The Innocents Abroad

Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

Writer/entertainer Garrison Keillor (A Prairie Home Companion) on “The Innocents Abroad”: “…one of the best selling travel books of all time.” (The Writer’s Almanac, June 8, 2012)

When you dive into Mark Twain’s (Samuel Clemens’) The Innocents Abroad, you have to be ready to learn more about the unadorned, ungilded reality of 19th century “touring” than you might think you want to learn. This is a tough, literary journey. It was tough for Twain and his fellow “pilgrims”, both religious and otherwise. They set out, on a June day in 1867, to visit major tourist sites in Europe and the near east, including Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, “the Holy Land”, and Egypt. What Twain records, in often humorous, sometimes grotesque but always fascinating detail, are the day-to-day ups and downs of discovering the truth about people and places. The truths they learn are often far different than their education and rumor have made them preconceive.

This is a voyage of discovery. It’s long and, in places, tiresome. But it’s revelatory about so much. As with some of his other works, Twain includes popular prejudices of his time, which are today considered socially unacceptable. His references to “Indians”, “Negroes” and “infidels” come to mind.

Beyond the lows, though, there are the highs of Twain’s cutting wit and insight as he guides us along the bumpy and often dangerous voyage.

No need to buckle up. Just take it slow, and steady…like the journey itself. (Summary by John Greenman)

Genre(s): Travel Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 Chapter 1 John Greenman
00:18:22
Play 02 Chapters 2-3 John Greenman
00:17:02
Play 03 Chapters 4-5 John Greenman
00:29:53
Play 04 Chapters 6-7 John Greenman
00:38:52
Play 05 Chapters 8-9 John Greenman
00:24:27
Play 06 Chapters 10-11 John Greenman
00:26:34
Play 07 Chapters 12-13 John Greenman
00:43:07
Play 08 Chapters 14-15 John Greenman
00:40:28
Play 09 Chapters 16-17 John Greenman
00:30:52
Play 10 Chapters 18-19 John Greenman
00:47:14
Play 11 Chapters 20-21 John Greenman
00:30:26
Play 12 Chapter 22 John Greenman
00:22:21
Play 13 Chapter 23 John Greenman
00:27:20
Play 14 Chapter 24 John Greenman
00:19:48
Play 15 Chapter 25 John Greenman
00:19:47
Play 16 Chapter 26 John Greenman
00:39:05
Play 17 Chapter 27 John Greenman
00:25:40
Play 18 Chapter 28 John Greenman
00:19:02
Play 19 Chapters 29-30 John Greenman
00:32:30
Play 20 Chapter 31 John Greenman
00:18:42
Play 21 Chapter 32 John Greenman
00:29:20
Play 22 Chapter 33 John Greenman
00:23:26
Play 23 Chapter 34 John Greenman
00:27:22
Play 24 Chapter 35 John Greenman
00:11:16
Play 25 Chapter 36-37 John Greenman
00:31:05
Play 26 Chapter 38 John Greenman
00:17:43
Play 27 Chapter 39 John Greenman
00:10:04
Play 28 Chapter 40 John Greenman
00:20:17
Play 29 Chapter 41 John Greenman
00:14:31
Play 30 Chapter 42 John Greenman
00:12:28
Play 31 Chapter 43 John Greenman
00:13:30
Play 32 Chapter 44 John Greenman
00:23:27
Play 33 Chapter 45 John Greenman
00:26:31
Play 34 Chapter 46 John Greenman
00:18:29
Play 35 Chapter 47 John Greenman
00:28:04
Play 36 Chapter 48 John Greenman
00:23:09
Play 37 Chapter 49 John Greenman
00:21:35
Play 38 Chapter 50 John Greenman
00:21:45
Play 39 Chapter 51 John Greenman
00:28:19
Play 40 Chapter 52 John Greenman
00:13:35
Play 41 Chapter 53 John Greenman
00:32:22
Play 42 Chapter 54 John Greenman
00:23:43
Play 43 Chapter 55 John Greenman
00:36:34
Play 44 Chapter 56 John Greenman
00:09:53
Play 45 Chapter 57 John Greenman
00:17:24
Play 46 Chapter 58 John Greenman
00:31:52
Play 47 Chapters 59-60 John Greenman
00:14:03
Play 48 Chapter 61 & Conclusion John Greenman
00:22:59