Great question about MT"s audiences -- I do recall a book came out last
year --
Mark Twain's Audience: A Critical Analysis of Reader Responses to the
Writings of Mark Twain

I've not read it, and I do not recall if it got reviewed on the Forum or
not.  The TOC looks promising.


I also recall earlier books that have some coverage of that -- I'm thinking
of Randall Knoper's book for example; but would be interested to hear of
anyone else's recollections about earlier accounts -- anyone ??


-hb

On Mon, Mar 30, 2015 at 11:58 AM, Scott Holmes <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Trying to come up with a description or a summary of Mark Twain's
> audience, I think, is ultimately un-doable. As I've been collecting the
> reviews for his shows with George Cable I have wondered if anything of
> substance can be gleaned from them.  The comments I can recall about the
> audience(s) have all been rather subjective statements about them being
> the upper crust of the local population - the most literate, the best
> dressed, the most intelligent. It's difficult to tell what this says in
> truth about any particular show as opposed to what it tells us about any
> particular reviewer (who remains nameless behind the masthead).
>
> At best, I think, we wind up with a collection of anecdotes.  But as
> with most things related to Twain - it's fun to try.
>
>
> --
>  There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of
>                           in your philosophy.
>                         http://bscottholmes.com
>



-- 
Prof. Harold K. Bush
Professor of English
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