Astonish the Rest

Still remembered as one of our greatest humorists, Mark Twain is among the best-known and best-loved authors in American history. Born on November 30, 1835, he was named Samuel Clemens -- "Mark Twain" was a pen name he'd permanently choose after first trying out such names as "Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass" and "Josh."

Best known for such classics as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain's writings are celebrated to this day for their wit, fun, and forthright wisdom. So let's give thanks to one of our favorite authors by taking a closer look at the life and times of Mark Twain:

- Samuel Clemens chose his pen name based on the phrase used by Mississippi River steamboat crews to announce that the water was at least 12 feet deep -- and, therefore, safe enough to travel.

- He encouraged his younger brother, Henry, to also become a steamboat pilot. Henry was eventually killed when a boiler on his boat exploded -- an event which Twain claimed to have seen in a dream before it happened.

- While growing up, Twain's family once owned 19 cats at the same time. (Twain was prone to finding colorful names for his cats, including Sin, Sour Mash, and Famine and Pestilence.)

- Though there were some drawbacks to using it -- it only typed in capital letters, and you had to use a foot pedal to advance to the next line -- Twain purchased his first typewriter in 1874 for $125.

- A mark of his fame: he once received a letter from a fan, who wrote down for the address: "Mark Twain, God Knows Where." (That was enough for the postal service!)

- The author put The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn on hold while he invented and patented his very own memory game. (See it here!)

- Twain asked that all his unfinished manuscripts be burned when he died. (No chance of someone coming along to finish his unfinished stories!)  One unpublished work remained, however: his autobiography, mostly written by dictation, which he left with strict instructions that it was not to be published until a century after he died. His request was (mostly) honored -- and the first two (of three) volumes were published in 2010 and 2013.

- Halley's Comet (named after English astronomer Edmond Halley) passes through Earth's vicinity once every 75 years, give or take. When Twain was born, the Comet was visible in the night sky, a fact which Twain was quite proud of:

"I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it. ... The Almighty has said, no doubt: 'Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.' Oh, I am looking forward to that." 

Twain proved right; when he passed away in 1910, the Comet had just emerged from the far side of the Sun.

Some words of wisdom from Twain:

"It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them."

"There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it, and when he can."

"The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter."

"The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are in the right."

"A sin takes on a new and real terror when there seems a chance that it is going to be found out."

"All you need is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."

"Always do right. That will gratify some of the people, and astonish the rest."

"When in doubt, tell the truth."

On the web:

- The Official Web Site of Mark Twain

- Mark Twain Biography - from Biography.com

- Mark Twain House and Museum - the official site for the Connecticut museum.

- "The Eternal, Charming Chatter of the "'Autobiography of Mark Twain'" - from the New Yorker.

- "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses" - In my favorite Twain piece, the author reviews The Last of the Mohicans and the other books in James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking series.


At the Library:

- From the Catalog - Twain's books and audiobooks, as well as filmed adaptations of his works, available through the Library Catalog.

- The Autobiography of Mark Twain - Volumes 1 and 2 now available from the Library Catalog.



-- Post by Ms. B