https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/connecticut-yankee-in-king-arthur-s-court-a-by-mark-twain-1835-1910--6156063
In the rather un-subtle sub-text of the story, Twain uses The Boss to express a surprisingly pragmatic and frequently contradictory philosophy. The Boss explores the relative merits of Democracy, and Monarchy, he expresses his views on the “Nature v. Nurture” debate, he frequently speaks forcefully against an established Church, but just as strongly advocates for religion and a variety of churches (just not a compulsory one) and he devotes at least one afternoon to introducing his companions to the concept of inflation. In a far more subtle, yet no less forceful manner, the Boss shares with the reader some views about taxation, slavery (both literal and wage slavery), trade unions, the origins of the German language, the nature of marriage, and probably most powerfully, death.

It is a tall order for a relatively brief text, but Twain manages it all with surprising clarity. No one will agree fully with the Boss on all of these matters, and I would be surprised if Twain himself would. In fact the Boss’s views are so pragmatic, and often contradictory, the reader is left to wonder if Twain himself is alternately speaking through the Boss, and setting him up as a straw man. Either way it is a delightful story and a great piece of American Literature, to say nothing of an excellent argument for education.

(Review written by Steve Andersen)]]>enArtsCopyright Dream audio bookshttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/2e0a8a3fc6a3166d1f2aebaa7018c02a.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/connecticut-yankee-in-king-arthur-s-court-a-by-mark-twain-1835-1910--6156063Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:04:02 +0000Mark TwainDream audio booksfeeds@dreamaudiobooks.comCome and hear the strange tale of The Boss Hank Morgan, a modern day (at the time of publication) Connecticut Yankee who inexplicably finds himself transported to the court of the legendary King Arthur (as the title of the book implies). Hank, or...
In the rather un-subtle sub-text of the story, Twain uses The Boss to express a surprisingly pragmatic and frequently contradictory philosophy. The Boss explores the relative merits of Democracy, and Monarchy, he expresses his views on the “Nature v. Nurture” debate, he frequently speaks forcefully against an established Church, but just as strongly advocates for religion and a variety of churches (just not a compulsory one) and he devotes at least one afternoon to introducing his companions to the concept of inflation. In a far more subtle, yet no less forceful manner, the Boss shares with the reader some views about taxation, slavery (both literal and wage slavery), trade unions, the origins of the German language, the nature of marriage, and probably most powerfully, death.

It is a tall order for a relatively brief text, but Twain manages it all with surprising clarity. No one will agree fully with the Boss on all of these matters, and I would be surprised if Twain himself would. In fact the Boss’s views are so pragmatic, and often contradictory, the reader is left to wonder if Twain himself is alternately speaking through the Boss, and setting him up as a straw man. Either way it is a delightful story and a great piece of American Literature, to say nothing of an excellent argument for education.

(Review written by Steve Andersen)]]>falseserialhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/preface--59569416https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569416Wed, 17 Apr 2024 23:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-01--59569419https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569419Wed, 17 Apr 2024 23:35:00 +0000Mark Twain389false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-02--59569432https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569432Wed, 17 Apr 2024 23:55:00 +0000Mark Twain846false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-03--59569438https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569438Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:15:00 +0000Mark Twain928false3fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-04--59569421https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569421Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:35:00 +0000Mark Twain479false4fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-05--59569418https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569418Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:55:00 +0000Mark Twain825false5fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-06--59569424https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569424Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:15:00 +0000Mark Twain967false6fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-07--59569436https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569436Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:35:00 +0000Mark Twain997false7fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-08--59569442https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569442Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:55:00 +0000Mark Twain969false8fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-09--59569426https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569426Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:15:00 +0000Mark Twain988false9fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-10--59569440https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569440Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:35:00 +0000Mark Twain691false10fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-11--59569427https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569427Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:55:00 +0000Mark Twain1260false11fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-12--59569425https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569425Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:15:00 +0000Mark Twain688false12fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-13--59569417https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569417Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:35:00 +0000Mark Twain1318false13fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-14--59569420https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569420Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:55:00 +0000Mark Twain586false14fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-15--59569454https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569454Thu, 18 Apr 2024 04:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1253false15fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-16--59569430https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569430Thu, 18 Apr 2024 04:35:00 +0000Mark Twain962false16fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-17--59569447https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569447Thu, 18 Apr 2024 04:55:00 +0000Mark Twain1357false17fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-18--59569434https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569434Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1601false18fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-19--59569423https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569423Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:35:00 +0000Mark Twain492false19fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-20--59569422https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569422Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:55:00 +0000Mark Twain1119false20fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-21--59569429https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569429Thu, 18 Apr 2024 06:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1816false21fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-22--59569452https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569452Thu, 18 Apr 2024 06:35:00 +0000Mark Twain1531false22fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-23--59569439https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569439Thu, 18 Apr 2024 06:55:00 +0000Mark Twain1140false23fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-24--59569433https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569433Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1482false24fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-25--59569455https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569455Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:35:00 +0000Mark Twain1725false25fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-26--59569451https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569451Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:55:00 +0000Mark Twain1363false26fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-27--59569480https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569480Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1150false27fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-28--59569435https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569435Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:35:00 +0000Mark Twain735false28fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-29--59569428https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569428Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:55:00 +0000Mark Twain1050false29fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-30--59569437https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569437Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1479false30fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-31--59569446https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569446Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:35:00 +0000Mark Twain1000false31fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-32--59569441https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569441Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:55:00 +0000Mark Twain983false32fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-33--59569443https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569443Thu, 18 Apr 2024 10:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1773false33fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-34--59569458https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569458Thu, 18 Apr 2024 10:35:00 +0000Mark Twain1657false34fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-35--59569510https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569510Thu, 18 Apr 2024 10:55:00 +0000Mark Twain1188false35fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-36--59569461https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569461Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:15:00 +0000Mark Twain571false36fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-37--59569431https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569431Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:35:00 +0000Mark Twain1022false37fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-38--59569444https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569444Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:55:00 +0000Mark Twain409false38fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-39--59569482https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569482Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1490false39fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-40--59569460https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569460Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:35:00 +0000Mark Twain1140false40fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-41--59569478https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569478Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:55:00 +0000Mark Twain648false41fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-42--59569449https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569449Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:15:00 +0000Mark Twain1630false42fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-43--59569509https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569509Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:35:00 +0000Mark Twain1924false43fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chapter-44--59569462https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59569462Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:55:00 +0000Mark Twain611false44full