VOX POPULI: Act today to avoid disappointment tomorrow

"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain (1835-1910) is roughly set in the U.S. state of Missouri in the mid-19th century. The protagonist is a young prankster. His pal, Huckleberry Finn, is virtually a homeless orphan. The boys' wild and carefree days reflect the atmosphere of their home state, which was a gateway to the Wild West back then. Twain, too, was a Missouri native.

In the story, Tom is one day ordered to whitewash a fence as a punishment, but he gets away by tricking another boy into doing the job. Twain describes a satisfied Tom: "Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all." Perhaps the author meant this line as an encouragement for his readers.

Twain himself lived a life that was anything but hollow. His first full autobiography will be published later this year, the centennial of his death.

In keeping with his will that his autobiography not be published until 100 years after his death, 5,000 unedited pages of his memoirs were kept by the publisher.

Why this century-long time lag? Some scholars speculate it was because Twain wanted to discuss religion and politics with complete candor. Others think he needed the time lag because his memoirs contained scathing comments about some of his acquaintances and he did not want to offend them.

Speaking of long lapses related to books, one book--checked out 221 years ago--has been returned to the New York Society Library in Manhattan. The borrower was George Washington, the first president of the United States.

According to news reports, the foundation that manages historic Mount Vernon, Washington's estate in Virginia, purchased a copy of the same edition of the missing book for about $12,000 (1 million yen) and offered to donate it to the library.

By keeping their "promises" posthumously through third parties, both Twain and Washington have made news in the 21st century.

The passage of time can bury the truth, but these two delightful episodes remind me of the awesome power of books that transcend time.

When I go to a library and look at the titles of books on their spines, I become acutely aware of how much I don't know and haven't done. They make me recall my many dreams, aspirations and unfulfilled promises, all bobbing in the sea of the unknown.

Twain said: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do." This is so true, and bittersweet.

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 6

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.