Prince and the Pauper (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

Mark Twain is a difficult read, however you should give this book a chance.

Mark Twain is hailed as one of the greatest writers of his time and not for no reason. While The Prince and the Pauper is not my favorite book by Twain it is definitely a great book to read. It has a lot of interesting characters and a glance from the future to the past attitude that makes this story a great read even to modern day readers. It's a coming of age story with plot twists and some new techniques tried out by Twain. There are growing aches in which any one could relate to both of the protagonists and can easily see the both sides of the mirror.

While, it won't be easy to figure out Twain's syntax and diction, therefore eliminating many younger readers who would other wise immensely enjoy this book, it is a book that can be enjoyed by children and their parents, or their adults and some young adults as well who are willing to put the time into this book.

By Giant Smart 1

Ive read treasure island too this one too,although you might come across british words.

sounds goid

Is it as good as it sounds? What are some other good books please?

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Something

I heard this.is a good book, and im supposed to read it for honors english or treasure island. Im thinking of reading treasure island, but if this is a good book, ill read this instead. Help?

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great red

I loved it absolutly awesome...but thats to be expected right?

So boring but a good book to kill time

I had this book and I had a few hours to kill on a plane ride annd this book was good, only to waste time.

This is a terrible copy of this book

Words are misspelled...... big gaps on pages.......I could not read it....it gave me a pain in my .....? Hraf

Awesome!

My teacher told me to read this book and I loved it! If you like classics you'll love this book. Great read!

Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper"

What a wonderful book! I recall having to read it in my youth and loving it then as well. Several movies have been made of this material. The plot is ingenious and the settings are great. Also of value is the history you learn from the book and the characters in it, especially "The Prince". I loved the descriptions of the inside of the Prince's apartments in his castle and I loved also the description of the hovels where the poor people dwelt. A lot of new laws were enacted during the true lifetime of this young Prince and it is good to see how they helped the people of England. It is a one-of-a kind American classic that everyone should read and keep on his library as I have.

Prince and Pauper

The Prince and the Pauper is a fabulous story. But the conversations are writen in (old English) which I had a little hard time understanding. If you feel up to it, you should read this book becasue it is a great classic and a fun story.

I can't wait for my daughter to read this

Though some of the language is convoluted, context renders it pretty easy to understand, and some of the darker situations just make the conclusion that much more thrilling to read. I think the descriptions of the pauper boy's life, with regular beatings and hunger, yet devoted friends and time for play, are quite enlightening, as are the descriptions of Westminster and the riot on London Bridge.

The Prince and The Pauper

A wonderful and enjoyable tale!

Classic Book Category with very ADULT content

My 4th grade son was given the reading assignment of choosing a classic book for his report. While I am very supportive of what he reads and always read what he reads, either with him or on my own, I was quite surprised with some of the content in the book.

While some of the situations and lessons are great for kids to learn, it was quite bothersome and hurtful to my son to read about how the main character, Tom Canty, is treated by his father. While I certainly do not want to ruin the story, he is starved and beaten for not begging and stealing enough to his father's satisfaction. In continuing with the story, the Prince witnesses women be burned alive at the stake while their daughters grasp for them and one of them actually has her clothing catch fire.

Some parents may certainly be okay with their child reading content such as this, my son had a hard time accepting that he had to read and then write about this among other incidents that happened throughout the book.

The language is very difficult to understand as well. While the book was rated for his age group, I feel it would be more acceptable for older children who are more emotionally able to understand and accept that treatment such as what was endured throughout the book was tolerated in the time it was portrayed to have "happened".

The footnotes were extremely helpful and made the book a bit more easier to understand and more realistic in some ways.

Hope this review helps other parents in deciding whether or not this might be the best book for their child.

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A Solid Classic

"The Prince and the Pauper"'s strengths reside mostly in its author's wonderful writing and its creative and humurous "comedy of errors" style involving wild mix-ups and misunderstandings. Mark Twain is an amazingly skillful author and he presents his topic in a wonderful way. However, the story cannot compare to Twain's other work and is not as memorable or spirited. Some of the plot turns feel slightly unnecessary and the titular pauper is underdeveloped as compared to the prince when he could have had a lot of potential. I think the setting was somewhat stifling as well, seeing as Mark Twain has a definite American flavor to his writing style, and his dialogue shines when filled with 19th-century dialects. Although I would absolutely reccomend "The Prince and the Pauper," it would not be at the top of my list.

Great classic, even if a bit contrived

I liked the basic storyline, the characters, and the social commentary about the world at that time. The ending is a bit too "Deus Ex Machina" in how everything just turns out for the better, but the overall plot and characters are interesting and it made me feel like I had a bit of a snapshot of what life in the mid 1500s was like in London. Like Dickens, Twain could write interesting stories that take a surprisingly deep look at the world. Both of them have had their stories turned into cheap cartoons that strip out a lot of the meat, but that's why you need to read the original books. So quit reading this and pick up a book already.

A message on unequal opportunity

This story has much to say about two people who look exactly alike but have very different fortunes. Their paths cross and they change places. As a result both learn a great deal about social injustice.

The worst book ever written.

The absolute worst most idiotic book that I've ever read. Twain compleatly wastes his talents and trades his voice for that of a Dickens imposter. Horrid, Simply horrid.

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A great read

Two boys, a prince and a pauper, decide to trade lives since neither is happy with his own. A great and classic book that all children should read.

Makes a wonderful Audio Book!!

This review is not just about the book itself, but specifically for the Audio version of the book, read by veteran actor Kenneth Jay who is also the narrator on an audio version of Mark Twain's 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. I like this reader's style very much. I think Mark Twain really comes to life when read aloud, and The Prince and the Pauper is an excellent example. Most people are familiar with the famous storyline of the two lookalike boys: one the heir to the throne of England, and the other a poor ragamuffin from the dirty streets of London, who meet by chance and decide to change clothes and impersonate one another as a joke for a few hours, but it all goes wrong and both boys get stuck in their assumed roles for much longer than intended. But Twain's dry wit, fascinating descriptions, and observation of life are often lost in the film versions, while this audio book, although abridged, remains true to Mark Twain's exact words and brings them to life in a way that doesn't happen when you read it silently to yourself. This reader is very skilled with voices and accents, so all the characters seem real and different, and the result is very entertaining storytelling from start to finish. Although I personally prefer this reader's audio book version of A Connecticut Yankee, I think the storyline of this book will appeal more to people, particularly younger people

Worth Reading and Rereading

Of all the Mark Twain books, this is one of the two I've reread the most.