Mark Twain wrote "Roughing It" equipped with his traveling experiences, his brother's journal, and his imagination. Published in 1872, his book is based on his travels West from 1861-1866.

In 1861, Twain opted to travel west with Orion Clemens, his brother and Secretary of the Nevada territory. Through "Roughing It," he expresses his thoughts on the Pony Express, outlaws, fights, trains, Mormons, travellng through the desert, life in the mountains, prospecting, mining, robberies, shootings, fires, merchants, and funerals.

As Twain suggested, ''This book is merely a personal narrative, and not a pretentious history or a philosophical dissertation.'' However, the book is more than a personal narrative; it is a humorous look at the trials and tribulations that Twain encountered during his adventures.