{"product_id":"9781627556132","title":"Pudd'nhead Wilson: A Novel of Identity and Justice in the American South","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA sharp and darkly comic novel of identity, race, and justice set in the antebellum American South.\u003c\/strong\u003e Mark Twain's \u003cem\u003ePudd'nhead Wilson\u003c\/em\u003e examines the fragility of social order through a tale of switched identities, legal intrigue, and the consequences of inherited status.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSet in the Mississippi River town of Dawson's Landing, the novel turns on an act of desperation: a slave mother secretly exchanges her light-skinned child with her master's son, setting in motion a chain of events that unfolds over years. As questions of identity and legitimacy surface, Twain introduces one of the earliest uses of fingerprint evidence in fiction, framing the narrative as both a social satire and a courtroom drama.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeneath its humor and irony, the novel offers a pointed critique of racial constructs and the arbitrary nature of social hierarchy. Twain's treatment of these themes remains striking for its time, exposing the contradictions and moral failures embedded within the culture it depicts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis edition presents the text in a clear, readable format, preserving the integrity of Twain's original work for modern readers and institutional collections.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wilder Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46361666584817,"sku":"9781627556132","price":15.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0674\/5433\/7265\/files\/9781627556132_p0.jpg?v=1765857916","url":"https:\/\/shop.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781627556132","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble","version":"1.0","type":"link"}