The Innocents Abroad (1800)

Twain's 1869 account of an 1867 pleasure cruise to Europe and the Holy Land aboard the Quaker City, and the best-selling of his books in his lifetime. Its comedy comes from refusing to be impressed on cue: Twain needles pious fellow passengers, tireless guides and the Old Masters with the same cheerful irreverence. It is long and episodic, so dip in rather than march through. The Italian guide chapters are a good place to start. Expect some sneering at the locals of the Middle East that reads harshly now.