书目

The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg

内容简介

Tooshorttobeanovel,toolongtobeashortstory,thenovellaisgenerallyunrecognizedbyacademicsandpublishers.Nonetheless,itisaformbelovedandpracticedbyliterature'sgreatestwriters.InTheARTOFTHENOVELLAseries,MelvilleHousecelebratesthisrenegadeartformanditspractitionerswithtitlesthatare,inmanyinstances,presentedinbookformforthefirsttime.WrittenonhotelstationarywhileinEuropeontherunfromAmericancreditors,soonafterthedeathofadaughter,TheManThatCorruptedHandleyburgisoftencitedasaworkofbittercynicism--astatementonAmerica,tosome,ontheDreyfusCase,toothers--createdbyawearyauthorattheendofhiscareer.Anotherappreciation,however,isthatitis,simply,MarkTwainathisbest.Thestoryofamysteriousstrangerwhoorchestratesafraudembarrassingthehypocriticalcitizensof"incorruptible"Hadleyburg.ThenovellaisanexceptionallycraftedworkintertwiningadeviousandsuspensefulplotwithsomeofthewittiestdialogueTwaineverwrote.Andlikethemostmasterfulliterature,itsubvertsanynotionofeasyconclusion:isHadleyburgruined,orliberated?IsthemysteriousstrangerSatan,orahero?Isthisabookofrevenge,orredemption?Onethingisclear:Thisbrilliantnovellaisacomplexandcompassionateconsiderationofthehumancharacterbyamasterattheheightofhisform.

作者简介

MarkTwainwasbornSamuelClemensin1835inFlorida,Missouri,andraisedinnearbyHannibal.Afterapprenticingasaprinter,helefthomeat18totraveltheworld.HereturnedtocaptainaMississippiriverboatforfouryears,thenheadedwestonastagecoach,filingabsurdisttravelstoriesfornewspapersalongtheway—usingariverboater'swarningforshallowwatersashispen-name.ChasedoutofSanFranciscoafterreportingonthepolicechief,hehidinaminingtownandoverheardayarnheturnedintoasuccessfulstory,"TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCounty".Buttruefamecamewithhis1876novelTheAdventuresofTomSawyer.It'ssequel,TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn,isconsideredoneoftheworld'sgreatmasterpieces.Indemand,Twainwroteprolificallyandlecturedfarandwide.Healsofoundedapublishinghouse,publishingthememoirsofUlyssesS.Grant.Butwhenaninvestmentinanearlytypewriterfailed,hefledtheU.S.forEurope—atripthatsawthedeathofhisdaughter.Hiswifediedsoonthereafter.Twainovercamehisfinancialtroubles,butnotthelossofhislovedones,andhislastwritingsweredarkworksstretchingbeyondhishomespunnarrativetofantasy,sciencefiction,andscathingpoliticalcommentary.Hediedin1910.,,

丛书

Art of the Novella

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