Well, of course, the longest part for me was the 15 minutes given to Hannibal -- but then I have 332 mss pages sitting on the diningroom table dealing with 1839 through 1853.  I get just a bit more involved than Burns and Duncan -- but then they did no research -- just interviewed folks and no one has done much digging in the younger years outside of the library. Folks just seem to agree with Kaplan that the first three decades are dealt with best by Sam himself and figure that Wecter had exhausted everything else.
    I enjoyed the show in general.  I particularly liked Ron Powers.  I thought he was the Shelby Foote of this production. To my ear, no one can turn a phrase like Ron when he is in full stride. Sam would have really liked Ron Powers.
    I collect antique photos and will admit that it did bother me a bit that while describing events in the 1850s the screen would show images from any era as long as they were sepia-toned.  But what else can they do?  Unfortunately there aren't many daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and tintypes floating around that aren't mere portraits.  They can't manufacture them.
    To prove that art is subjective, Kevin, I loved the music.  Fact is, I got the cd in press kit when B&D were in Hannibal.  I have been writing to it.  I will probably go to hell for it, but that is the price I pay.
    I winced at the word "Confederate."  Look, English majors, if proper grammar is important, so is proper history. He is not, never was, and never will be a Confederate.  It is wrong, improper and silly. He was being Twain when he referred to himself as a Confederate. It was a stretcher.
    I also winced at "the American," but we all knew that was coming.
    I don't know much about Sam after 1861 and the bottom line is I really enjoyed Burns piece. I don't have a whole lot to unlearn the public -- just have to down play Quarles's farm (only 6 slaves in '40 and 11 in '50 not that huge gang in that one photo) and Uncle Dan'l (Orion told Paine it was "our" Uncle Ned and Terrell suspects Uncle Dan'l is another Twainism and not necessarily Dan of Donneybroo.. excuse me, Quarles's Farm) and I just have to get Sam into the right militia.  Some of my good Twain buddies will wince when they read it, but this Clemens researcher could have stood a couple more evenings with Burns, Ward, Duncan, the banjo player and Sam.  Two thumbs up from the Dempsey family.
    And the only reason I'm not a total idiot is I get lots of good information from Barb Schmidt and David Thomson -- just thought I ought to throw that in.
    Terrell