| Author |
Twain, Mark, 1835-1910 |
| Title |
The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories
|
| Alternate Title |
The 30,000 Dollar Bequest, and Other Stories
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 76.5 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
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| Contents |
The 30,000 Dollar Bequest -- A Dog's Tale -- Was It Heaven? Or Hell? -- A Cure for the Blues -- The Enemy Conquered; or, Love Triumphant -- The Californian's Tale -- A Helpless Situation -- A Telephonic Conversation -- Edward Mills and George Benton: A Tale -- The Five Boons of Life -- The First Writing-machines -- Italian without a Master -- Italian with Grammar -- A Burlesque Biography -- How to Tell a Story -- General Washington's Negro Body-servant -- Wit -- Inspirations of the "Two-year-olds" -- An Entertaining Article -- A Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury -- Amended Obituaries -- A Monument to Adam -- A Humane Word from Satan -- Introduction to "The New Guide of the Conversation in Portuguese and English" -- Advice to Little Girls -- Post-mortem Poetry -- The Danger of Lying in Bed -- Portrait of King William III -- Does the Race of Man Love a Lord? -- Extracts from Adam's Diary -- Eve's Diary
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| Credits |
Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer, and David Widger
|
| Summary |
"The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories" by Mark Twain is a collection of humorous short stories written in the late 19th century. The opening story centers on a modest family, the Fosters, who become entangled in the fantastical notion of a rich inheritance from a distant relative. The story explores the dreams and aspirations that come with the promise of wealth, revealing how it affects their behavior and relationships while highlighting Twain's sharp social commentary and wit. At the start of the book, we are introduced to the Fosters, led by Saladin and his wife Electra, who lead a content life in Lakeside. The narrative unveils their lives as they receive news of a $30,000 bequest from their reclusive relative, Tilbury Foster. As they revel in the possibilities of newfound wealth, their discussions descend into a mix of excitement and absurdity, ultimately leading them to make elaborate plans on how to spend their potential fortune. However, the humor emerges from their overzealous ambitions and the stark contrast between their dreams and the reality of their situation, foreshadowing the complications that arise from this whimsical inheritance. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
|
| Subject |
Humorous stories, American
|
| Subject |
United States -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Short stories, American
|
| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
142 |
| Release Date |
Sep 14, 2004 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jan 28, 2021 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
576 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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