BOOK REVIEW

Beverly R. David. _Mark Twain and His Illustrators: Volume II (1875-1883)_.
Whitston Publishing Company, 2001. Hardcover. Pp. 333.  $58.50. ISBN
0-87875-513-6.

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Reviewed for the Mark Twain Forum by
Barbara Schmidt
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Copyright (c) 2001 Mark Twain Forum.  This review may not be published or
redistributed in any medium without permission.

Beverly David's _Mark Twain and His Illustrators: Volume II (1875-1883)_
has been a long time in the making.  It follows _Mark Twain and His
Illustrators: Volume I (1869-1875)_, released in 1986, by fifteen years. It
has been well worth the wait.  David once again establishes herself as the
premiere interpreter and critic of illustrations that appeared in Mark
Twain's first editions.

The title of David's latest volume does not fully indicate the scope of her
extensive research.  It perhaps would better be described as "Mark Twain
and his illustrators, publishers, and saga of his failed Kaolatype
engraving process."  Taking up where _Volume I_ left off, David's book is
divided into four chapters devoted to _Sketches, New and Old_, _A Tramp
Abroad_, _The Prince and the Pauper_, and _Life on the Mississippi_.

David has gathered research from the Mark Twain Papers at Berkeley, Center
for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College, and her own treks through Germany
and Switzerland.  Drawing from letters to and from Clemens, publishers'
contracts, and careful analysis of first edition publications--David
immerses the reader in Clemens' creative processes. David demonstrates how
decisions made in publishing subsequent books often hinged on the success
or failure of the previous volumes. David's research paints a picture of
Clemens as an author taking an intensive "hands on" approach to hiring
illustrators; selecting illustrations; dabbling in production decisions;
and frustrating his publishers.

In the first chapter devoted to _Sketches, New and Old_, David examines the
small pamphlet of writings by American News Company titled _Sketches #1_
with illustrations by R. T. Sperry.  The pamphlet preceded the more
ambitious collection of _Sketches, New and Old_ published by Elisha Bliss
of American Publishing Company.  David keenly hones in on the more subtle
implications of True Williams' illustrations for the larger volume and how
they affected Twain's growing public persona.  Also discussed in this
chapter is the rare book containing two sketches published by James Osgood
titled _A True Story and the Recent Carnival of Crime_.

The second and longest chapter is devoted to _A Tramp Abroad_.  David
documents Clemens' alignment with Frank Bliss who was eager to break away
from his father Elisha's company and take "Mark Twain" with him.  The new
publishing venture offered Clemens greater control in the production
process of his books. David follows Clemens' "tramp" across Europe,
explores his alliance with illustrator Walter Francis Brown in Paris, and
unearths primary materials that were incorporated into illustrations.  In
addition, David provides entertaining insights into such topics as a
red-headed dwarf named Clemens Perkeo whose picture is mysteriously missing
in the illustration of the huge vat known as the Heidelberg Tun; Mark
Twain's clever "kiss my ass" references that would be lost on American
readers; and Twain's own double entendre artistic contributions.
Unfortunately, several reproductions of paintings by "old masters" that
Twain lampooned have not been reproduced clearly in this chapter making it
difficult for the reader to appreciated the finer points that Twain
cleverly chose to satirize with his own artistic contributions to the book.

The chapter devoted to _The Prince and the Pauper_ documents Clemens'
departure from American Publishing Company and his new alliance with
publisher James Osgood--an alliance that Frank Bliss attempted to
undermine.  The works of illustrators John Harley, Frank Merrill and L. S.
Ipsen are compared and contrasted, emphasizing Clemens' regard for
historical accuracy throughout the book.

The final chapter is devoted to _Life on the Mississippi_ and the
illustrations by John Harley, Edmund Henry Garrett, and A. B. Shute.
Clemens' final failure to convince his publishers to embrace his Kaolatype
engraving process--one of his invention investments that eventually proved
to be a money loser--occurred when illustrator Harley stood his ground and
refused to have his name placed on any illustration reproduced via
Kaolatype.  Editor A. V. S. Anthony informed Clemens, "To sum up the whole
thing the Kaolatype misses the original about the same as would the recital
of the 'Jumping Frog' by a Baptist minister from memory--(p. 262)."

David's analysis and discussion of illustrations for _Life on the
Mississippi_ include the expurgated "Cremation Scene" as well as the
corrected caption for the St. Charles/St. Louis Hotel.  The discussion is a
virtual road map for collectors trying to decipher different states of the
first edition.

_Mark Twain and His Illustrators: Volume II (1875-1883)_ is thoroughly
footnoted and indexed. A reference list is also provided for each photo or
illustration.  The book is a fine companion piece to _Mark Twain and His
Illustrators: Volume I (1869-1875)_, which still remains in print.