<p>In 'Sketches New and Old,' Mark Twain artfully combines his customary wit and incisive satire in a collection that both exults and critiques the nascent sociopolitical landscape of America. The pieces here represent a range of Twain's work?some newly minted and some forged from his earlier writing years, all reflecting his evolution as a master wordsmith and a commentator on American life. Employing a variety of literary devices from the tall ...