[21twelve]

When my son was very little (just barely reading) I read to him Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. I told him about the word nigger and how back then I suppose it was sort of derogatory, but maybe not so much? But nowadays it was. So we used either black man or slave. I can’t remember now which one. Or perhaps both.

What great adventure stories to read to my son. And of course the friendship that Tom and Jim had. Not sure how anyone can read the book and come away with it being racist.

[SunkenCiv]

Sometime in my elementary years, the after-lunch cooldown chapters from the teacher (that is, he or she read them aloud) came from Huckleberry Finn, over a period of weeks it was read to us in entire -- and I don't recall hearing the n-word at all. It must not have made an impression on me if it was read, otherwise perhaps there was a substitute. Seems like I'd remember that as well. My attitude is, if you wanna make an omelet, ya gotta break a few eggs. :')

"All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since." [Ernest Hemingway, commie spy]