The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is an 1876 novel about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. The story is set in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, inspired by Hannibal, Missouri, where Twain lived. According to an October 2012 article published in Smithsonian magazine, Twain named his fictional character after a San Francisco fireman whom he met in June 1863. The real Tom Sawyer was a local hero, famous for rescuing 90 passengers after a shipwreck. The two remained friendly during Twain’s three-year stay in San Francisco, often drinking and gambling together. This is the first in a series of books, that include Tom Sawyer, by Twain; the others being Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer Abroad, and Tom Sawyer, Detective. The books about Tom & Huck have inspired numerous television series, movies, and plays, as well as at least one ballet.