Life on the Mississippi
by Mark Twain
Life on the Mississippi is a memoir and travel book by Mark Twain, first published in 1883, simultaneously by James R. Osgood in Boston and Chatto & Windus in London. It recalls his years as a steamboat pilot before the Civil War and a later return trip down the river.
- Editions tracked
- 2
- First edition
- J.R. Osgood, 1883
- First published
- James R. Osgood & Co., Boston, 1883
- First UK edition
- Chatto & Windus, 1883
The first edition of Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain was published in Boston by J.R. Osgood in 1883. We track 2 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
Later and other editions
- Chatto & Windus1883 Hardback Sold £420 · Sep 2024 I own Life on the Mississippi, Chatto & Windus 1883 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Read next
- Comes after
- The Prince and the Pauper
- Followed by
- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
In print
- Editions recorded
- 157 on Open Library, 124 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 14 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
Pictures of the book
Freely licensed pictures of the work. They are not necessarily the edition you hold: check the points on each edition's page.
More by Mark Twain
- The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County1867 · 2 editions
- The Innocents Abroad1869 · 3 editions
- Roughing It1872 · 2 editions
- The Gilded Age1873 · 3 editions
- Sketches New and Old1875 · 2 editions
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer1876 · 3 editions
- A Tramp Abroad1880 · 2 editions
- The Prince and the Pauper1881 · 2 editions
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of Life on the Mississippi?
The first edition of Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain was published in Boston by J.R. Osgood in 1883.
How many editions of Life on the Mississippi are there?
We track 2 editions of Life on the Mississippi, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
What should I read after Life on the Mississippi?
In order, it follows The Prince and the Pauper and it is followed by Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, according to Wikidata.
Can I read Life on the Mississippi for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- Life on the Mississippi, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Life on the Mississippi (Q1131648), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 19 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.