Eve's Diary, Part 1

Twain gives us Eve's diary before the Fall, and she's hilarious - bewildered by this strange creature called 'man,' fascinated by a waterfall she names 'Catfish' because she's never seen one, and puzzled by her own growing feelings. Part 1 captures her discovering the world with fresh wonder while developing an uneasy fascination with Adam, who keeps falling asleep when she wants to talk and seems utterly baffling. It's Twain at his most playful, using feminine innocence to poke fun at gender dynamics, religion, and the eternal mystery of what men are thinking. The satire is gentle but sharp, and Eve's voice - earnest, confused, occasionally profound - carries the whole thing.