The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

By Mark Twain

Whether forming a pirate gang to search for buried treasure or spending a quiet time at home, sharing his medicine with Aunt Polly's cat, the irrepressible Tom Sawyer evokes the world of boyhood in nineteenth century rural America. In this classic story, Mark Twain re-created a long-ago world of freshly whitewashed fences and Sunday school picnics into which sordid characters and violent incidents sometimes intruded. The tale powerfully appeals to both adult and young imaginations. Readers explore this memorable setting with a slyly humorous born storyteller as their guide.
Tom and Huck Finn conceal themselves in the town cemetery, where they witness a grave robbery and a murder. Later, the boys, feeling unappreciated, hide out on a forested island while the townspeople conduct a frantic search and finally mourn them as dead. The friends triumphantly return to town to attend their own funeral, in time for a dramatic trial for the graveyard murder. A three-day ordeal ensues when Tom and his sweetheart, Becky Thatcher, lose their way in the very cave that conceals the murderer.
With its hilarious accounts of boyish pranks and its shrewd assessments of human nature, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has captivated generations of readers of all ages. This inexpensive edition of the classic novel offers a not-to-be-missed opportunity to savor a witty and action-packed account of small-town boyhood in a bygone era.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Release date: Mar 5, 2012
• ISBN: 9780486114699

Mark Twain

Mark Twain (1835-1910) was the pen name and alter ego of Samuel Clemens, an American humorist, satirist, social critic, lecturer and novelist. He is considered one of the fathers of American literature and is remembered most fondly for his classic novels The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

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DOVER THRIFT EDITIONS

GENERAL EDITOR: PAUL NEGRI

EDITOR OF THIS VOLUME: KATHY CASEY

Bibliographical Note

This Dover edition, first published in 1998, is an unabridged republication of a standard text. A new introductory Note has been specially prepared for this edition.

Copyright Copyright © 1998 by Dover Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Twain, Mark, 1835-1910.

The adventures of Tom Sawyer / Mark Twain.

p. cm.—(Dover thrift editions)

9780486114699

1. Sawyer, Tom (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Boys—Missouri—Fiction. I. Title. II. Series.

PS1306.A1 1998

813’.4—dc21 97-46677

CIP

Manufactured in the United States by Courier Corporation

40077811

www.doverpublications.com

Note

MARK TWAIN was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, in Florida, Missouri, in 1835. His family moved to nearby Hannibal, on the Mississippi River, when he was four years old. Samuel’s father, who owned a grocery and dry-goods store, became active in journalism and politics. In 1847, when Samuel was 11, his father died. By the age of 13, the boy had to leave school to work, helping to support the family.

The redheaded, quick-tempered youth traveled a lot. He began work as a printer’s typesetter in 1853 and became an apprentice steamboat pilot on the Mississippi in 1857. By 1859 he had a pilot’s license, but in 1862, after a brief stint with a would-be Confederate militia, he headed to the Nevada Territory by stagecoach with his brother, Orion, who was ten years older and had been appointed secretary to the governor. Samuel alternated work as a journalist in Virginia City with time spent as an eager prospector and an unsuccessful miner. After a heated quarrel with another reporter, he left for San Francisco, where he met writer Bret Harte. He also was encouraged as a writer and lecturer by Artemus Ward (Charles Farrar Browne), who then was the nation’s most popular humorist. By this time Clemens was using the pen name Mark Twain—a river pilot’s phrase meaning that the water was two fathoms deep.

The story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County—Twain’s retelling of a folktale he had heard at a mining camp—was first published as a newspaper article. In 1867 it became the title story of his first book. By then, using the Mark Twain persona, Clemens had a considerable reputation in the West as a humorous lecturer who specialized in tall tales and accounts of his travel adventures. His journeys included a trip to the Hawaiian Islands as a correspondent. Then, intending to travel around the world, he first sailed to New York, crossing the Isthmus of Panama on the way, and decided to accompany a group of American travelers to Europe and the Holy Land. His 1869 book, The Innocents Abroad, which was based on this trip, established his reputation as a humorous writer.

In 1870 Clemens married Olivia (Livy) Langdon, the sister of a young man he had met on his 1867 trip. The marriage initiated great changes in his life. Livy was from a wealthy Elmira, New York, family. Her father bought his son-in-law a partnership in a Buffalo, New York, newspaper, and the couple settled in the East. In 1871 they moved to Hartford, Connecticut. Their son, Langdon, born in 1870, died in 1872, the same year daughter Susy was born. Two more daughters were born by 1880. In 1873, Twain published the novel The Gilded Age, which was written with his friend and neighbor, Charles Dudley Warren, a noted essayist who edited the Hartford Courant. The novel satirized the post-Civil War greed and corruption of U.S. society.

Twain’s next book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, was begun early in 1873, or perhaps earlier, but he put it aside while he worked on The Gilded Age. Published in 1876, Tom Sawyer was very different in subject and style from his previous work. Twain stated in the first edition that the character of Tom Sawyer was a composite drawn from three real-life Hannibal boys, including the author, and that only a few of his experiences were based on those of the young Samuel Clemens. He wrote in a letter to his friend, the writer, editor, and critic William Dean Howells, that the book would be read only by adults: It is not a boy’s book. However, Howells, who was enthusiastic about the novel, persuaded him to market it for young people. Livy Clemens agreed. Thus, in a brief preface, Twain described the book as intended for the entertainment of boys and girls. After a slow start (few copies were sold in the first two years after publication, and critics largely ignored the book) it achieved the status of arguably the most popular American novel. In later years, Twain followed up with Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894) and Tom Sawyer, Detective (1896). Meanwhile, in 1877, he began work on his masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, published in 1884. This novel relates, in the first person, the adventures of Tom’s friend after he leaves Hannibal to raft down the Mississippi. In the second half of the twentieth century, Huckleberry Finn became the subject of censorship controversies, as some decried it as a racist work. Tom Sawyer largely escaped such acrimony and remains one of Twain’s works that is most popular with readers young and old.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Note

Dedication

Preface

CHAPTER I - TOM PLAYS, FIGHTS, AND HIDES

CHAPTER II - THE GLORIOUS WHITEWASHER

CHAPTER III - BUSY AT WAR AND LOVE

CHAPTER IV - SHOWING OFF IN SUNDAY SCHOOL

CHAPTER V - THE PINCHBUG AND HIS PREY

CHAPTER VI - TOM MEETS BECKY

CHAPTER VII - TICK-RUNNING AND A HEARTBREAK

CHAPTER VIII - A PIRATE BOLD TO BE

CHAPTER IX - TRAGEDY IN THE GRAVEYARD

CHAPTER X - DIRE PROPHECY OF THE HOWLING DOG

CHAPTER XI - CONSCIENCE RACKS TOM

CHAPTER XII - THE CAT AND THE PAINKILLER

CHAPTER XIII - THE PIRATE CREW SET SAIL

CHAPTER XIV - HAPPY CAMP OF THE FREEBOOTERS

CHAPTER XV - TOM’S STEALTHY VISIT HOME

CHAPTER XVI - FIRST PIPES—I’VE LOST MY KNIFE

CHAPTER XVII - PIRATES AT THEIR OWN FUNERAL

CHAPTER XVIII - TOM REVEALS HIS DREAM SECRET

CHAPTER XIX - THE CRUELTY OF I DIDN’T THINK

CHAPTER XX - TOM TAKES BECKY’S PUNISHMENT

CHAPTER XXI - ELOQUENCE—AND THE MASTER’S GILDED DOME

CHAPTER XXII - HUCK FINN QUOTES SCRIPTURES

CHAPTER XXIII - THE SALVATION OF MUFF POTTER

CHAPTER XXIV - SPLENDID DAYS AND FEARSOME NIGHTS

CHAPTER XXV - SEEKING THE BURIED TREASURE

CHAPTER XXVI - REAL ROBBERS SEIZE THE BOX OF GOLD

CHAPTER XXVII - TREMBLING ON THE TRAIL

CHAPTER XXVIII - IN THE LAIR OF INJUN JOE

CHAPTER XXIX - HUCK SAVES THE WIDOW

CHAPTER XXX - TOM AND BECKY IN THE CAVE

CHAPTER XXXI - FOUND AND LOST AGAIN

CHAPTER XXXII - TURN OUT! THEY’RE FOUND!

CHAPTER XXXIII - THE FATE OF INJUN JOE

CHAPTER XXXIV - FLOODS OF GOLD

CHAPTER XXXV - RESPECTABLE HUCK JOINS THE GANG

CONCLUSION

To

MY WIFE

THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

Preface

MOST OF THE adventures recorded in this book really occurred; one or two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, but not from an individual—he is a combination of the characteristics of three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite order of architecture.

The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story—that is to say, thirty or forty years ago.

Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.

The Author

Hartford, 1876

CHAPTER I

TOM PLAYS, FIGHTS, AND HIDES

TOM!

No answer.

TOM!

No answer.

What’s gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!

No answer.

The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked through them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for style, not service—she could have seen through a pair of stove lids just as well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear:

Well, I lay if I get hold of you I’ll—

She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat.

I never did see the beat of that boy!

She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the tomato vines and jimpson weeds that constituted the garden. No Tom. So she lifted up her voice at an angle calculated for distance, and shouted:

"Y-o-u-u Tom!"

There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight.

There! I might ‘a’ thought of that closet. What you been doing in there?

Nothing.

Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What is that truck?

"I don’t know, aunt."

"Well, I know. It’s jam—that’s what it is. Forty times I’ve said if you didn’t let that jam alone I’d skin you. Hand me that switch."

The switch hovered in the air—the peril was desperate—

My! Look behind you, aunt!

The old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger. The lad fled, on the instant, scrambled up the high board fence, and disappeared over it.

His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle laugh.

"Hang the boy, can’t I never learn anything? Ain’t he played me tricks enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old fools is the biggest fools there is. Can’t learn an old dog new tricks, as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days, and how is a body to know what’s coming? He ’pears to know just how long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it’s all down again and I can’t hit him a lick. I ain’t doing my duty by that boy, and that’s the Lord’s truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile the child, as the Good Book says. I’m a-laying up sin and suffering for us both, I know. He’s full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he’s my own dead sister’s boy, poor thing, and I ain’t got the heart to lash him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so, and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the Scripture says, and I reckon it’s so. He’ll play hookey this evening; and I’ll just be obleeged to make him work, tomorrow, to punish him. It’s mighty hard to make him work Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more than he hates anything else, and I’ve got to do some of my duty by him, or I’ll be the ruination of the child."¹

Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next day’s wood and split the kindlings before supper—at least he was there in time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of the work. Tom’s younger brother (or rather, half-brother), Sid, was already through with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he was a quiet boy, and had no adventurous, troublesome ways.

While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and very deep—for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low cunning. Said she:

Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn’t it?

Yes’m.

Powerful warm, warn’t it?

Yes’m.

Didn’t you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?

A bit of a scare shot through Tom—a touch of uncomfortable suspicion. He searched Aunt Polly’s face, but it told him nothing. So he said:

No’m—well, not very much.

The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom’s shirt, and said:

But you ain’t too warm now, though. And it flattered her to reflect that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her, Tom knew where the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be the next move:

Some of us pumped on our heads—mine’s damp yet. See?

Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new inspiration:

Tom, you didn’t have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!

The trouble vanished out of Tom’s face. He opened his jacket. His shirt collar was securely sewed.

"Bother! Well, go ’long with you. I’d made sure you’d played hookey and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you’re a kind of a singed cat, as the saying is—better’n you look. This time."

She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom had stumbled into obedient conduct for once.

But Sidney said:

Well, now, if I didn’t think you sewed his collar with white thread, but it’s black.

Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!

But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said:

Siddy, I’ll lick you for that.

In a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust into the lapels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them—one needle carried white thread and the other black. He said:

"She’d never noticed if it hadn’t been for Sid. Confound it! Sometimes she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to geeminy she’d stick to one or t‘other—I can’t keep the run of ’em. But I bet you I’ll lam Sid for that. I’ll learn him!"

He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very well though—and loathed him.

Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him than a man’s are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore them down and drove them out of his mind for the time—just as men’s misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just acquired from a Negro, and he was suffering to practice it undisturbed. It consisted in a peculiar birdlike turn, a sort of liquid warble, produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short intervals in the midst of the music—the reader probably remembers how to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet—no doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer.

The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom checked his whistle. A stranger was before him—a boy a shade larger than himself. A newcomer of any age or either sex was an impressive curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy was well dressed, too—well dressed on a weekday. This was simply astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on—and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom’s vitals. The more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved—but only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all the time. Finally Tom said:

I can lick you!

I’d like to see you try it

Well, I can do it.

No you can’t, either.

Yes I can.

No you can’t.

I can.

You can’t.

Can!

Can’t!

An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said:

What’s your name?

’Tisn’t any of your business, maybe.

"Well, I ’low I’ll make it my business."

Well, why don’t you?

If you say much, I will.

"Much—much—much. There now."

"Oh, you think you’re mighty smart, don’t you? I could lick you with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to."

"Well why don’t you do it? You say you can do it."

"Well I will, if you fool with me."

Oh yes—I’ve seen whole families in the same fix.

"Smarty! You think you’re some, now, don’t you? Oh, what a hat!"

You can lump that hat if you don’t like it. I dare you to knock it off—and anybody that’ll take a dare will suck eggs.

You’re a liar!

You’re another.

You’re a fighting liar and dasn’t take it up.

Aw—take a walk!

Say—if you give me much more of your sass I’ll take and bounce a rock off’n your head.

"Oh, of course you will."

"Well I will."

"Well why don’t you do it then? What do you keep saying you will for? Why don’t you do it? It’s because you’re afraid."

"I ain’t afraid."

You are.

I ain’t.

You are.

Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said:

Get away from here!

Go away yourself!

I won’t.

"I won’t either."

So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, and Tom said:

You’re a coward and a pup. I’ll tell my big brother on you, and he can thrash you with his little finger, and I’ll make him do it, too.

What do I care for your big brother? I’ve got a brother that’s bigger than he is—and what’s more, he can throw him over that fence, too. (Both brothers were imaginary.)

That’s a lie.

Your saying so don’t make it so.

Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said:

I dare you to step over that, and I’ll lick you till you can’t stand up. Anybody that’ll take a dare will steal sheep.

The new boy stepped over promptly, and said:

Now you said you’d do it, now let’s see you do it.

Don’t you crowd me now; you better look out.

"Well, you said you’d do it—why don’t you do it?"

"By jingo! For two cents I will do it."

The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other’s hair and clothes, punched and scratched each other’s noses, and covered themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form and through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and pounding him with his fists.

Holler ’nuff! said he.

The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying—mainly from rage.

Holler ’nuff!—and the pounding went on.

At last the stranger got out a smothered ’Nuff! and Tom let him up and said:

Now that’ll learn you. Better look out who you’re fooling with next time.

The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing, snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and threatening what he would do to Tom the next time he caught him out To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in

Reviews for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

[librarycin · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This tells the story of a boy, Tom Sawyer, and his best friend, Huck Finn, and some of the adventures they get into. Some of those adventures include ghosts, haunted houses and treasure. I listened to an audio version of this one, narrated by William Dufris. The narrator was very good with amazing expressions, but my mind wandered, anyway. The one mostly couldn't hold my interest. Because of that, I missed a lot, so initially, it almost felt like these were short stories, rather than a novel. A lot of the same characters did return later, and I think storylines were picked up again later, but it was hard to connect everything because I just hadn't focused enough. However, the parts of the book that I did catch, I thought were cute. And, I have to give bonus points for the narrator, so an “o.k.” 3 stars it is.

[infantinanivetha · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this book in my 6th grade. The story was gripping but not my favorite.

[meersan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A young criminal mastermind-in-training gets into mischief with his disreputable neighborhood friends.

[jon1lambert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the books that I thought I had read but hadn't. It rushes along, adventure after adventure, capturing what it is is to be a child growing up.

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'd forgotten what a little trouble maker Tom was. It was a nice enjoyable read.

[bookomaniac-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Cruciaal is de ontmoeting met Huckleberry Finn. Vinnige dialogen; Mooie impressie van jongensachtige gevoelens en leefwereld, genre Witte van Zichem (Claes is duidelijk maar een doordrukje van Twain). Toch maar matig boek.

[anagarika · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think Mark Twain is overrated.

[leandrod-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One point less for mocking Christianity

[chrisblocker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've returned to the river.A year ago I spent a weekend on the Missouri River attending a Writers Workshop. In typical Chris Blocker fashion, I thought it prudent to read something riverish. I selected Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi. Thus a new association was born and once I decided I was returning to the river, one of my first considerations was what Mark Twain book I'd read this year.I was hesitant to get into the Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn story-arc. I had a feeling I'd be underwhelmed or offended. I was leaning toward a different selection, but at the last minute, I decided to go with a classic. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer wasn't that bad—not as bad as I imagined it could be—but it certainly didn't impress me too much. Part of the issue is that Tom Sawyer feels slightly underdeveloped—ideas are used seemingly haphazardly and are recycled throughout the story. And part of the issue is that some of the novels better moments have become cliché. I recognize that Twain was likely the originator of some of these ideas—at least he was probably the prominent figure who introduced them into the American narrative. But I've seen enough Our Gang to know that children who play pirates will find treasure, children who fake death will convince everyone, and that little boys will always win a kiss from the girl of their dreams. It's not Twain's fault that his story has been resurrected repeatedly, but the familiarity minimized any sense of wonder and adventure I might have had had I come across this book 130 years ago.In a different time, this book may have had a much different impact on me. This is a strong story of adventure from a unique child-like perspective. Those who enjoy a little swashbuckling or hijinx will likely eat this story up like blackberry pie. (Why blackberry pie? I don't know. It just feels like something I'd expect from these characters.) With a different person, there would've been different results: I'm not one for adventure; I was never a child. It's a good, simple story, very much plot-driven, but I didn't see much else to it.Sadly, this book didn't hold to the river like I thought it would. There are a few mentions, a few explorations, but I have the notion that Huckleberry Finn is the more river-centric of the two. Will I explore the river someday with Huck? I don't know. I probably should, but I have the same hesitance I did with Tom Sawyer. Maybe I'll leave it up to the river. If it's able to pull me back another time, I'll consider it.

[ashryan_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer gets better each time I read it, because as I get older (and as I've read more of his writings) I get more of Twain's sly, irreverent humor. The fourth chapter, for example, which finds Tom showing off in Sunday school, is hysterically funny.But besides that, Mark Twain really captures the spirit of childhood in this book. And on top of that, Tom Sawyer is a great adventure story. In some ways it isn't really a "Great novel" with a capital G, and it's not one of my all-time personal favorites, but it is a darn Good one.

[rwjerome · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having only read Huck Finn previously, I was very glad to get the background story of these two interesting characters. Tom is every bit as bright as Huck always makes him out to be, and Huck is just as sympathetic as I remember him. This is a great story that really draws the reader in to the lives of the St. Petersburg children. The humorous parts are very funny, the tense parts very tense, and the end ultimately satisfying. Despite the many character flaws of Tom it is impossible not to love him and root for him throughout the whole story. I especially enjoyed the dialog between the children. Their wholehearted superstitions and the ways that they play together really paint a vibrant and believable image. Overall I was more impressed with the writing and the story itself than I expected to be. This is an American classic for a reason, and certainly well worth the read.

[mermind · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I plan to make a practice this year of re-reading books, not just books I enjoyed in my childhood and adolescent, but books from my own library that I keep because" I might want to read them 'someday'". I read Tom Sawyer more than once, more than twice, I don't actually remember how many times. At some point I began to understand that much of what Twain writes from Tom's point of view was ironic and therefore funny. I finally got the joke. This time I appreciated Twain's craftsmanship with plot, as well as character. Obviously, this book is a classic. I will probably read it again some year.

[satyridae · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It had been some time since I'd read this, and I'm fixing to read a new novel about Huck Finn's Pap, so I thought it best to repair to the source material first. Being the mother of a boy has certainly changed my reaction to this particular book. What struck me as hilarious fiction once now rings true and is not so mirth-inducing. The nature of the boy as boy seems unchanged though lo, these many years have passed. Twain's not dated in the least, and is still one of the funniest writers ever.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Allow me to preface this review by informing my reader that I do not much care for southern accents. I do not find them appealing. I say this as a southern girl (with no accent...I'm Atlanta born and raised). This audiobook definitely plays up the southern-ness of the story. The narrator pulls out the accent, which, perfectly fitting to the story though it may be, annoys me greatly.

In middle school, I had to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which seemed to me at the time to be essentially a form of torture exacted by my teacher. I can say, gratefully, that this one was not so bad, although whether that is the audio format or the different, shorter book, it's hard to say.

The story did not hugely impress me, although it was interesting to learn the details of a book about which my only knowledge was drawn from Wishbone. True fact. As I was listening, I kept trying to remember what I knew about it and I just now realized that all I know is thanks to a spunky Jack Russell terrier. Man, I miss that show.

Anyway, the book was not too bad. Except for the blatant racism. The discussions of black people and of Injun Joe were certainly what would be expected of a man of Twain's time, but definitely are completely awful. Also, there was one scene in which Tom was talking about being a pirate in which he describes how pirates or robbers get ladies; his description is essentially of Stockholm Syndrome. Terrifying!!!

Lynch did, accent issues put aside, a really good job with the book. His voices were really unique, almost always allowing me to know who was speaking, even if I missed the part that said who was talking. Aunt Polly's voice definitely grated, even beyond the accent, but I thought his Tom definitely conveyed the excitement of a young, incorrigible boy.

The production of the audiobook seems to have been done pretty well. I liked the music, which had a sort of slouch-y, casual southern feel to it that fit perfectly. What was odd, though, was that the music seemed to occur at completely random intervals.

[christopher.kyle1706 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really doubted this book would be a thriller, or energetic to read. This book makes you want to fall asleep while reading it. I am so sorry, but this book had so many POV'S I could not keep up. MY REVIEW; This book was a serious letdown. I thought there would be more action because it tells about a boys and his friends life in this story. NO ACTION. I liked some parts like when they were trying to find treasure and couldn't find it for like 3 chapters! No. Terrible absolutely did not like the writing. There was also different related stories to read while you finish Tom Sawyer but I decided NOT to read it.

[dasam-5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had never read the Adventures of Tom Sawyer except in a childhood version in Golden Books or something like that. I skipped right over to read Huck Finn. While this is definitely a children's book in many ways, Twain writes in such a way that adults still enjoy Tom and his picaresque adventures, both as nostalgia for our own childhoods and because the adult voice of Twain cannot help inserting his snide commentaries on humanity.

[ajaygx · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Must read for all young boys and girls...

[beebowallace · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Seriously a great read! I remember hating this as a kid - being forced to read it - with 25+ years of experiences under my belt since I last picked up this book, it's just an amazing read. As adults, we really just need to say fuck it, let's see what kind of trouble I can get myself into more often ...

[buecherwurmeline · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

We read the book in school in Germany. I learned English with the book. The reading was good. I like the story. But some words are difficult. The school edition has word help that was good for me. I want to read Huckelberry Finn next.

[sraimone · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was required reading in high school, and I absolutely hated it. Although, I have enjoyed other works by Mark Twain I found this incredibly hard to read. I think part of the problem is me being able to follow the southern dialect. It was really hard for me. I really didn't care for the story, and very excited for it to be over with.

[cwflatt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

American classic, all boys and men should read often

[theokester · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first and only time I previously read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was back in middle-school or late elementary school. Since then I've read a lot of Mark Twain's short stories and a few of his novels. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of my favorite books and I've read it a pile of times but until now I'd never revisited Tom Sawyer.One of the things I love about Twain's writing is just how real and honest everything feels. Very quickly I felt myself pulled into the world of St. Peterburg. I absolutely love the flow and tone of the language. It's just so fluid and friendly. I love Twain's narrative style as he makes commentary on situations or behaviors. I can almost hear his snarky voice as he satirizes the sanctimonious behavior of some of the adults as set against the devil-may-care (yet very superstitious) attitudes of the children.I vaguely remembered bits of the larger plot of the story but as I was reading I was struck by how much this book is a compilation of shorter stories instead of one single big plot piece. Admittedly there is the overall thread of Tom and Huck and their adventures with Injun Joe, but that particular story thread often goes many chapters completely forgotten, much in the way a child will forget some of their worries and cares as soon as the next big adventure comes along.This book is definitely lighter in tone than Huckleberry Finn. It's not addressing heavy topics like slavery. But it still has plenty of weighty segments alongside the frivolous fun. There are plenty of subtle morality lessons as well as very dramatic scenes. I really enjoyed the tension as Tom and Becky sat in the dark cave watching their candle go out or the suspense as Tom and Huck sat upstairs in the haunted house waiting for Injun Joe to come up the stairs and find them hiding there. These segments were a fun balance to the light hearted adventures of boys playing pirates or whitewashing the fence.While not as outrageous as Huckleberry Finn, there are segments in this book that may be potentially offensive or off-putting to some readers. The boys do observe a grizzly murder, though it isn't described in ghastly turns. There is also a lot of talk about superstition and witchcraft and sneaking out in the middle of the night for special ceremonies for luck or play. Beyond these elements (which are quaintly fun and characteristic of the world at that time and place), the boys also run away from home and spend days cussing and smoking and when they do return home they only get mild chastisement. Tom comments how he's going to impress the other boys by pulling out his pipe and smoking around them. While the behavior doesn't get much more applause than this (and it actually makes him very sick the first time he smokes), it doesn't get particularly villainized either, which could certainly be a cause for shock in some readers. I think as long as the reader understands the context, it shouldn't be a problem. And if a parent or educator is giving this book to a young child to read, it could be a good teaching point.Being a fan of Mark Twain, I certainly have some bias, but I can wholeheartedly recommend this book. I plan on pushing it on my unsuspecting children and hope they enjoy it as much as I do. It's a true pleasure to go romping around with Tom Sawyer and his friends as they get up to adventures and into and out of trouble. If you've read it before, pick it up again and find old friends. And if you've never read it, you should definitely give it a read. It's tons of fun and definitely stands up to the test of time. As a note, there are a lot of Abridged versions out there (presumably to remove some of the potentially offensive segments). Do yourself a favor and read the unabridged version. You don't want to miss any of the fun.*****5 out of 5 stars

[john257hopper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is perhaps unusual to read this book aimed at boys for the first time at the age of 45, but I really enjoyed it. Tom is an appealingly mischievous boy whose adventures, fears and insecurities are fairly timeless; though written in 1876, the book could be set in the modern era in a small town or rural area with relatively few changes. The other main characters, Aunt Polly, Joe Harper, Becky Thatcher and of course Huck Finn are equally attractively drawn. From the modern perspective the character of Injun Joe is portrayed as a wholly negative and stereotypical "savage", but this is lifted by Tom's compassion towards him at the end. Very enjoyable read for all ages. 5/5

[barb_h_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story was cute, but man that kid needed some discipline! It's hard to believe how wild children used to be. But it did make for an entertaining and amusing story.

[srboone · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Never been much of a Twain fan, but TS is much more enjoyable than Huckleberry Finn. The Rockwell apintings are gorgeous.

[auntieknickers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've read this book at least twice, probably more, but it's been a while. Still there are scenes that stick in my mind -- the famous fence whitewashing sequence, the one where Tom and Huck attend their own funeral, and others. Although The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a deeper book, and probably deserves six stars, I can't downgrade Tom Sawyer because of that. Certainly every American - whether child or adult, Mayflower descendant, American Indian or recent immigrant -- should read both books.

[cecrow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tom represents the perennial, eternal, perfect boyhood - both for an adult remembering childhood, and a child wishing for a perfect life. His story has aged enough, however, that my nine-year-old set it aside halfway through (he particularly didn't like Injun Joe's casual violence in the graveyard.) I picked it up from there, remembering it was read to me when I was about his age. It was like reading for the first time, so foggy was my memory.Books with no plot always make me stumble. There is a sort of a plot around Injun Joe, but it's clearly secondary for all that it's visited and the point of climax is tough to pinpoint. The focus is on Tom's hijinks and seeing what he comes up with next, one thing after another. It's strangely compelling for all the lack of what-happens-next tension, replaced with what'll-he-do-next curiosity. Credit belongs to the fun narrative voice, the creativity of Tom's ideas, and the unexpected results they inevitably lead to for himself and the town.I played special attention to Huckleberry Finn throughout because of this book's sequel, but he remains a fairly thin character outside the limelight. Tom doesn't even automatically pick him first as fellow adventurer, often preferring Joe Harper. I read Huckleberry Finn's story as a child but that's mostly gone from memory too; I should probably do something about that. "Children's books" these may be, but due to their age, Twain's storytelling power and my nostalgia for childhood I feel no shame at diving in.

[ramzartso-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great adventure...

[bittycornwell · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thought it was a fun read, but enjoyed it more when I was younger. I think Mark Twain has an excellent way of making you sympathize with the characters. I found myself shaking my head at some Tom's antics and laughing at the same time.

[mihalevich · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title Tom SawyerAuthor Mark TwainIllustrator nonePublisher Create space independent publishingDate 2014Pages 272Summary of plot: Tom Sawyer lives with his Aunt Polly and his half brother Sid. After Tom played hooky from school his clothes got dirty in a fight and his punishment. Tom falls in love with Becky Thatcher who is a new girl in town and they get engaged then Tom accompanies Huck Finn the son of the town drunk, Tom and Huck go on many adventures through this book.Tags and subject headings would be friendship and love.My response: I liked this book my favorite part of this book is Tom and Becky their relationship throughout this book. I also enjoyed the language in this book how they talked back then.