Life on the Mississippi is an unforgettable classic from the legendary and beloved American author, Mark Twain. It is a memoir by Mark Twain of his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War. It is also a travel book, recounting his trip along the Mississippi River from St. Louis to New Orleans many years after the war. This novel is a powerful narrative concerning the past, present, and future of the Mississippi River, including its towns, people, and ways of life.

With this novel, Twain addresses the life and times of piloting steamboats along the Mississippi River, making sure to mix his trademark humor into the narrative. Before addressing the river and his personal relationship to it, Twain provides a brief history of the Mississippi River. A valuable piece of history and a revealing look at the origins of a national treasure, 'Life on the Mississippi’ is a true classic of American literature.