Mark Twain

R. Kent Rasmussen

Intimate glimpses into the life of Mark Twain that only he himself could offer. Born on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri, Samuel Langhorne Clemens first signed the pseudonym 'Mark Twain' to a Nevada newspaper article in 1863 and soon made that name famous. In 1869, he entered the realm of book authorship with The Innocents Abroad, launching what would become one of the most celebrated careers in American letters. This selection of Mark Twain's autobiographical writings affords readers a lively and revealing portrait of the literary giant, making it a must for every fan of the genius who gave the world Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and other classics. This edition features an introduction by the noted Mark Twain scholar R. Kent Rasmussen, who has added suggestions for further reading, a chronology, and a detailed glossary of names and terms appearing in the texts. 'A man's experiences of life are a book, and there was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy.' Mark Twain, 'The Refuge of the Derelicts,' 1904-05

Autobiographical Writings

A Novel

Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Nineteenth-century America and the world of Samuel L. Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, come to life as children journey back in time with this history- and literature-laden activity book. The comprehensive biographical information explores Mark Twain as a multi-talented man of his times, from his childhood in the rough-and-tumble West of Missouri to his many careers—steamboat pilot, printer, miner, inventor, world traveler, businessman, lecturer, newspaper reporter, and most important, author—and how these experiences influenced his writing. Twain-inspired activities include making printer’s type, building a model paddlewheel boat, unmasking a hoax, inventing new words, cooking cornpone, planning a newspaper, observing people, and writing maxims. An extensive resource section offers information on Twain’s classics, such as Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as well as a listing of recommended web sites to explore.

His Life & Times, 21 Activities

Mark Twain for Kids

Mark Twain A to Z features more than 1,200 entries which provide detailed character analyses and plot summaries of all of Twain's works, thousands of precise chapter citations and cross-references to related subjects, and biographies of the people whom he knew and events that affected his life. 130+ illustrations.

The Essential Reference to His Life and Writings

Mark Twain A to Z

Mark Twain for Dog Lovers combines one of America s most beloved authors and dogs. Twain specialist R. Kent Rasmussen traces the history of dogs in Twain s life from the ones he knew personally, like his daughter s dog which he took in after she died, to the foreign dogs he saw on his travels around the world. Compiling 30 stories and extracts from Twain s wiritings, Rasmussen tells a detailed an compelling story of Twain s relationship with one of America s favorite pets."

Mark Twain for Dog Lovers

Peter Schilling Jr.

"An illustrated history of the Mississippi River in Mark Twain's life and works. Includes sketches from early editions of Twain's classics, and full-color paintings, postcards, photographs, and maps"--

An Illustrated Chronicle of the Big River in Samuel Clemens's Life and Works

Mark Twain's Mississippi River

Kevin Mac Donnell

One of the greatest American authors, Mark Twain holds a special position not only as a distinctly American cultural icon but also as a preeminent portrayer of youth. His famous writings about children and youthful themes are central to both his work and his popularity. The distinguished contributors to Mark Twain and Youth make Twain even more accessible to modern readers by fully exploring youth themes in both his life and his extensive writings. The volume's twenty-six original essays offer new perspectives on such important subjects as Twain's boyhood; his relationships with his siblings and his own children; his attitudes toward aging, gender roles, and slavery; the marketing, reception, teaching, and adaptation of his works; and youth themes in his individual novels--Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper, Pudd'nhead Wilson, and Joan of Arc. The book also includes a revealing foreword by actor Hal Holbrook, who has performed longer as "Mark Twain†? than Samuel Clemens himself did. The book includes contributions by: Lawrence Berkove, John Bird, Jocelyn A. Chadwick, Joseph Csicsila, Hugh H. Davis, Mark Dawidziak, Shelley Fisher Fishkin, James Golden, Alan Gribben, Benjamin Griffin, Ronald Jenn, Holger Kersten, Andrew Levy, Cindy Lovell, Karen Lystra, Debra Ann MacComb, Peter Messent, Linda A. Morris, K. Patrick Ober, John R. Pascal, Lucy E. Rollin, Barbara Schmidt, David E. E. Sloane, Henry Sweets, Wendelinus Wurth.

Studies in His Life and Writings

Mark Twain and Youth

Provides a detailed introduction to writing an essay about literature and presents and discusses sample topics based on ten pieces by Mark Twain.

Bloom's How to Write about Mark Twain

Here are more than 1,800 quotations, organized from A-to-Z, from America's consummate author--Mark Twain. A must-have for all Twain collectors, The Quotable Mark Twain is filled with his opinions about the people he knew, the places he's been, and the books he wrote, as well as more far-ranging topics, such as writers, billiards, smoking, his family, and more. The book also includes 150 illustrations taken from the original editions of Twain's publications, source citations for each quotation, an annotated bibliography, and a complete index.

His Essential Aphorisms, Witticisms & Concise Opinions

The Quotable Mark Twain : His Essential Aphorisms, Witticisms & Concise Opinions

A voracious pack-rat, Mark Twain hoarded his readers' letters as did few of his contemporaries. Dear Mark Twain collects 200 of these letters written by a diverse cross-section of correspondents from around the world—children, farmers, schoolteachers, businessmen, preachers, railroad clerks, inmates of mental institutions, con artists, and even a former president. It is a unique and groundbreaking book—the first published collection of reader letters to any writer of Mark Twain's time. Its contents afford a rare and exhilarating glimpse into the sensibilities of nineteenth-century people while revealing the impact Samuel L. Clemens had on his readers. Clemens’s own and often startling comments and replies are also included. R. Kent Rasmussen’s extensive research provides fascinating profiles of the correspondents, whose personal stories are often as interesting as their letters. Ranging from gushing fan appreciations and requests for help and advice to suggestions for writing projects and stinging criticisms, the letters are filled with perceptive insights, pathos, and unintentional but often riotous humor. Many are deeply moving, more than a few are hilarious, some may be shocking, but none are dull.

Letters from His Readers

Dear Mark Twain

John C. Super

Surveys the events and people of the United States and Canada from 1950 through 1959.

The Fifties in America

L. J. Amey

In its 997 alphabetically arranged essays, this set presents "every dimension of censorship: its targets and victims; its perpetrators and defenders; its rationale; and its subject matter."--Page vi.

Censorship

Presents a two-volume examination of the life and writings of Mark Twain including detailed synopses of his works, explanations of literary terms, biographies of friends and family, and social and historical influences.

A Literary Reference to His Life and Work

Critical Companion to Mark Twain

The African American Encyclopedia

Collects two hundred letters from readers of Mark Twain to the author himself, offering a glimpse into the lives and sensibilites of nineteenth-century children, preachers, con artists, inmates, and other fans of the author's work.

R. Kent Rasmussen

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