Letters From the Earth by Mark Twain
Written in 1909 and published posthumously in 1962 after the death of Twain's daughter Clara, who objected to the publication of this collection because she thought it misrepresented her father's views on religion; Letters from the Earth is a striking departure from the humorist writings of Twain's earlier and more famous works. Here, we experience a bitter, sardonic man who is plainly disillusioned with life after the death of both his wife and one of his daughters. "Letters" is a collection of 11 letters from Satan to archangels Gabriel and Michael commenting on the shortcomings of mankind. Well written and cynical, this collection opens a new chapter into the works of who some critics call America's greatest writer. In addition to the "Letters", this collection also features some other essays and short andecdotes. Of particular interest is one essay titledThe Damned Human Race where Twain argues that an anaconda snake is more intelligent and useful than an English nobleman!
Submitted by Dan @ Central