This book is worthy of being called a classic not only for the wonderful writing, but for the presentation: How to Tell a Story and Other Essays is a facsimile edition of the original first edition published in 1897 under the direction of Mark Twain himself. It is but one volume in the wondrous 29-volume Oxford Mark Twain. The essays, which, besides the title essay, include the devilishly brilliant "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offences," "Traveling With a Reformer," and others, were written a century ago, but they bristle with energy and wit. At times we take the great Twain for granted, but this volume of essays serves as a wonderful reminder of what a fine and funny writer he was.