I got a masterpiece instead.


Amazing! A book about the mysteries of life, Amazing!   October 9, 1998
 4 out of 8 found this review helpful

Puts a new meaning to the question, "whats the meaning of life?" questions religion and life itself. This book made me look at life in a new way and probably will do the same for you.


A Lesson We All Should Learn   August 8, 1997
 5 out of 7 found this review helpful

Mark Twain's Mysterious Stranger is an enlightening tale which digs deep into the roots of Twain's philosophy. As one of his later works it takes a tone of extreme cynicism, but if the reader takes a closer look, he or she will see that Twain does see hope for the future.

It is at the end where Twain sums up what he feels. Masterfully using the concept of "it is all a dream," he conveys the notion that life is like a dream. Man ultimately has the fate of the world in his or her hands. By using his greatest gift, reasoning, man must supress any manipulations that he feels is wrong and not give into fear. Responsibility is in the individual not the masses.

The Mysterious Stranger is a must read for everyone. It is a story which man can look into, and see his mirror image reflected back to him as a criticism of human nature.


Realism or Heresy?   June 27, 1997
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

I hadn't realized what a thoughtful and unusual man Mark Twain was until I read this book. This is a beautifully written book that examines the questions that all thinking humans face concerning God, heaven, hell, etc. It's written with a story line, but that really is just a framework to explore some wonderful and terrible questions. This is a wonderfully painless way to read philosophy. It took a courageous man to write this and stray from the "accepted" philosophy. In this time when so many are required to prove how "God-fearing" they are, this book shows that there always have been, and always will be, questions about religion that disturb.