Having grown up on the Mississippi, a stone's throw from Hannibal, Missouri, I can assure you that Tom Sawyer did exist,
at least, in composite form. Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn are a beautiful cross-section of americana following the civil war. Once again, we see
politics and predjudice through the eyes of a child. Much more an
adventure story than a coming-of age novel, Mark Twain, writes of what he saw, what he knew. Hannibal still exists and change has been slow.
There is something for every taste in this Twain classic. The reader is treated to adventure, politics, murder, disception and even a little bit of love. It is full of folkloric superstitions from swinging cats in a graveyard to stump water rinses. It is the time capsule of a river town, colorfully written and greatly enjoyed by all ages.