Tom Sawyer, a 19th-century amalgam of Zack Morris and Dennis the Menace, has much to teach us about the joys of boyhood and adventure in the pre-Civil War United States. Twain, by extension, has plenty to teach us about racial stereotypes and how they can bog down even the most charming of adventure stories.

Check out our previous Mark Twain episode on The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.

Our theme music was composed by Nick Lerangis.

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