Between the frame story, the name changes, and other structural choices Twain makes (see Larry's fantastic recent essay), I think "A True Story" can be taught within the conventions of the short story. Even if we accept (as I do) that it is "based on a true story," I don't think it is "repeated word for word as [Sam] heard it." His manuscript betrays a fair amount of artistic liberty. But, you're right, a lot of genre-bending. Do some of the burlesque sketches belong in a separate category? What are Adam and Eve's diaries? I teach a semester-long intro to the American Short Story. I always do five authors. Every time I have taught it, I have done Poe and Baldwin. I have also rotated in Hawthorne, O'Connor, James, and Joy Williams on multiple occasions. I only taught Twain once. It was not a great experience. Not saying the problem was necessarily him. I could've done better. But my students hated the burlesques so much I've never attempted it again. I should be working on syllabi. - MS On Thu, Aug 13, 2020 at 12:15 PM Mac Donnell Rare Books < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > Agreed, according to the criteria set forth by that list-maker. But no > sooner did she define what iconic meant, did she break her own rules. If > you took that list and asked people on the street at random if they had > ever heard of them, about a third would get blank stares. Heck, if you > restricted your polling to English majors and just named some of the > authors without mentioning any stories you'd still get a lot of blank > stares. Please don't conduct this poll until after the pandemic. > > But most people will have heard of The Frog. > > Kevin > @ > Mac Donnell Rare Books > 9307 Glenlake Drive > Austin TX 78730 > 512-345-4139 > Member: ABAA, ILAB, BSA > > You can browse our books at: > www.macdonnellrarebooks.com > > > ------ Original Message ------ > From: "Matthew Seybold" <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Sent: 8/13/2020 10:28:11 AM > Subject: Re: Most "Iconic" MT short story?? > > >"Iconic" has to be "Jim Smiley & His Jumping Frog," right? > > > >Don't get me wrong, I'd rather teach "Hadleyburg" or "Cannibalism in the > >Cars" or the "Boy" stories or "A True Story" or "Eve's Diary," or any > >number of other things, but I feel like the resilient popularity of > >"Jumping Frog" is the reason Twain has to be on such a list. > > > >- MS > > > >On Thu, Aug 13, 2020 at 10:49 AM Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > >> Sadly this author overlooked our beloved hero, but she also forgot > about > >> Hawthorne ("Young Goodman Brown"); Kurt Vonnegut ("Harrison > Bergeron"); and > >> others I'm sure/ But my question" which MT short story should be on > this > >> list? My answer is revealed in the comments at the bottom... > >> > >> > >> > https://lithub.com/43-of-the-most-iconic-short-stories-in-the-english-language/ > >> [https://lithub.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/the-lottery.jpg]< > >> > https://lithub.com/43-of-the-most-iconic-short-stories-in-the-english-language/ > >> > > >> 43 of the Most Iconic Short Stories in the English Language | Literary > Hub< > >> > https://lithub.com/43-of-the-most-iconic-short-stories-in-the-english-language/ > >> > > >> Ambrose Bierce, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” (1890) I will > leave it > >> to Kurt Vonnegut, who famously wrote, “I consider anybody a twerp who > >> hasn’t read the greatest American short story, which is “Occurrence at > Owl > >> Creek Bridge,” by Ambrose Bierce.It isn’t remotely political. It is a > >> flawless example of American genius, like “Sophisticated Lady” by Duke > >> Ellington or the ... > >> lithub.com > >> > >> > >> > >> Dr. Hal Bush > >> > >> Professor of English & > >> > >> Director of the Undergraduate Program > >> > >> Saint Louis University > >> > >>[log in to unmask] > >> > >> 314-977-3616 > >> > >>http://halbush.com > >> > >> author website: halbush.com > >> > > > > > >-- > >Matt Seybold > >Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain Studies > >Elmira College > >Editor, MarkTwainStudies.org > >MattSeybold.com > > > -- Matt Seybold Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain Studies Elmira College Editor, MarkTwainStudies.org MattSeybold.com