The Trouble Begins at 8

December 1, 2012

Gr 5-9-Sid Fleischmann has captured Mark Twain's colorful life in this lively biography (Greenwillow, 2008) that spans his childhood, his early years as a steamboat pilot, his time out West, and his numerous occupations, including steamboat pilot, gold prospector, and journalist. He also covers Twain's later years as well as the ups and downs in his life. Written as though it was penned by Twain, Joe Barrett's down-home, folksy delivery sounds just like a boy from Hannibal, MO. In fact, he resembles Hal Holbrook who regularly portrays Twain onstage. The conversational tone sets the stage for the dramatic moments in Twain's life. Twain's travels to the West are particularly interesting, especially the information about the origins of "The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," the short story that made him somewhat famous and set him on the road to taking writing seriously. Twain's exploits will engage listeners, and this biography would make a nice addition to middle and high school libraries.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 16, 2008
This biography of the writer who “changed literature forever” sets a standard few can meet: it is top-notch entertainment. Newbery Medalist Fleischman (The Whipping Boy
) nearly channels Mark Twain's voice, making great use of his subject's wit to contextualize his place in American letters. “Sam regarded it as akin to child abuse that his father... scraped up the funds to send him to the log schoolhouse,” Fleischman writes of Samuel Clemens's boyhood in Missouri. With colorful detail, he catalogues Clemens's search for a vocation—at the print shop, on the riverboat, with the gold-diggers and, finally, at the newspaper, where he first used the pen name Mark Twain. In one illustrative example, a San Francisco theater owner suggests in 1866 that Twain give a lecture about his recent adventures in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), and he accepts, despite a lack of public speaking experience. “He did not have a gift for caution,” Fleischman notes dryly. The title is taken from the lecture's advertising posters: “Doors open at 7 o'clock. The Trouble to begin at 8 o'clock.” Period engravings, newspaper cartoons and b&w photographs round out this spirited portrait. Final art not seen by PW
. Ages 9–12.