ConnecticutYankeeinKingArthur'sCourt(Barnes&NobleClassicsSeries)

作者 Mark Twain著
出版社 Barnes&NobleClassics
出版时间 2005年9月
ISBN 9781593082109
定价 56.60

内容简介

AConnecticutYankeeinKingArthur'sCourt,byMarkTwain,ispartoftheBarnes&NobleClassics?series,whichoffersqualityeditionsataffordablepricestothestudentandthegeneralreader,includingnewscholarship,thoughtfuldesign,andpagesofcarefullycraftedextras.HerearesomeoftheremarkablefeaturesofBarnes&NobleClassics:Alleditionsarebeautifullydesignedandareprintedtosuperiorspecifications;someincludeillustrationsofhistoricalinterest.Barnes&NobleClassicspullstogetheraconstellationofinfluences—biographical,historical,andliterary—toenricheachreader'sunderstandingoftheseenduringworks.?OneofthegreatestsatiresinAmericanliterature,MarkTwain’sAConnecticutYankeeinKingArthur’sCourtbeginswhenHankMorgan,askilledmechanicinanineteenth-centuryNewEnglandarmsfactory,isstruckontheheadduringaquarrelandawakenstofindhimselfamongtheknightsandmagiciansofKingArthur’sCamelot.Whatfollowsisacultureclashofthefirstmagnitude,aspractical-mindedHank,disgustedwiththeignoranceandsuperstitionofthepeople,decidestoenlightenthemwitheducationandtechnology.Throughaseriesofwonderfullyimaginativeadventures,TwaincelebratesAmericanhomespuningenuityanddemocracyascomparedtothebackwardineptitudeofachivalricmonarchy.Atthesametime,however,Twainraisesthequestionofwhethermaterialprogressnecessarilycreatesabettersociety.AsHankbecomesmorepowerfulandself-righteous,healsobecomesmoreruthless,moreautocratic,andlessabletocontrolevents,untiltheonlywayoutisamassivelydestructivewar.WhilethedarkpessimismthatwouldfullyblossominTwain’slaterworkscanbediscernedinAConnecticutYankeeinKingArthur’sCourt,thenovelwillneverthelessberememberedprimarilyforitswildleapsofimagination,brilliantwit,andentertainingstorytelling.Withover200oftheoriginalillustrationsbyDanBeard.?StephenRailtonteachesAmericanliteratureattheUniversityofVirginia.HismostrecentbookisMarkTwain:AShortIntroduction.

作者简介

MarkTwain,bornSamuelLanghorneClemensin1835,ledoneofthemostexcitingandadventuresomeofliterarylives.RaisedintherivertownofHannibal,Missouri,Twainhadtoleaveschoolatagetwelvetoseekwork.Hewassuccessfullyajourneymanprinter,asteamboatpilot,ahalfheartedConfederatesoldier(forafewweeks),andaprospector,miner,areporterinthewesternterritories.Withthepublicationin1865of“TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCounty,”Twaingainednationalattentionasafrontierhumorist,andwithTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(1855),hewasacknowledgedbytheliteraryestablishmentasoneofthegreatestwritersAmericawouldeverproduce.In1880Twainbeganpromotingandfinancingheavilytheill-fatedPaigetypesetter,aninventiondesignedtomaketheprintingprocessfullyautomatic.Thisenterprisedrainedhisenergyandfundsforalmostfifteenyears,untilitdrovehimtothebrinkofbankruptcy.Ironicallyattheheightofhisnaivelyoptimisticinvolvementinhistechnological“wonder,”hepublishedhissatiricalAConnecticutYankeeinKing’sArthur’sCourt(1889),asthoughthewriterinhimcouldseethedangerstheinvestorinhimwasblindto.Towardtheendofhislife,plaguedbypersonaltragedyandfinancialfailure,MarkTwaingrewmoreandmorepessimistic–anoutlooknotalleviatedbyhisnaturalskepticismandsarcasm.Thoughhisfamecontinuedtowiden.Twainspenthislastyearsingloomandexasperation,writingfablesabout“thedamnedhumanrace.”--ThistextreferstotheMassMarketPaperbackedition.

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