Author demonstrates how the Mississippi contributed to the life of one of America's premiere literary geniuses, and how its influence and his multiyear stint as a steamboat captain gave his writings a realistic edge.

Cheryl Harness writes of the historical atmosphere of Mark Twain's times. The climate of industrial change, Civil War, and Reconstruction parallels the rise and fall of the steamboat on the Mississippi. The steamboat is shown to be a magnificent relic of the antebellum period, despite its short-lived popularity as a form of travel. The rise of the steamboat is outlined roughly parallel to Twain's life, since Twain lived to see the rise and fall of the steamboat and held the youthful ambition of becoming a steamboat captain. He is also portrayed as the most prolific writer of this period, even though he did not live in the South during the Civil War. Most of his famous writings were recollections of his youth in rural Missouri, embellished with his knowledge of the river gained from his short career as a steamboat captain before the Civil War. Harness also includes his reasons for not participating in the Civil War, most likely taken from his autobiography.

Harness includes colorful illustrations showing the timeline of the pre- and post- war period, noting significant peripheral events that may have impacted Twain's career decisions. She includes a labeled diagram of a steamboat, that helps Twain's readers learn the antiquated terminology. Certain terms like "bow" and "stern" are similar to modern ships but other terms used in Twain's literature, like the "texas" deck, the "hurricane" deck, and "boiler" deck, would be obscure for present-day readers, especially readers in the 6-10 grade range. Another aspect of Harness's writing that is quite appeasing is her use of historical coincidence to suggest "magical" auspices of Twain's birth. The appearance of Halley's comet at his birth and death was noted as more than a coincidence, even for Twain himself. She also suggests that the appearance of a comet in 1811 during the New Madrid Earthquake, was a foreboding sign of the steamboat's rise to prominence on the Mississippi. Harness's book makes for an altogether enjoyable reading experience. ( )