The following book review was written for the Mark Twain Forum by Kevin Mac
Donnell.
~~~~~

_Infidels Abroad: A Novel of Mark Twain & John Singer Sargent in an
Alternate California_. Patrick Fanning. ArtWorks Press, 2012. Pp. 332.
$16.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-300-19873-4.


Reviewed for the Mark Twain Forum
by Kevin Mac Donnell


Mark Twain claimed that James Fenimore Cooper broke eighteen of the rules
governing literary art, and basted him, butterless, on all sides for
bungling his book, _The Deerslayer_. Naturally, this reviewer was curious
to learn how many of those rules Patrick Fanning would infringe in
_Infidels Abroad_. The answer? Only one (#14), and that was a minor
infraction, so even Mark Twain would have to declare himself pleased with
this Twain't that borrows Mark Twain as a character along with the painter
John Singer Sargent and places them in California in 1879 in the midst of
an alternative history in which California is divided under Russian rule in
the north (Rossland) and Mexican rule in the south (Republic of Alta
California), and the United States has only just recovered from
catastrophic economic collapse following a Civil War that ended in 1871.
They are joined by a lovely and mysterious young woman, Marina Miranova,
who shares some outrageous adventures with them.


Mark Twain would also be pleased to notice how closely Fanning's literary
style aligns with his own, and would find Fanning's word choices, phrases,
and expressions strangely familiar. In fact, he'd soon notice that entire
sentences have been lifted verbatim from his own works and woven into
Fanning's text in clever ways. And by the time the three main characters
(Mark Twain, John Singer Sargent, and Miss Miranova) are fleeing down a
river on a raft, he'd also notice that Fanning's homage to his writings
includes plots as well as words.


Fanning, a talented artist whose own works evoke the lighting and subjects
of Sargent, has illustrated his novel with his own art as well as
nineteenth century photographs, and both lend a convincing verisimilitude
to his story. They help the reader willingly suspend his disbelief, a
necessary requirement if the story is to be fully enjoyed on its own
fictional terms. The topsy-turvy historical setting and the Twainian
borrowings would not be permissible in a work of nonfiction, but in this
playful tall tale they are part of the charm. Twainians will enjoy watching
their hero, a seasoned traveler, cogitating on the challenges presented by
Fanning's _terra excogitari_.


The story begins when Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent meet while
steaming from the Sandwich Islands to San Francisco in 1879. The entire
setting and story will not be divulged here, but Fanning includes a helpful
"Alternative History Timeline" at pages 325-30, (which might have been more
helpful if placed at pages 1-5) that explains how California has come to be
divided into two countries. Beginning in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries, the history of North America has not unfolded in the way our
history books tell us, and our three protagonists are soon embarked on a
trip from relatively safe southern California into Tsarist northern
California. Along the way, Sargent, struggling with his feelings, is
attracted to Mark Twain; Twain (unmarried) is beguiled by the charms of
Marina; and Marina is attracted to the handsome young Sargent. These
conflicting attractions lead to the predictable twists and turns that such
conflicts always impose on a plot, as the story unfolds in a series of
narratives interspersed with letters that Twain writes to his friend
William Dean Howells, editor of _The Atlantic Weekly_ (not _Monthly_) and
his mother Mary (yes, Mary, and she lives on Thatcher Street) while Sargent
writes to his friend Henry James, among others. When describing the same
events, their letters don't always agree, adding to the amusement. For
those not familiar with John Singer Sargent's biography, he is generally
thought to have been homosexual or bisexual, and Henry James was indeed a
friend and patron. Sargent hopes to paint Twain's portrait and make a name
for himself by exhibiting it in Paris (in real life, Sargent's attempt to
make a name for himself by painting a sexy portrait of a Parisian society
dame--Virginie Gautreau--infamously backfired). Sargent eventually does
paint Twain draped in a red duster and holding a revolver across his chest
and this portrait appears on the front cover of the book. For an
explanation of this portrait the book must be read, but it could have
something to do with the fact that while our entangled trio is in northern
California there is an assassination and they must flee south on a raft,
experiencing a variety of adventures that include disguises, narrow
escapes, violence, and revelations. This may sound vaguely familiar to some
Twainians.


If the models for Fanning's characters were alive this would border on
becoming a _roman a clef_, but it is certainly an enjoyable heavy-handed
pastiche, with elements borrowed from Twain's writings at every turn. There
are shades of _The Innocents Abroad_ when they excitedly prepare to meet
the Tsar (139), an evocation of the Arno River in Florence when Twain
describes a shallow river in California (148), a reminder of Twain's San
Francisco days when he describes the plight of the Chinese (262), and
Twain's debate with himself over whether to betray his friends at one point
strongly echoes Huck's wrestling with his conscience over betraying his
friend Jim, but Fanning allows this moment to pass without Twain declaring
that he'd "go to Hell" (287-88). Twain's interest in a Russian mine recalls
his mining days in Nevada (145-46), and Twain's planning an escape based
upon his readings of romantic literature sounds a lot like Tom Sawyer's
evasions to rescue Jim (278). A twisted version of the jumping frog story
is told (272-75), and an alternative version of Twain's near duel is told
(275-77), but an accurate rendering of "The Golden Arm" also appears
(254-56).


Those familiar with Twain's writings will find themselves distracted by the
avalanche of words (galley-west, fantods, flap-doodle), phrases, and entire
sentences lifted from his works, as well as amusing references to his
biography. Far be it from this reviewer to spoil a potential parlor game
but when readers sit down to read this book they might want to keep copies
of Twain's letters, _The Innocents Abroad_, _Life on the Mississippi_,
_Extract From Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven_, and other books close
at hand, and pay special attention at pages 12, 37, 38, 41, 48, 50, 73, 98,
100, 131, 137, 154, 161, 174, 178, 185, 187, 188, 208, 209, 250, 251, 309,
and 320. This is _not_ a complete list, but only a few highlights, provided
for those who want to test their knowledge of Twain's writings and
biography.


Perhaps the only weakness in this Twain't is Fanning's enthusiasm when
providing alternative biographical histories of Twain and Sargent. Sargent
is beyond the scope of this review in this forum, but the alternative
historical details of his life seem consistent with the plot --although
Fanning may have missed a chance to weave in the odd coincidence that
Sargent was once the roommate of James Carroll Beckwith, a Hannibal-born
artist who did indeed paint a portrait of Twain. However, the alternative
historical details of Twain's life sometimes seem gratuitous. While Twain's
being unmarried in 1879 so that he is free to pursue Marina, or his
speaking only English and some poor Spanish both serve to advance the
story, other altered details do not. Henry is said to have died in 1870,
and while Fanning writes eloquently of the anguish Twain felt and how
Henry's ghost likely influenced his later writings, moving Henry's death to
a more recent time does not matter. Twain's other brother is named Orrin,
his mother is named Mary, his publisher is Broadwell Publishing Company,
and his birthplace is Hannibal, but none of these alternative details
advance the story in any way, running afoul of Twain's own rule number 14.
But they don't impede this tale either, so this is a small distraction.


Twainians wishing to see the color versions of Fanning's illustrations in
this book can visit his website, fanningartworks.com, and view his
Sargent-inspired renderings of scenes from the book as well as the full
length portrait of a gun-toting Mark Twain. Those with a hankering for an
entertaining beach read that will evoke Mark Twain will find this book just
the thing.