Essays

Beaten Boys and Frantic Pets

A close reading of Tom Sawyer reveals why Mark Twain isn't nearly as funny as he thinks he is

By Adam Gussow | September 1, 2005

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Adam Gussow is a professor of English and Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi. A professional blues harmonica player and teacher, he is the author of several books on the blues. This essay is adapted from his new book, My Family and I: A Mississippi Memoir.

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