~ 1872 ~
Roughing It is a semi-autobiographical travel book by Mark Twain, published in 1872. The book is a prequel to Twain's first travel book, The Innocents Abroad and follows the travels of a young Mark Twain through the American West during 1861-1867. After a stint as a Confederate cavalry militiaman, he joined his brother Orion Clemens, on a stagecoach journey west. The book shows Twain's adventures in Salt Lake City, gold and silver prospecting, real-estate speculation, and his beginnings as a writer. Roughing It illustrates Twain's early experiences that were integral to his writing style. Various sections of the book have been adapted for popular television series and NASA astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell read the book aloud while in space.