I am a little surprised at the level of vitriol aimed at Gropnick. We might disagree with his assessment of the autobiography volume, but we need not try to diminish him as a writer or a person (he has in fact quite an extensive record as a writer and New Yorker contributor). I think this happens too often when our image of Mark Twain is challenged or if someone turns away from a conventional response to Twain. It makes us seem a bit like radical fundamentalists in the tone of our response. On Sat, Nov 27, 2010 at 4:51 PM, Brent M. Colley <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > Forget about Adam Gopnik. Men like him enjoy stirring the pot and > don't deserve a minute more in the spotlight. > > "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the > strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them > better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, > whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives > valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is > no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive > to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who > spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the > triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at > least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be > with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." > -Theodore Roosevelt > > I am enjoying the Autobiography a great deal. Seeing that I'm learning > about Mark Twain in reverse order (No surprise, I was a breech baby) > what this Volume has done for me is- it's made me aware of Twain's > storytelling skills. I have read the Hornet story starting on page 127 > at least 15 times. It's brilliantly written. > > Great job MTP! > > "It is the will of God that we must have critics, and missionaries, > and congressmen, and humorists, and we must bear the burden." > - Mark Twain > -- Michael J. Kiskis Leonard Tydings Grant Professor of American Literature Elmira College One Park Place Elmira, NY 14901