About the Author

Mark Twain, who was born Samuel L. Clemens in Missouri in 1835, wrote some of the most enduring works of literature in the English language, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc was his last completed book--and, by his own estimate, his best. Its acquisition by Harper & Brothers allowed Twain to stave off bankruptcy. He died in 1910.

Trina Schart Hyman's Saint George and the Dragon was honored with a Caldecott Medal. She lives in Lyme, New Hampshire. In Her Own Words..."I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1939. I spent my growing-up years in the little town of Wyncote, which was just north of the city. Our house was across the road from a lovely and mysterious old farm, so I grew up with horses and cows and geese and chickens, along with hay and manure and all the smells and sounds of farming. In those days there were woods and fields all around our house. We lived in the couritry, but we were only an hour away from the city. Both places seemed exciting and dangerous to me, and full of romance and magic.

"Romance and magic were very important to me. Fairy tales, folktales, and myths were--and still are--my favorite things. I loved to read and draw pictures more than anything, but I hated school and was miserable there. I couldn't concentrate, and I always felt like a dummy, because I didn't understand the rules that everyone else seemed to know. I have to admit that I still feel that way sometimes. I did manage to graduate from high school, though, and then I went to an art school in Philadelphia instead of college. It was so much fun that I actually learned a lot.

"It was there that I found out about the great book illustrators of the early 1900s: Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, and the crazy Pre-Raphaelites in England; and Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, and the serious students of the Brandywine School here in American. Their romantic and magical storytelling pictures inspired me and gave me courage. I was determined to follow in the footsteps of these artists and to carry on their tradition.

"In 1959 I got married and left Philadelphia. I spent the next few years traveling and attending art schools in Boston and in Stockholm, Sweden. I learned about book design and printmiaking, and how to cook and do laundry. in Sweden I learned about the artists Carl Larsson, Jon Bauer, and Sulamith Wulfing, Whose work inspired and influenced me.

"In 1961 I 'Illustrated my very first children's book, for a Swedish publisher. The editor who gave me the job was Astrid Lindgren, the author of the Pippi Longstocking books. Since then, I have illustrated about 150 books, give or take a few. I've tried to make each and every book special and beautiful. I've put a lot of myself my beliefs and interests, my friends and family and the places I've been -- into my pictures. All of the connections that I've figured out in my life are there for everyone to see, in all of my books.

"For the past thirty years I've lived in a big old farmhouse in northwestern New Hampshire. Some part of it always needs fixing -- there's always a room falling off or a roof caving in -- but to me it is home. Mostly there are walls and walls of books that hold it up and keep out the cold. I live here with my partner, jean, who helps me keep it all going, and our two dogs, two cats, and five sheep. jean is a teacher and the director of a little school where kids actually have fun learning.

"My daughter, Katrin, and her husband, Eugene, and their two sons, Michou and Xavi, live in a house that is only a few miles away, over the river and through the woods of Vermont. Michou goes to Jean's school. We are a close family, and we have a lot of fun together. That's it so far."

Peter Glassman is the owner of Books of Wonder, the New York City bookstore and publisher specializing in new and old imaginative books for children. He is also the editor of the Books of Wonder Classics, a series of deluxe facsimiles and newly illustrated editions of timeless tales. And he is the author of The Wizard Next Door, illustrated by Steven Kellogg. Mr. Glassman lives in New York City.

Reviews

When Hank Morgan is transported from 19th-century Hartford, Conn., to sixth-century England, his misadventures begin as he navigates a host of dangers en route to becoming "The Boss" of Camelot. William Dufris's enthusiastic narration is perfect; the deep drawl he produces might very well be the voice of Twain himself, and his pacing and comedic timing will delight listeners. Dufris is clearly enjoying himself, and he produces a series of unique voices for the knights and damsels Morgan meets in Camelot. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Gr 5 Up-While Mark Twain is most often identified with his childhood home on the Mississippi, he wrote many of his enduring classics during the years he lived in Hartford, Connecticut. He had come a long way from Hannibal when he focused his irreverent humor on medieval tales, and wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The hit on the head that sent protagonist Hank Morgan back through 13 centuries did not affect his natural resourcefulness. Using his knowledge of an upcoming eclipse, Hank escapes a death sentence, and secures an important position at court. Gradually, he introduces 19th century technology so the clever Morgan soon has an easy life. That does not stop him from making disparaging, tongue-in-cheek remarks about the inequalities and imperfections of life in Camelot. Twain weaves many of the well-known Arthurian characters into his story, and he includes a pitched battle between Morgan's men and the nobility. Kenneth Jay's narration is a mix of good-natured bonhomie for Hank and more formal diction for the arcane Olde English speakers. Appropriate music is used throughout to indicate story breaks and add authenticity to scenes. This good quality recording is enhanced by useful liner notes and an attractive case. Younger listeners may need explanations of less familiar words, and some knowledge of the Knights of the Round Table will be helpful. Libraries completing an audiobook collection of Twain titles will enjoy this nice, but not necessary, abridgement.-Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.