Mark Twain and Huck Finn in Post-Civil War America

Name: Mark Twain and Huck Finn in Post-Civil War America
Start: 2025-09-21T14:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-09-21T15:30:00-05:00
Location: West Des Moines Public Library

Schedule

Sun Sep 21 2025 at 02:30 pm to 03:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

West Des Moines Public Library | West Des Moines, IA

We are very happy to welcome Kathy Wilson back to the Library!
Most Americans know the name Mark Twain; as children, many of us read Tom Sawyer as well as a few of his more than two dozen other novels and short stories. None of them created controversy, however, like the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. One of his most popular novels, critics consider it to be one of America’s greatest literary works. So, what about the book made it so controversial? Why was Twain’s credibility as an author and humorist called into question when it was published? And perhaps more importantly, for us, why are we still debating the merits of Huck Finn in the 21st Century? This program investigates how the Civil War, Victorian social attitudes, and Twain’s own experiences combined to provide inspiration for a book that has remained popular – and controversial – for more than 130 years.
This program is co-sponsored by the Jane Austen Society of North America and the West Des Moines Public Library. No registration required.