Life on the MississippiLife on the Mississippi
Score Classic
What it's about
Before he was Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens was a young steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. He tells the story of how he learned the river, every bend and snag of it, under a demanding teacher in the 1850s. Then, twenty years later, he goes back to travel the river again, recording what has changed, with history, tall tales and sharp observations.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of the best nonfiction of all time. The first half, about learning to pilot, is some of Twain's finest writing.
You'll love it if you liked
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Mark TwainGood to know
The second half is rambling travel writing. There's period racist language.
By the numbers
- Readers21 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller5 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Adventurous
More by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnThe Adventures of Tom SawyerIf you like this, read next
Black Boy: A Record of Youth and Childhood
All Things Wise and Wonderful
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Up From Slavery
The Glass Castle
This Boy's Life: A MemoirExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Life on the Mississippi worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of the best nonfiction of all time. It ranks #2,282 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Life on the Mississippi about?
Before he was Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens was a young steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. He tells the story of how he learned the river, every bend and snag of it, under a demanding teacher in the 1850s. Then, twenty years later, he goes back to travel the river again, recording what has changed, with history, tall tales and sharp observations.
How long does it take to read Life on the Mississippi?
About 8 hours (306 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Life on the Mississippi?
If you liked it, try The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain or Mark Twain by Ron Chernow.