Background:

Mark Twain is a pseudonym for Samuel Langhorne Clemens
Twain was born in Florida, Missouri and lived from 1835-1910
His childhood was spent in the small Mississippi river town of Hannibal, Missouri

Thumbnail History:

Mark Twain spent his formative years in Hannibal Missouri where many of his novels are centered, most notably "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". After the death of his father in 1847 he worked for his brother's newspaper in Hannibal, then was a wandering printer in many cities. In 1857 he went to New Orleans on his way to make his fortune in South America, but instead he became a Mississippi river pilot. His pseudonym was actually the river call for a water depth of two fathoms ("mark twain"). The Civil War ended river traffic and Clemens in 1862 went west to Carson City where his brother had been appointed territorial secretary. He failed in get rich schemes and turned to writing for the Virginia City Enterprise. Later he was a newspaper man in San Francisco. His first success was a short story, a masterpiece of western humor, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". When he returned from a trip to Hawaii, financed by the Sacramento Union in 1866 he first became a successful humorist lecturer. He also traveled in the Holy Land, the accounts of which were first published in "The Innocents Abroad". In 1870 he married Olivia Langdon of Elmira New York and settled down in Hartford Connecticut. Some critics have argued that his wife and her New England friends most notably William Dean Howells, thwarted his talents. Yet he wrote excellent works after his removal to Hartford, including his two signature novels "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". Some of his later works are forced attempts at humor. His attitude changed later and was reflected in the distinctly bitter "The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson", even though he continued to produce humorous works. In the 1890's Twain made some bad investments and soon found himself deeply in debt. He continued to lecture around the world which led to his "Following the Equator" work. He also had to deal with the death of his two daughters and the long illness and death of his wife in 1904. Some critics think that the fierce pessimism of his later works were the result of his personal tragedy. This beloved American author will long be remembered for what many call the most "American" of authors.

Books and Articles Authored by Twain:

• 1865 "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County"
• 1869 "The Innocents Abroad"
• 1872 "Roughing It"
• 1873 "The Guilded Age"
• 1875 "Mark Twain's Sketches New and Old"
• 1876 "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
• 1880 "A Tramp Abroad"
• 1882 "The Prince and the Pauper"
• 1883 "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
• 1883 "Life on the Mississippi"
• 1889 "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court"
• 1892 "The American Claimant"
• 1894 "The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson"
• 1897 "Following the Equator"
• 1896 "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc"
• 1899 "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg"
• 1905 "What is a Man"
• 1916 "The Mysterious Stranger" Published Posthumously

Two attempts at sequels to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer were also written. Letters he wrote can be found in "Mark Twain's Letters" 1917 Ed. A.B. Paine and "The Love Letters of Mark Twain" 1949 Ed. Dixon Weates and "Mark Twain's Letters to Mary" 1961 Ed. Lewis Lenry.

Other Links to Mark Twain websites:

• Mark Twain in his Times - University of Virginia [Stephen Railton]
• Mark Twain General Information and News Articles [Collected by Jim Zwick]
• Mark Twain Sites in Elmira, New York
• Photograph and Signature of Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain - University of Michigan [William Clements Library]
• Quotations: Orion - Tarleton State University [Barbara Schmidt]
• Quotations: Susy - Tarleton State University [Barbara Schmidt]
• Quotations: Olivia - Tarleton State University [Barbara Schmidt]
• Review of "Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer's Comrade)" - University of Virginia