From the author of countless esteemed classics such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, , Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court follows an American engineer named Hank Morgan. When Hank suffers from a severe head injury, he falls unconscious, only to wake up in the medieval Camelot years. Learning that he has somehow traveled through space and time to be present in 6th century England during the time of King Arthur's rule, Hank is shocked and worried when he is discovered by guards. However, after ...
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From the author of countless esteemed classics such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, , Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court follows an American engineer named Hank Morgan. When Hank suffers from a severe head injury, he falls unconscious, only to wake up in the medieval Camelot years. Learning that he has somehow traveled through space and time to be present in 6th century England during the time of King Arthur's rule, Hank is shocked and worried when he is discovered by guards. However, after the initial confusion and concern, Hank understands the potential of his situation, and decides to use his future knowledge for the good of the people now around him. Of course, the subjects of King Arthur's kingdom were skeptical of him, and consequently, soon after Hank arrived his execution was scheduled. However, because of Hank's knowledge, he is able to trick the people, including the king himself, into thinking that he has special powers. After using a solar eclipse to "prove" his ability, Hank is elected into a position of power, using his new authority to modernize and Americanize the medieval people. Accepting the kingdom as his new home, Hank build relationships and feels that he is making an immense difference in the lives of King Arthur and his subjects. But when the Catholic church grows uneasy about Hank's new influence and ideas, Hank finds himself in even more danger than he was in when he was scheduled for death row. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain is a classic comedy that features reflective and fascinating topics of social justice and science. Though originally published in 1889, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court addresses social and political issues that are still relevant today and even predicted the first world war. With an anecdotal narrative, Twain delivers a compelling plot with humorous prose and discussion of serious societal concerns. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
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I don't know what was published first this book or Innocents Abroad but one or the other of them may have influenced the other one.I have read over 100 versions of the King Arthur tale and this tongue in cheek look at King Arthur is wonderful. Henry died in 1858 because the date of Hank Morgan's
burning at the stake is the same as the date of Henry's death. In any regard, considering his loss, Twain had a vision of how technology might have influenced the middle ages. Bing Crosby who played the part in the musical movie of Hank Morgan convinces the King to go out among his people as a beggar to see how his kingdom is faring. I am not sure this was in the book but it; would certainly have been one of Twain's concerns about society and superstitution.
SLGF
Aug 13, 2007
Modern Inventions for King Arthur
Mark Twain has imagined how wonderful / terrible it would be to introduce all the brand new inventions (of the late 19th century) to the dark ages in England. His hero remains an optimistic Yankee to the end. His observations on human nature seem very relavent today.
