Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Like Don Quixote, Connecticut Yankee pokes fun at chivalry, but flips the script, forcing a modern man to don armor and wield a lance, while fully aware of how ridiculous it is. Twain's protagonist and proxy Hank Morgan cleverly uses his 19th-century American know-how to become King Arthur's prime minister, and modernize medieval England. Where a lesser author may turn this into a technological fantasy, Twain uses this concept to deliver social commentary on his age, including slavery, civil rights, democracy, equality, feminism, and rampant capitalism. All the while, he introduces us to several memorable characters, including the talkative damsel "Sandy," Hank's boy wonder "Clarence," and fantastic takes on King Arthur, Merlin, and other Camelot characters. Then there's the humor, ranging from ridiculous situations, jokes, and just plain funny dialogue. One particular exchange between Hank and Merlin nearly killed me. And there are genuinely touching moments as well, some of which I would guess are drawn from Twain's own life. Finally, a common theme I appreciated is the idea that we are products of the age and circumstances in which we live, the "training" we receive in how to fit in with society, but at the core we share a common humanity. In all, this is an entertaining book offering considerable depth, and I think it remains relevant today.