The Diaries of Adam & Eve by Mark Twain

The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain is a delightful and easy read. It starts out funny and slightly satirical but ends as a touching love story.

Imagine if you found yourself suddenly existing one day in a bountiful garden, as a full grown adult, capable of organized thought, but with no past and no education. If you were to keep a diary, you might record some of the same feelings Twain supposed Adam and Eve might have felt.

According to Foster, The Bible is a major intertextual source for literature. Obvious references here, among others, include Adam and Eve, the naming of the animals, Cain and Abel.

There is also a quest of sorts, though not one involving a geographical journey. It's Adam's journey through life. At first, he doesn't know what he's doing, where he's going, or why. He can't stand Eve because she's weak and bothersome. Over time, however, he falls in love with her, raises a family, and together they begin the world we know. At the end, he has learned that he's happy with life. He has loved, accomplished things, and suffered some hardships, but over all life--and love--are good.

Note: This short story has been published in multiple forms. Originally it was just Eve's Diary, then Adam's Diary was a separate story, and then they were combined chronologically into one book, which is the one I read. There's even a version where they went to Niagara Falls!

References:
Thomas C. Foster. How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Harper. 2003.
Mark Twain. The Diaries of Adam & Eve. 1893-1905. Ed. Don Roberts. Fair Oaks Press. 1997.