“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.”
This quote by Ernest Hemingway, one of the most famous American authors of the 20th Century và the winner of the Noble Prize in Literature describes in a nutshell the importance and the continuing importance of Mark Twain as both an American author and also an American humorist.
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Mark Twain was born in 1835 when Halley’s Comet was making its way across the sky & he died in 1910 when that comet appeared in the sky after an absence of 75 years.
Like many Americans, Mark Twain reinvented himself but Mark Twain was a master of reinventing himself. Before he became the most famous American author và humorist of the late 19th century & early 20th century, he was first Samuel Clemens who was an apprentice printer. Then he became a Mississippi river boat pilot. “Mark Twain” means the river is safe for the boat in pilot lingo & Samuel Clemens took “Mark Twain” as his literary name.
When the Civil War began in 1861, he joined a Confederate militia in Missouri but left after two weeks. Mark Twain never did like slavery. He left for Nevada and California where he worked as a miner but he never found gold or silver. After some time in San Francisco he became a newspaper reporter and eventually made his way to New York.
In 1869, his newspaper paid for him to go on a tour of Europe và the Holy Land. Innocents Abroad resulted from his experiences on that tour. It is still considered one of the best travel books & it has been enjoyed by many Americans and people all over the world. Many people have enjoyed his witty và sometimes caustic comments about his fellow travelers and the places they visited.
In 1873, he coauthored with Charles Dudley Warner The Gilded Age which was an indictment of the excesses và corruption in the United States after the Civil War. The Gilded Age satirized greed & political corruption.
In 1876, he wrote one of his most famous books: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. This book is considered to lớn be partly autobiographical & it is introduction khổng lồ what life was like for many American boys living in the old West; now the Middle West.
In 1883, he published Life on the Mississippi. This book is partly a memoir of his days as a river boat pilot. It is also a good introduction to the history and geology of the Mississippi River.
In 1884 in Great Britain và in 1885 in the United States, he published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the sequel khổng lồ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Some people considered it controversial because of some of its language but it really is the story of the growth of a young trắng Southern boy and his awareness that Jim was a person just lượt thích him.
Pudd’nhead Wilson was published in 1894. It is also considered one of his best books. It is a darkly comedic short novel which takes place in the South before the Civil War và it đơn hàng with racial inequality.
There is no question that Mark Twain was one of America’s greatest authors và he was also a great humorist who spoke before sold-out crowds not just in the United States but also in many other English-speaking countries. However, he was not a good investor & he lost practically all his savings in many bad financial investments. By the 1890’s he was almost bankrupt. In order to repay his debts he went on a tour around the world. His wife & one of his daughters accompanied him. He spoke lớn huge crowds wherever he went. He was especially popular in nước australia and Great Britain.
In 1897, he published Following the Equator which is a very vivid mô tả tìm kiếm of his experiences during his literary tour around the world.
Mark Twain wrote so many books and it really is impossible khổng lồ list & describe all of his books. He is also famous for his witty quotes such as “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” The Wit & Wisdom of Mark Twain is a good source for his quotes & wit.
Mark Twain by Geoffrey Ward is a biography of Mark Twain và it is the companion lớn Ken Burns’ PBS series from 2001. It is extremely well illustrated và it contains a lot of interesting information about Mark Twain’s life.
In conclusion, I feel Mark Twain is an American author for all ages and all people.