https://youtube.com/shorts/K_p7FgPPbUQ?feature=share

Just moved into a new home and found this in the attic. Seems like an old collectible card. Anyone have insight?

Winston Churchill became a Member of Parliament aged 25. In the same month, he published Ian Hamilton's March, a book about his South African experiences, which became the focus of a lecture tour in November through Britain, America and Canada. Members of Parliament were unpaid and the tour was a financial necessity. In America, Churchill met Mark Twain, President McKinley and Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, who he did not get on with.

His first American audience was at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Churchill supported British Imperialism and his reception in New York was boycotted by many American anti-imperialists. Twain agreed to introduce Churchill but delivered a scathing indictment of imperialism in the process. Before concluding that England and America were “kin in sin” for their respective wars in South Africa and the Philippines, he noted how they were also united when they “both stood timorously by at Port Arthur and wept sweetly and sympathizingly and shone while France and Germany helped Russia to rob the Japanese.”

Regardless of the outcome, the chance to meet Mark Twain was a significant event in young Winston Churchill’s life. In A Roving Commission: My Early Life (1930), he later recalled what happened when they met that evening:

Of course we argued about the war. After some interchanges I found myself beaten back to the citadel “My country right or wrong.” “Ah,” said the old gentleman, “When the poor country is fighting for its life, agree. But this was not your case.”

Churchill asked Twain to sign a set of his works, and he interpreted the inscription Twain wrote in the first volume as a “gentle admonition”: “To do good is noble; to teach others to do good is nobler, and no trouble.” [Twain] “showed me much kindness”. “It is 55 years since I saw Mark Twain but he is still vivid in my memory – the most interesting man I ever knew”.

Twain had first met Churchill in March of 1900 at a dinner at Sir Gilbert Parker’s home.From Mark Twain’s Autobiography: Dictated[August]17, 1907 Mr. Clemens dines with Sir Gilbert and Lady Parker.

There was talk of that soaring and brilliant young statesman, Winston Churchill, son of Lord Randolph Churchill and nephew of a duke. I had met him at Sir Gilbert Parker’s seven years before, when he was twenty-three years old, and had met him and introduced him to his lecture audience, a year later, in New York, when he had come over to tell of the lively experiences he had had as a war correspondent in the South African war, and in one or two wars on the Himalayan frontier of India. Sir Gilbert Parker said—

“Do you remember the dinner here seven years ago?”

“Yes,” I said, “I remember it.”

“Do you remember what Sir William Vernon Harcourt said about you?”

“No.”

“Well, you didn’t hear it. You and Churchill went up to the top floor to have a smoke and a talk, and Harcourt wondered what the result would be. He said that whichever of you got the floor first would keep it to the end, without a break; he believed that you, being old and experienced, would get it, and that Churchill’s lungs would have a half hour’s rest for the first time in five years. When you two came down, by and by, Sir William asked Churchill if he had had a good time, and he answered eagerly, ‘Yes.’ Then he asked you if you had had a good time. You hesitated, then said without eagerness, ‘I have had a smoke.’”

If I remember correctly, Sam Clemens worked for a junior senator from Nevada while simultaneously covering Congress as a freelancer during his time in Washington, D.C. A question my colleagues in the Capitol and I are trying to answer is: Did Twain work out of the House or Senate Press Gallery, or both?

What are these weird symbols below the chapter? if it helps, its a stormfield edition

I got this tale from the July 3, 1899 entry in David Fears’ Mark Twain Day by Day:

It seems that both Mark Twain and the Reverend Canon Wilberforce attended a luncheon at Hatfield House. Canon Wilberforce was there and left rather early. When Clemens was ready to go there was just one hat remaining. It was not his, and he suspected, by the initials on the inside, that it belonged to Canon [Basil] Wilberforce. However, it fitted him exactly and he wore it away.

Dear Canon Wilberforce,—It is 8 P.M. During the past four hours I have not been able to take anything that did not belong to me; during all that time I have not been able to stretch a fact beyond the frontiers of truth try as I might, & meantime, not only my morals have moved the astonishment of all who have come into contact with me, but my manners have gained more compliments than they have been accustomed to. This mystery is causing my family much alarm. It is difficult to account for it. I find I haven’t my own hat. Have you developed any novelties of conduct since you left Mr. Murray’s, & have they been of a character to move the concern of your friends? I think it must be this that has put me under this happy charm; but, oh dear! I tremble for the other man! / Sincerely yours, / S.L. Clemens.

Before receiving Sam’s note, Basil Wilberforce answered; Sam received it at 8:30 p.m.:

Dear Mr. Clemens,—I have been conscious of a vivacity and facility of expression this afternoon beyond the normal and I have just discovered the reason!! I have seen the historic signature “Mark Twain” in my hat!! Doubtless you have been suffering from a corresponding dullness & have wondered why. I departed precipitately, the hat stood on my umbrella and was a new Lincoln & Bennett—it fitted me exactly and I did not discover the mistake till I got in this afternoon. Please forgive me. If you should be passing this way to-morrow will you look in and change hats? or shall I send it to the hotel? / I am, very sincerely yrs., / Basil Wilberforce

This is one more clergyman that Sam felt akin with in some way.

Where can I read Twain's story - "The First Melon I Ever Stole"? Thank you

https://preview.redd.it/j9ovqoptonld1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=09a357fb95cdd5e16e6b9ccf05e39abfc5af7648

I came across a portion of a Mark Twain quote in an issue ASM of all places, where Twain is quoted by none other than Captain America himself,

I think it may come from some of his letters which were published posthumously, but I haven't been able to confirm that and I was wondering the background of it.

The gist of the quote is it is each citizen's responsibility to stand up for what he believes in regardless of what the press and the politicians say, "Each must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn’t. You cannot shirk this and be a man." and "If you alone of all the nation shall decide one way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have done your duty by yourself and by your country--hold up your head! You have nothing to be ashamed of."

But on a further reading of the whole quote makes it clear he is speaking in opposition to America's involvement in some war Clemons views as unjust and the media and politicians are pushing. "Against our traditions we are now entering upon an unjust and trivial war, a war against a helpless people, and for a base object--robbery." and "To be a patriot, one had to say, and keep on saying, "Our Country, right or wrong," and urge on the little war."

I'm just not sure which war he is talking about, was it WW1? The Spanish-American War? some other conflict we got involved it from that time period?

Can any of you Twainheads help a fellow out?

https://preview.redd.it/ncbe39huek9d1.png?width=338&format=png&auto=webp&s=22ee00afab1ac4d4bda5f54224fc154e9380f4b1

Of course, Clarence couldn’t keep his days straight and has us believing for a whole day it had been the 19th…

I am currently reading "Following the Equator" and I assume I am just not getting the joke? Can someone please explain?

So I picked up a small collection of stories titled “the mysterious stranger”. With other chapters? Being a fable, the deceitful turkey, and the burglar alarm. Is the mysterious stranger it’s own self contained story or does the stranger show up in these other stories

Thanks!

Share Mark Twain artworks by you and others. This includes your favorite photos from the life of Sam Clemens. Mine is Twain in tuxedo by Matthew Brady

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In order to escape the Civil War, Sam Clemens, not yet known as Mark Twain, headed west. Orion Clemens, Sam’s older brother, had been appointed Secretary of the Nevada Territory by Abraham Lincoln. Sam, still relatively wealthy from his days as a river boat pilot, financed the trip.

Mark Twain wrote of his experiences in his book “Roughing It”, published in 1872. This book is not a true travelogue nor a volume designed to provide detailed information about the terrain traversed. It does provide a very entertaining, albeit subjective, narrative of the journey. Included is a vignette that inspired the creation of Wile E. Coyote.

Much of the material in those pages of my web site related to Mark Twain’s journey west are from an earlier journey west, taken by Richard Francis Burton and contained in his book “The City of the Saints”. Burton had followed the same route only the year before, 1860. Horace Greeley, too, had followed some of the same route in 1859 and his narrative is also included.

Pony Express and stagecoach stops are all mapped and provide the punctuation for the three journeys and much of the description provided by these three authors relate to their experiences at these stops along the way.

The primary theme of my site, “Twain’s Geography”, is to provide the context of Twain’s life. I leave it to others for analysis of his writings.

https://twainsgeography.com/epoch/sam-clemens-goes-west

Naturally I started with the illustrated children's edition. It was one of the best ones the school library had.

What if Huck had taken his share of the gold that he and Tom found in the cave and then left the town before they showed it to the townsfolk? If Tom and Mr. Rogers revealed that Huck saved the widow, would the townspeople go looking for him in the hopes of bringing him back for the Widow to raise?

I'm at the start of the book so don't try to spoil me too much. (But I have read the final chapter of the book a long time ago) I'm reading the most official version of this story, which mark twain himself called "The Mysterious Stranger"

I'm 30 pages in, 44 appears at the castle as a boy that people think is a jail bird. His hair colour isn't described when he first appears. Is this intentional or did I miss it?

Haven't finished the book yet, but man, this boy gotta have some serious trauma, I mean, his dad beat him, kidnapped him, mistreat him, and when he finally finds kind of a family, they end up all dead. This thing is not for Children.

Hey, I'm trying to identify the narrator of this audiobook of Huckleberry Finn. I've had a copy of this on cassette since I was a kid, but so far, I haven't been able to find this version anywhere else. https://youtu.be/HQvDDj869Do?si=13GXLe4yPTUQPGvd

Hi all. I'm a graduated English major who's read never read any Mark Twain outside of big Huck, but the more his writings and witticisms enter my orbit, the more I've become interested in really committing myself to his work, including the travel texts and non-fics. I would really appreciate some opinions about whether or not it's worth just jumping in (and from there, where to begin) or if there are any texts that reading ahead of time would truly enrich the experience. I appreciate y'all, thanks a bunch.

Thank you all for your contributions to this subreddit and all the great discussions about Mark Twain's works. Let's keep growing our community of Mark Twain enthusiasts and spreading the literary love!