Life on the Mississippi

5b Mark Twain. Boston: James R. Osgood, 1883. First Edition. 

Notes

Life on the Mississippi (1883) by Mark Twain is a memoir blending autobiography, travel writing, and social commentary, rooted in Twain’s early years as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the Civil War. The book traces his youthful fascination with the river, the demanding training required to master its ever-changing currents, and the camaraderie and dangers of life aboard steamboats. Interwoven with these personal recollections are observations on how the river—and American society along its banks—had changed over time. Both nostalgic and sharply humorous, the work captures the Mississippi as a living force in American life and stands as a vivid reflection on memory, progress, and the formative experiences that shaped Twain’s voice as a writer.

Likely from the library of Captain James Munro (Bahamas), a 19th-century maritime and colonial figure associated with Harbour Island / Acklins Island in the West Indies. The volume bears a contemporary bookplate featuring a ship motif and the Munro name, consistent with Munro’s documented involvement in shipping, customs, and postal services in the Bahamas, as well as family-run trade enterprises linking Scotland and the Caribbean. While definitive ownership cannot be proven, the maritime imagery and period align well with the known Munro family, making this a plausible and appealing association for collectors.

”Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.” - Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

Featuring more than 300 illustrations throughout.

Description 

Brown cloth binding with gilt illustration on upper board and spine with gilt lettering on spine. Very minimal marking to pages throughout. Slight scuffing to points and head and foot of spine. Bookplate pastedown on inner cover with ship illustration of a Captai William James Munro. Fine condition overall.