Life on the Mississippi

Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain detailing his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before and after the American Civil War. The book begins with a brief history of the river. It continues with anecdotes of Twains training as a steamboat pilot as the cub of an experienced pilot. He describes with great affection the science of navigating the ever-changing Mississippi River. In the second half the book describes Twains return many years later to travel on a steamboat from St. Louis to New Orleans. He describes the competition from railroads the new large cities and his observations on greed gullibility tragedy and bad architecture. He also tells some stories that are most likely tall tales. Simultaneously published in 1883 in the U.S. and in England it is said to be the first book composed on a typewriter.