Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - One of Mark Twain's Best Books

This book had been gathering dust on my shelf for a good six years. Apparently I bought it, put it away, then forgot I had it. What a ghastly oversight! Thankfully, I ran out of reading material that interested me at the moment and started browsing my bookcases for one to read over again... and stumbled happily upon Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by the irrepressible Mark Twain. HUZZAH!!

The gist of this wonderous tale is that a gentleman, Hank Morgan, happens to end up back in the day..that is to say, The day.. as in King Arthur, Camelot... you know, the days of damsels and knights and all form of mischievous rogue. He's promptly captured by one of these knights and sentenced to die when he stumbles upon a most brilliant scheme.

Ya see, he finds out the day and, having been a bit of a science buff back in Connecticut, he remembers there is to be a full eclipse soon... so he pretty much challenges ol' Merlin (the current head wizard) by saying he will black out the sun.

Merlin calls his bluff by moving the day of his execution up, figuring that if the man is dead, he cannot possibly block out the sun on the day quoted. Luckily for our hapless hero, he was given the wrong date when he inquired and the Eclipse begins as he is tied to the stake.

Having garnered fear and adulation for then saving the world by restoring the sun after said Eclipse, he is come to be called 'The Boss' and pretty much does as he pleases, much to Merlin's chagrin.

And thus goes the tale.... what he pleases to do mostly involves trying to rush this kingdom into the 19th century with newspapers and such.

Twain has such a way with comedy and social satirical commentary. Hardly a page flew by without grins, chuckles, and outright laughter from me. He takes great joy in denouncing the church and I take great joy in reading him do so. Now don't get in a huff, I said the church, not God...there is a big difference, and Twain was famous for using the church as a favorite target.