The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

A boy wrapped up in mischief resonates with me. Tom is a clever young man, and antics abound. He is one step in front of his peers. He is a young boy and deals with young boy issues until he is forced to deal with a grownup world.

I cherish the quirky wit the boy uses to navigate his world. This is a classic for a reason.

I suppose this book is a rather unusual choice of bildungsroman; but Mark Twain famously once said, ‘I have never let my schooling interfere with my education’, and Tom Sawyer certainly reflects that maxim. What an adventure!

The imagination and zest of youth are delightfully pitted against social contrivance with glorious hyperbole and tremendous empathy. Having had four boys of my own, I can honestly say that Mark Twain captured the spirit of boyhood in this book.