The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Introduction

The book was published in the U.S. in February 1885. The reviews that did come out generally disapproved of what one critic called "coarseness and bad taste." Others thought that Huck Finn, who cursed and skipped school, set a bad example for young readers. But the book sold well, despite the negative reviews.

It took some time before the literary value of Huckleberry Finn was fully appreciated. But by the mid-20th century, many prominent scholars agreed that it was a groundbreaking masterpiece. In 1935, Ernest Hemingway wrote that "all modern American literature" comes from Huckleberry Finn. ...