The Prince and the Pauper: Timeless Classics
Written by Mark Twain
Narrated by Saddleback Educational Publishing
4/5
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About this audiobook
Two young boys discover that they look just alike. But the lives they lead could hardly be more different. What could it hurt to trade places for a while? When the old king dies, they find out in a hurry. Will poor Tom Canty actually be crowned the new King of England?
Mark Twain
Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was an American humorist and writer, who is best known for his enduring novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has been called the Great American Novel.
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Reviews for The Prince and the Pauper
36 ratings22 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Although the kids had a hard time following the story (just like with Shakespeare, must be the Old English) this was a really good book. We just paused periodically to make sure that everyone was up to speed. This was not at all what I expected from Mark Twain although it did bear his hallmark humor. It was like a Tom and Huck scheme gone wrong with thees and thous. It was a much more in depth story than what you might suppose if all you had been exposed to is the animated versions. I was pleased and entertained.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I think the majority of readers know the story,the Prince and Pauper who exchange places because of their uncanny resemblance, but I was surprised at the political undertones that were skillfully woven throughout. Twain has shown the cruelty of the time as well as the naivete of the nobility to the hardship inflicted by unjust laws.I usually have a hard time with Classics, but I liked this one.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This classic story of mixed identity between the boy King Edward VI and pauper Tom Canty is a heartwarming and easy read. Mark Twain's first historical novel, it follows the tradition of of 19th century historical novels in telling as much about the assumptions of the time it was written (1881) as about the time it is set (1547), e.g. in terms of Royal mercy and concern for the poor. The language is a joy to read and this Kindle edition contains all the many illustrations.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Prince and the Pauper reminded me very much of Adventures of Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn. There were last second rescue, unbelievable circumstance, local dialects (or an estimation of them at least) abusive fathers, faithful companions...the list goes on. Unfortunately, I don't think Twain did as good a job tapping into old England as he did to the Mississippi river area.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The basic story line offered so much potential for compelling social commentary. However, Twain's effort really accomplished little more than a mildly entertaining novel. While an enjoyable read, particularly for its description of 16th century English society, I was disappointed at the lack of sophistication.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I loved the details in this book a lot. I could really see the dirty details of London in that era, from the description.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5After the young Prince Edward VI of England and a peasant boy switch places, the "little king" tries to escape from a world in which he must beg for food, sleep with rodents, face ridicule, and avoid assassination. Meanwhile, the peasant, who is now the prince, dreads exposure and possible execution; members of the Court believe he has gone mad. As a result of the swap, both boys learn that social class, like so much of life, is determined by chance and random circumstance. Originally published in 1881, The Prince and the Pauper is one of Mark Twain's earliest social satires. With his caustic wit and biting irony, Twain satirizes the power of the monarchy, unjust laws and barbaric punishments, superstitions, and religious intolerance. Although usually viewed as a child's story, The Prince and the Pauper offers adults critical insight into a people and time period not really all that different from our own.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Only Mark Twain could have turned this hackneyed old concept into a very readable, enjoyable novel. This Reader’s Digest edition had factual historical notes and a good afterword at the end of the book. First class.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5In this book, Prince Edward and a beggar, Tom Canty, switch places accidentally. They have many different adventures based on what kind of people they were with. It's in England, during the reign of King Henry VIII. Most of the characters were fictionally made. Overall, it was an okay book; but unless you don't enjoy the medieval way the characters talk, then i suggest you don't read this book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I could have sword I had read this years ago, but it felt fresh to me when I read it on DailyLit this time. Twain is such a genius! I loved this little story with so much depth and humor. I was also surprised to see how much historical research went into it. This is recommended to everyone.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Possibly my favorite Twain novel. So many people know the basics of this story that I think few of them ever read the original anymore. The politics and social commentary in this book are some of the best Twain produced. His subtle condemnation of the way society separated the haves and have nots during his day (and still does, if truth be told) is spot on and utterly compelling, all without compromising story or character.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5this book was really interesting but in some parts of it this book was confusing because you didn't know who was who. The prince and the pauper had many lessons in it that i think where interesting. I liked that the prince got to experience how life was for many people. He realized that his life was pretty great compaired to other people's. I think that elementry or middle school students would like this book better than adults and teens.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One day two babies was born. But they are very different lives-one is aprince, the other is a pauper. Ten years later, they change p;aces.I was excited thinking what will happen next.And courage of the prince moved me.But i dont like the end of this story. I was disappointed.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I did not like this book because it was very hard to understand (at least the version i read). I think that Mark Twain over did the old english a little bit.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5SO different from the Disney version its amusing. But it was an interesting read. I wonder whose perspective of history is more accurate, Twains because he was closer in time, or ours because we have more research and available information...
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is my first book by Mark Twain. It's a fictionised story using some real characters like King Henry VIII and his son King Edward VI.Tom Canty, a begger boy, is very keen on seeing the prince Edward who is the same age that he is. One day when he is roaming in the vicinity of the King's palace, he sees the prince. He is invited into the private chambers of the prince and seeing their remarkable resemblance they decide to play a jest. They exchange clothes and try to act each other's part. Things take a wrong turn and the real prince is thrown out on the streets and Tom is considered as the prince. What follows is a merry adventure for both of them.The conversations in the book are in old English which take a bit of time getting used to but overall it's a fun read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Most people are familiar with the basic situation of this classic story, but there is much more to Twain's original version than to its many adaptations. Of course, the crucial fact of these two boys being born in such different circumstances at the same time and identical in appearance and meeting as they do is pretty fabulous, but then, it is intended as a fable. At root, this is a story about the arbitrariness of hereditary nobility in general and monarchy in particular, and in true Twain fashion there are many biting and hilarious scenes. However, Twain fails to be true to his own theme in his resolution, which basically amounts to "...and despite what you would expect from everything that's happened so far, they all lived happily ever after." It would have been much more powerful and memorable had they failed to prove their true identities and the pauper had remained king, and the king a pauper...but I suppose a lot of readers wouldn't have liked that ending (which would have been the point!). But in any case, Twain's story is well worth reading just as it is.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I found this an exquisitely funny book and it has lived in my memory ever since I read it in 8th grade.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I think I just did not like the style, or maybe it is because I knew the concept of the story, but I had a very hard time pay attention to this one even though I liked the narrator's voice and he did an great job narrating. I tried reading it when I was younger, and could not get into it then, either.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The well-known story set in 1547, when Crown Prince Edward and the (fictional) neglected, impoverished Tom Canty switch places for fun, as they look surprisingly alike, and find themselves stuck in a role entirely different from anything previously experienced.Written for children but some of the incidents are quite shocking so I'd consider it more suitable for teens (and adults) interested in historical fiction of this era. The author evidently researched well, and the detail feels authentic, though I'm no historian. Some of the descriptions are long-winded, but if one accepts the unlikely premise of the story, it's a believable book, well-written and dramatic. I downloaded mine free from Project Gutenberg, but there are many editions in print and electronic form, as well as various TV/film adaptations of this book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I remember enjoying this book as a child (although I can't remember what age) and since my son is interested in Mark Twain, we listened to the audiobook on a recent road trip. It was a little bit more complicated than I remembered, and frankly we both had trouble following parts of the story, but perhaps that is a challenge of audiobooks compared with print. The basic story is well-known in which the poor and abused Tom Canty meets Prince Edward and discovering they resemble one another, swap clothing. Through a comedy of errors, they are separated and end up with Tom unwillingly becoming king and the prince having to live life at the very bottom of society. All works out in the end, and Twain is probably too kind on Edward VI's actual legacy as king, but the book delves into some of the gritty realities of impoverished masses and the court intrigues of the elites.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5You can't get what you want unless you see it through someone else's eyes first.