The Diaries of Adam & Eve - Translated by Mark Twain

I thought the purchase of this book would save time in reducing the original long version which I needed to do for a short performance. It did not. I had to go back to the original as key elements were missing from this version. Poor quality.

This is an entertaining look at Adam and Eve with the assumption that they are kind of dumb with no knowledge of anything at all. However, if you think about it, God wouldn't have created them as two imbeciles; he would have built in wisdom and great intelligence. The bible even says that Adam was "not fooled" by Satan (as the serpent). Given that Satan himself was originally the highest-ranking cherub before he fell, and he fooled a large portion of the heavenly host, who fell with him, Adam must have had a very high intelligence to NOT be fooled. So it's an interesting comedy with no grounding in biblical doctrine.

This is not like Tom Sawyer, or Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. It is lots of internal drama, and not near so much action. But transaction was good, like most of the kindle transactions and I enjoyed the read.

A charming and witty telling of the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Some of the lines are laugh out loud funny. Twain's interpretation may not be the same as mine, but it's not irreverent--just lighthearted humor.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading and thinking about what must have been going through the head's of Adam and Eve shortly after the creation until Eve's death. It was also interesting to watch Adam's feelings for Eve evolve immensely.

Charming retelling of the classic stone soup tale. The Cajun setting is refreshing and MS Devine brings the characters to life with her voices. This is a very short book. It would be better served in a set of children's stories, packaged together.

I was hesitant about reading this book; high school didn't make me a fan of Twain. Fortunately, the story grabbed me immediately and I can finally say that I have a favorite book by this author!

I came to this book by way of a banned books list. The Diary of Eve has been banned in some schools for religious content - though I fail to see how any one could be offended, given the circumstances surrounding the creation of the book (see below). Twain was also a supporter of women's rights - this opinion comes through very clearly in the Diary of Eve.

This book was written just before the death of Twain's wife - he wrote the story for her as she struggled with a long illness. The story depicts the relationship that Twain shared with his wife, showing the softer side of Twain. It is a deliciously sweet story - this is my idea of what a romantic novel should be!

I just reread this book after reading it 20 years ago. My husband was reading it and laughing out loud so I decided to be amused all over again. Mark Twain hit it right on the nail in describing everything from male and female viewpoints. So much of this still rings true today. I think it is the story of my marriage.

What if Adam and Eve had kept diaries? What would this have told us of their characters? Mark Twain, in his brilliance, shows what the possible result may have been in these two diaries.
Adam is a clumsy oaf, and rather stupid and economical with his words. He thinks that Eve is a pain in the neck, always naming things, always in his way. When Cain makes his appearance, at first Adam thinks that Cain is a fish out of water, then perhaps a monkey, maybe a bear, and so forth. Sundays are a torture to be endured and survived.
Eve is poetic, a dreamer. She cries when she sees her first dawn, thinking that the stars have gone away forever. She befriends the animals, naming them. She grieves over Adam's stupidity and tries to 'help' him through it.
Somehow, the two become reconciled to each other and build a life of love and experience. It is a wonderful tale, at once funny and sad, blunt and poetic, practical and dreamy.
Perhaps the best way to describe this book is with a couple of quotes from it, the final quotes from each of the major characters:
Eve: It is my prayer, it is my longing, that we may pass from this life together--a longing which shall never perish from the earth, but shall have a place in the heart of every wife that loves, until the end of time; and it shall be called by my name.
But if one of us must go first, it is my prayer that it shall be I; for he is strong, I am weak, I am not so necessary to him as he is to me--life without him would not be life; how could I endure it? This prayer is also immortal, and will not cease from being offered up while my race continues.
I am the first wife, and in the last wife I shall be repeated.
Adam (at Eve's graveside): Wheresoever she was, THERE was Eden.

Even Mark Twain's ephemera charms. This well edited collection of separately written pieces creates the whole that Twain himself might have made. It features his most insightful depiction of a female persona, Eve, who is the one truly engaged protagonist in this glimpse into Eden. She is the seeker, the thinker, and the emotionally active partner -- in short, the whole person. It is no wonder that Eve names the animals and discovers fire, while Adam lolls in a tree and complains about her talkativeness. He is remarkably complacent for a miracle of creation. Twain imaginatively and humorously evokes the naivete and sense of wonder of these two innocents as they discover the world and each other -- learn, even, to recognize that they are human. The fact that God is just a voice, mentioned once or twice, and the Fall is the unfortunate incident that changes their lives demonstrates that Twain was not interested in a religious parable. These diaries are his reflection on the nature of male and female personalities and the bond that draws and keeps men and women together. Though it feels somewhat incomplete, the book is an enjoyable quick read. The editor's afterword recounts the history of these writings and connects the diaries to the author's own personal life, affirming its very personal nature. This is a lovely book to give to an engaged couple, a married couple, or anyone who enjoys Mark Twain's unique genius.

Although Mark Twain uses the story of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis as the framework for these "diaries," the biblical couple and his are two entirely different stories. Having said that, Twain's version is such a touching love story, especially as it is rendered in this recording, it is worth hearing (or reading) without making any comparisons to the first Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
I mention this because a high school student recently inquired with me about Twain's views on religion, and thought that these diaries might shed some light in his beliefs. While I encouraged her to read or listen to Twain's account, simply because of the beauty of the story, I don't think they shed much light on Twain's religious views.
I did find it interesting that Twain's Adam and Eve barely mention God at all. Perhaps that is a notable observation on his views of religion after all.
Twain's tender observations on the nature of men, women and love is what makes this a moving tale. Walter Cronkite's commentary at the end makes one appreciate the story even more.

This month our book club discussed Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve, and even though Twain's account was amusing and speculative, it did give me a lot to think about. I can't imagine how it must have felt to awaken as a fully formed adult with no one around to socialize her or to impart even the tiniest bit of information or advice...except for Adam, that is.

How did Adam really feel about her and vice versa? Was he disturbed to have this creature with the long hair intrude on his personal space? How did they react to being banished from the Garden of Eden? What did Eve do all day? What did she think about? Did Adam scare her, or did she love him in the way that Twain said she did? All of those questions and more are answered in this delightful little book. It was funny, sad, and sort of bittersweet all at the same time.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way the love story developed and love the last passage in Adam's diary: "Wheresoever she was, there was Eden."

The Diaries of Adam & Eve is an incredible representation of both sides of Mark Twain. The cynical side that most people seem to know, as well as a softer side that has largely been kept hidden.
From the unflinching stubborn "maleness" of Adam to the innocent yet knowing Eve, this book is an amazing testement of Twain's love for his ailing wife. It was her persuasion that led him to write the sweetly naive character of Eve. The gentleness of the work is very touching and may be a surprise for people who think that Twain was just a tetchy grown-up Tom Sawyer. Adam and Eve both have equal say in various "experiments" in their new world and their wonderful differing interpretations of shared events make the characters pop off of the page and into your soul.
I would also recommend the audio version of this book as read by Mandy Patinkin, Betty Buckley, and Walter Cronkite. The true musical nature of the text and the spirit of Twain's words really come to life in a spoken format and may move you to tears.

Apparently this version of the text is not the expanded version. I recommend getting the expanded edition ('translated' by Mark Twain). But if you get this one, here's what I think:
Retelling the famous story of Adam and Eve is always an exciting venture. There are so many cultural, religious and political overtones to the original story (or stories?) in the Bible that any retelling is bound to spark contention.
Milton's Paradise Lost is a great example of this. Even better are the stories by the long forgotten Gnostic Christians (See Elaine Pagels) who thought that the serpent was the hero of the story.
Twain has his own take on the matter. Adam is a boring, conceited man (at first) who is annoyed by Eve and her curiosity about everything. Eve is wonderful; she names everything (like Adam in the original story) and has an abundance of scientific wonder of the world. The only thing odd in this story was its avoidance of the temptation of Eve by the serpent--it was only mentioned in passing. Personally, I find that the most interesting part (see Milton) and i would haved loved to see Twain's thoughts on it.
Nevertheless, this is a short, funny (isn't Twain always?) and lively book that you can get through in an hour. If for no other reason, read it for its redemption of Eve from the sexist (and confusing) story of the OT.

This quote is Adam's final assessment of Eve; the true Eden is within us not a patch of picturesque landscape full of artificial harmony. I'm sure, had he died first in Mark Twain's vision, Eve would have said similar of Adam.

This is a wonderful, imaginative and amusing piece of writing - short, but with wisdom. I will never forget Eve trying to get stars out of the night sky to place in her hair - first with a big stick ('they must be so far away,' she complains) and then with clods of earth! I will never forget the speculations - how did the milk get into the cow? And the 'scientific' tests to prove the various theories!

Adam and Eve (and their children right up to Twain's own time) are fanciful imaginings in these writings but they are brim full of character and personality.

If there is a shorter, funnier, more delightful book on the planet, I have yet to find it. The genius that was Twain's is in abundant evidence here. And there is no longer version, this is it. Twain only wrote "extracts from" to make it seem more believable. Notice the "translated" also? I own the PBS version with David and Meredith Baxter Birney and have watched it many times, but I still laughed out loud when I finally got around to reading this short little gem. And the illustrations are at least half of the fun. I suspect this can re-read many times, especially when one is in need of a pick-me-up. Because, as always with Twain, much wisdom is interspersed with the humor. And beautifully written passages as well. DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!!

I checked this out from my library, the audio version narrated by Mandy Patinkin and Betty Buckley. It was delightful. Walter Cronkite does an intro explaining that the diary of Adam was supposed to be an advertising thing for Niagara Falls. He explains some of the dynamics between Mr & Mrs Twain. It is obvious in some of the spots that Twains' sweetie kept him to a more gentle writing. eg.How they tried to determine where milk came from by penning up a cow overnite. I encourage everyone to find this audio and listen...then share it with all their friends. Reading it will be fun also but the lots of them leave parts of 'AFTER the garden' out. I see there is a video on youtube and I'm on my way there right now. Don't miss this!

Short and very sweet. The Diaries present a charming and enlightened view of the relationship between the First Humans. Written late in Twain's life, the Diaries are considered his most personal work. Contain typical Twain wit, iconoclastic thinking and sardonic good will. Adam's later entries are believed to reflect Twain's feelings for his beloved, deceased wife, Livy. Adam and Eve's love for each other and Adam's grief for Eve moved me to tears. Beautifully illustrated.

Mark Twain does a beautiful job of playing on what may have happened in the garden. The alternating POV's provide a comical insight to what man and woman thought of each other. This is a quick and very enjoyable read.

For anyone who is a writer, this work will show you have using the simplest words and thoughts can be creative genius.

I bought this book because it was referenced in another book I read. I found the book to be witty and humorous. It's a fun and short read, thats great for a train or before sleep.

The diary entries alternate between Adam and Eve and deal with subjects like intimacy, talking (in Eve's case talking too much), and sexual roles (why does Adam name everything?)

Some of the entries were a little dry (hence the 4 stars).

This little book manages to evoke more passionate emotions, word for word, than anything else you'll find. You'll be confused, frustrated, awed, elated, broken, and hopeful as Adam and Eve (and Twain) pull you into their thoughts and interpretations of life. This is a great little valentine for your sweetheart or yourself, and has been a very good gift for newlyweds who would like something short and sentimental and a little thought-provoking to read while honeymooning.

If you are not familiar with Mark Twain then some of his humour may be lost on you. This is the quintessence of Twain's humour, strong and gentle, reflective and musing on the human condition and those commonest of misunderstandings that occur between the genders.
When I first heard of this work it was read, one diary at a time, as they had been released for print. Here the two diaries are woven together.
I am not sure I enjoy that so much but I do recommend this to you for a nostalgic and wistful relfection on human relationships in this time when only cynicism seems to reign between the sexes.

Mr.Twain's short story is really a psychological synopsis of the interactions between men and women and their varied thought processes. It was witty especially when one reads the same event described in Adam's as well as Eve's diaries. He was probably the first to come up with or inference the saying 'there are always three sides to a story: yours, mine, and the truth.'

This is a short, quirky twist to the biblical creation story in Book of Genesis... A must read and worthy of $0.99 cents.

It doesnt take comments from people such as myself to speak of the brilliance of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemmons). His body of work simply speaks for itself. If you are new to Twain's work I would highly reccommend that you try reading this novel first. It is short, entertaining, witty, and beautifully portreyed. This novel is worth absultely every penny you pay for it!