal Angelo had designed and made everything. I also enjoyed his grape stealing episode in Greece. His interest and knowledge of the middle east reflects the American obsession with the bible and Twain was a man of his time-the main selling point of the tour was to see the Holy Land as well. I think some might interpret his comments about the cultures of the middle east as being racist, however, I see it as it coming form a man of his time. This trip took place in the late 19th century and overall I think Twain was pretty broad minded for a man of his generation. The final chapter ties it all together as well. There are so many great quotes from the book, but let's revisit a few of the more choice ones:
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.”
“I do not mind Bedouins,—I am not afraid of them; because neither Bedouins nor ordinary Arabs have shown any disposition to harm us, but I do feel afraid of my own comrades.”
“The gentle reader will never, never know what a consummate ass he can become, until he goes abroad.”
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts."
"In this connection I wish to say one word about Michael Angelo-that man who was great in poetry, painting, sculpture, architecture-great in everything he undertook. But I do not want Michael Angelo for breakfast-for luncheon-for dinner-for tea-for supper-for in between meals. I like a change occasionally."
"When I think how I have been swindled by books of Oriental travel, i want a tourist for breakfast."
I really enjoyed this book and agree that it is a travel classic, that anyone who enjoy travel literature should read. Heck, it's just a great book and should be read by all.
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