The Mark Twain Forum needs a reviewer for the following book: _Mark Twain Among the Scholars: Reconsidering Contemporary Twain Criticism_. Edited by Richard Hill and Jim McWilliams. NY: Whitston, 2002. Pp. 155. Hardcover. $45.00. ISBN 0-87875-527-6. >From the back cover: This collection of essays edited by Richard Hill and Jim McWilliams focuses on Mark Twain scholarship and how it has evolved from about 1900 until 2000, with a particular emphasis on critical excess in the last two decades. The essays in this book address the late twentieth-century critics who seem overly concerned with a variety of issues and questions tangential to Twain's writing. It would seem that the more sensational the claim about Twain or his work (whether or not he was an abusive parent, racist, homosexual, pedophile, drunkard - and so on), the more recognition the claimants have received from both the popular and academic presses. This book is for those who appreciate Mark Twain's writing and who have an abiding interest in keeping the record straight on his life and work, no matter which current Twain "expert" is grabbing headlines. Louis Budd, the contemporary dean of Twain scholars, speaks in his introduction for generations of readers in praising Twain as an extraordinary writer and individual. The book contains contributions by: Richard Hill and Jim McWilliams (preface) Louis J. Budd Joseph Csicsila John Seelye J. C. Furnas Richard Hill Henry B. Wonham Gary P. Henrickson Glen M. Johnson Harold K. Bush, Jr. As usual, the review must be of publishable quality, and it would be due within two months of your receipt of the book. The deadline is particularly important. In all fairness to publishers and authors, if you are inclined to procrastinate, or have difficulty meeting deadlines, please do not offer to review this book. If you would like to see the general content and style of Forum reviews, please browse the reviews page at TwainWeb: http://www.yorku.ca/twainweb/reviews/ A link to the style sheet is at the bottom of the reviews page. If you're interested in writing this review, please email me and include a brief explanation regarding your qualifications to review this book. Thanks, Barbara Schmidt Book review editor, Mark Twain Forum [log in to unmask]