A Tramp Abroad

The classic, partly fictional travelogue through late-nineteenth-century Europe by the great American satirist and author of Innocents Abroad. Based on true events—embellished with fictional tales and a made-up travel partner—Mark Twain's A Tramp Abroad chronicles his meandering journey through Germany, the French and Swiss Alps, and Northern Italy. Attempting to make the trip by foot, Twain ventures down the Neckar river by raft, ascends Mont Blanc by telescope, and experiences European life with his usual penetrating wit, infectious curiosity, and timeless humor. Along the way, Twain offers his thoughts on the role of "The Portier" in European hotels, a vivid description of "Heidelberg Castle," and his unvarnished opinion of "The Awful German Language," as well as a few tall tales, such as "The Man Who Put Up at Gadsby's."