The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: A Novel

Mark Twain’s classic coming-of-age novel about innocence, courage, and the mischievous young boy whose misadventures continue to delight generations of readers—with an afterword by Alfred Kazin

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

“Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.”—Mark Twain, from the Preface

Sparkling with mischief, jumping with youthful adventurousness, Tom Sawyer is one of the most splendid re-creations of childhood in all of literature. It is a lighthearted romp, full of humor and warmth. It shares with its sequel, the masterpiece Huckleberry Finn, not only a set of unforgettable characters—Tom, Huck, Aunt Polly, and others—but a profound understanding of humankind as well. Through such hilarious scenes as the famous fence-whitewashing incident, Twain gives us a portrait—perceptive yet tender—of a humanity rendered foolish by its own aspirations and obsessions.

An enduring classic that famously appeals to young and old alike, Tom Sawyer is the work of a master storyteller performing in his shirtsleeves, using his best talents to everyone’s delight.