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The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrims' Progress is a travel book written by Mark Twain and first published in 1869. It is one of the best-selling travel books of all time. and the best-selling Twain work during the author's lifetime.
The book, with a humorous tone, recounts the trip made by Twain through Europe and the Holy Land in 1867 aboard the ship Quaker City. Twain called that trip his "Great Pleasure Excursion."
Mark Twain made a large number of stops and side trips, both along the coast and overland, covering more than 20,000 miles in total. Some of the most outstanding stops are:
This book is illustrated with original drawings.
"For months the great pleasure excursion to Europe and the Holy Land was chatted about in the newspapers everywhere in America and discussed at countless firesides. It was a novelty in the way of excursions—its like had not been thought of before, and it compelled that interest which attractive novelties always command."
#4 in Travel writing (this month)
The The Innocents Abroad book is available for download in PDF, ePUB and Mobi:
Copyright info
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain is believed to be in the public domain in the United States only. It may still be copyrighted in other countries. If you are not in the United States, please check your local laws to ensure this eBook is in the public domain in your country before downloading The Innocents Abroad in PDF or ePub.
American tourists meet Europe with wide eyes and sharper jokes. Twain’s travelogue skewers pretension, marketing, and himself—making history funnier and guides more suspicious. A generous companion for long trips.
Beyond laughs, it is a lesson in skepticism with warmth: verify legends, resist packaged awe, and enjoy real surprises. Teachers can pair it with modern travel media; readers can treat it as a slow, witty podcast in print. Twain’s voice keeps good company across miles.
You can laugh and learn without meanness.
Hype and hustles meet curiosity and care.
A style you can hear—and trust to be honest.
Perfect for
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American wit with moral bite; comedy that protects dignity while exposing cant.
We have 15 books by Mark Twain in the AliceAndBooks library