Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910) is better known by the pen name Mark Twain. He was born in Florida, Missouri and grew up along the Mississippi Valley. Although he left school at the age of 12, when his father died, he was eventually awarded honorary degrees from Yale University, the University of Missouri, and Oxford University. His career encompassed such varied occupations as printer, miner, Mississippi riverboat pilot, journalist, travel writer, novelist, and publisher. His vivid imagination, keen sense of humor, and sharp wit resulted in some of the most beloved classics of American literature. His novels include such favorites as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper, and The Connecticut Yankee in King Author's Court.
Gr 2-5-Jim Weiss offers a fast-paced, entertaining storyteller's version of Mark Twain's classic about a prince and a pauper who trade places and, in the process, become decent souls who help the unfortunate and those who have been wronged. Although this abridged version of the wonderful classic loses some of Twain's rich prose and knack for plot twists, Weiss gives a spirited performance that might encourage young listeners to read Twain's book. The story revolves around two 12-year-old boys who resemble each other physically, but lead extremely different lives. Prince Edward resides in a castle and is next in line for the throne of England. Tom Canty endures a life of poverty and abuse at the hands of his thief of a father. They meet and decide to exchange garments and identities. After the King suddenly dies, Tom slips into his new role with great trepidation at first, but then with confidence. He becomes a King for the poor. Weiss reads the tale with energy and finesse, bringing to life the colorful characters. His crusty sounding villains are especially convincing. Weiss does a wonderful job, skillfully acting out this tale of goodness, class, mistaken identity, and redemption.-Brian E. Wilson, Evanston Public Library, IL Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
With his legendary humor and delightful wit, Reiner gives new life to this classic Twain tale. The multiple Emmy Award winner and recent Television Hall of Fame inductee beautifully shifts between several accents, dialects and moods, letting listeners commiserate with the author's young protagonist, Tom Canty. Raised in a raucous family of beggars and thieves, Tom dreams and reads of princely life to escape his miserable 16th-century London existence. After wandering to Westminster and meeting benevolent Prince Edward Tudor (who bears an uncanny resemblance to the ragamuffin Tom), the pair exchange clothes and unwittingly identities. Reiner's vocal performance of this heartwarming story is sure to keep the entire family entranced. Listeners will be pleased that this volume is only one of several in a Mark Twain series read by Reiner. (June) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
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