The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson

by Mark Twain Narrated by Michael Prichard

Overview

Two half brothers look so similar as infants that no one can tell them apart. One, the legitimate son of a rich man, is destined for a life of comfort, while the other is condemned to be a slave because he is part black. The mother of the would-be slave is also the nurse of the other; to give her son the best life possible, she switches the babies. Soon the boy who is given every advantage becomes spoiled and cruel. He takes sadistic pleasure in tormenting his half brother. As they grow older, the townspeople no longer notice that the boys look similar, and they readily accept that each is born to his station.



A local lawyer, David Wilson, has had a similar experience. On his first day in the village, he made an odd remark about a dog, and the townspeople gave him the condescending name "Pudd'nhead." Although he was a young, intelligent lawyer, he is unable to live down this name, so he toils in obscurity for over twenty years. Finally, he is presented with a complex murder trial-a chance to prove himself to the townspeople and shake this unjust label.

Editorial Reviews

AUG/SEP 03 - AudioFile

Twain’s 1894 novel of two nearly identical brothers raised on opposite sides of the race line (one as white, one as black) isn’t nearly as strong as his more famous works. The author’s political ambitions--critiquing American attitudes on race and class--are too nakedly displayed, and the plot creaks like an old melodrama. But it’s still Mark Twain, and that means more wit than half a dozen other authors, delivered in shrewd, folksy language. And it’s possible that Michael Prichard’s delivery works better than reading it on the printed page. Prichard shifts dialect to match Twain’s acute ear for regional differences, and he brings a widely diverse cast of characters vividly to life. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170661909
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	02/09/2009
Edition description:	Unabridged

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