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!

I remember reading a Mark Twain piece; part of it was a dialogue between a priest, I think, and a cowboy. It highlights the humorous miscommunications between the east and west. Does anyone know what it's called? Thank you!

I don't think I can condone getting a tattoo of another human being on my body. However, Mark Twain's writings have meant a lot to me. As such, I was wondering what might be a good symbol to get in his honor. I know he derived his pen name from his riverboat days. What might that mark have looked like? If anyone can think of any other symbols, I am open to suggestions.

Hi everyone, I remember back in the day when I first read Mark Twain’s books I really resonated with something (I think) Tom was saying about how the problems children face feel just as big to them as adult’s problems feel to the adults, even though the things kids go through might seem insignificant from the outside. Does anyone know what I’m referring to and where can I find it?

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My Portrait of Mark Twain, charcoal on paper, 18 x 24” 2021. Private collection.

Heya there,
I've been confused about my version of The Innocents Abroad whilst reading it, only because the version I bought my dad seemed a lot longer, and it's listed as having 600+ pages in most bookshops or on Wikipedia.
My version has ended after 310 pages, after the Pompeii chapter.
Is this a weird edition? It's by Nicholson and Sons.
Does anyone know anything about this?
Thanks :)

I've been editing my Twain's Geography website, the section from The Innocents Abroad dealing with his trip through the Holy Land. I wrote some thoughts on this and posted it on my personal website.

https://bscottholmes.com/node/1916

I’ve been working on a large book auction with a bunch of Mark Twain letters, first editions, and signed pieces. I’d shared some photos before but promised I’d share the link when the auction is live. There’s most of the Twain pieces in the day 3 auction though some are in day 1 as well.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/316747_day-3-rare-books-from-the-bentley-estate/

It’s one of my favorite lines, just wondering.

Hi everyone. I have recently been seeing numerous people online post this supposed quote from Mark Twain: “Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.”

It is a beautiful quote, but did Mark Twain actually say it? If yes, in which work of his can it be found? I would really appreciate any help in discovering the origin of this quote. Thank you.

Hey guys,

Whatever you stance is on copyright. At least on my side I’m 100% on Mark Twain’s side.

I wonder if there’s other authors who wanted to carry on his legacy and be against the “public domain.”

So basically our school had this short story as a chapter on our English textbook in 8th standard. I was a huge reader so I decided to read ahead all the chapters in the textbook during the first month of the academic year. I cried when I read it. Had nightmares for a few days. Then I approached my English teacher about it the next week. Cried in front of her too. I think they made a decision after that cause next year the 8th standard kids didn't have the same book we did. No trace of >!murdered puppies and dead dogs!< lol.

I've seen this quote but wasn't able to verify it. I know he also has some anti-theistic quotes and views so I was surprised and would like to know if it's genuine. I've been a admirer for a long time.

The mysterious stranger from The Adventures of Mark Twain

Found in "Mark Twain's Notebooks and Journals"  Volume III (1883-1891):

Nov. 1, 1888. I have just seen the drawings & description of an electrical machine lately patented by a Mr. (Teska)Tesla, & sold to the Westinghouse Company, which will revolutionize the whole electric business of the world. It is the most valuable patent since the telephone. The drawings & description show that this is the very machine, in every detail which Paige invented nearly 4 years ago. I furnished $1,000 for the experiments, & was to have half of the invention. We tried a direct current—& failed. We wanted to try an alternating current, but we lacked the apparatus. The $1000 was exhausted, & I would furnish nothing more because I was burdened in the 3 succeeding years with vast expenses on the Paige type-setting machine. (Teska) Tesla (& Thompson?) tried everything that we tried, as the drawings & descriptions prove; & he tried one thing more—a thing which we had canvassed—the alternating current. That solved the difficulty & achieved success.

[Note] Nikola Tesla invented his first alternating current motor in 1883, On 1 May 1888 he received patents on such a motor. He soon sold his rights to George Westinghouse for one million dollars. Elihu Thomson, who had been instrumental in the perfection of arc-light systems, in the mid-1880s also developed a type of alternating current motor, Clemens’ investment in an electromagnetic motor developed by James W. Paige, evidently initiated in 1887 and not “nearly 4 years ago,” is discussed on page 338, note 111.

[Note] In the summer of 1887, while perfecting a dynamo for his typesetter, James W. Paige claimed to have discovered a revolutionary electro-magnetic motor which, when developed, “would give us all the money we should need in starting the ‘Type Setter’ (Franklin G. Whitmore to SLC, 18 July 1887). Clemens became interested-in sponsoring Paige’s motor, but at the urging of Franklin G. Whitmore sought to limit any financial involvement. An agreement dated 2 July 1887 specified that Clemens would provide support up to three thousand dollars in return fora half-share of profits on the motor. Clemens, following Whitmore’s advice, refrained from signing this contract although not from temporarily underwriting Paige's experiments. On 16 August, however, he became party to an agreement by which Paige was to proceed with this invention at his own expense, allowing Clemens to claim a half-share in it by executing the 2 July contract and reimbursing him if the motor proved successful Among the people who attended the 18 October demonstration noted here were Charles R. North, inventor of the typesetter’s automatic justifier, and Charles I. Earll, one of the draftsmen employed in the development of that machine.

Recently, I’ve been reading numerous Twain short stories and I notice a reoccurring structural and narrative theme, which is that Twain often doesn’t just directly tell a story to the audience. Instead, at least half of the stories are ‘stories within stories’ where the story will begin with two characters, one of them often being the narrator, coming into contact with one another, and then the other character tells the narrator a story, which ends up being the main story. Mark Twain likes to tell stories through a character in the story rather than telling them directly. Why does he do this so much?

Twain is my fav author and I have several first editions, nothing too expensive but I recently got a copy of Life on the Mississippi, 1st edition with the early edition pages with the St. Louis hotel, etc. Problem is, the copyright page is missing! Other than that it's fine. These can go for thousands of dollars, but with it missing that one page is it still worth anything? Anyone know? I paid only $45 for it...

If any employees at the museum are reading this, Brian from Pittsburgh says hello!

TL;DR - Visiting The Twain House & Museum and taking multiple tours is ESSENTIAL for Twainiacs, and a beautiful look inside the gilded age for everyone.

Just got home from Hartford, and I have to tell you how amazing the Mark Twain House and Museum is. It is absolutely worth the travel for any Twainiac. If you buy a membership and take more than one general house tour it pays for itself.

I first went to the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center which is just across the lawn, and also recommended. (Of course, if you’re going to Twain there’s no reason not to go to Stowe, it’s RIGHT THERE.) Their tour covers Stowe’s house, but encompasses a broader discussion of race and the legacy of slavery with the impact of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. My appreciation was definitely enhanced by the fact that I finished the book only a few days before. All in all, it was an excellent opening act for the Twain House and Museum and a worthy stop on its own.

It’s immediately apparent how remarkable the Twain house is just looking at the outside. The design, the woodwork, the brick work and brick painting patterns are all stunning. Over the weekend I must have circled the place half a dozen times taking the same pictures over and over again.

The museum is a separate modern building, and they did a nice job making it wide and spacious, with classic quotes carved into the wall stones. There were two exhibit rooms, one appeared to be a permanent gallery with a number of noteworthy items from Twain’s life, including the last remaining Paige typesetting machine. The other temporary exhibit while I visited was titled “Business or Pleasure”, and was a detailed journey through all the Clemens family summer destinations, including original documents and artifacts like Sam’s white suit jacket. It took me three times to walk through and read everything given my schedule, which I’d say is a compliment. The museum building also has a lecture hall, small theater showing a shortened version of the Ken Burns documentary, a cafe and store.

I started in the house itself with a general house tour. Our guide was a really nice younger gal who’s name I wish I remembered because she did an excellent job. You start with a walk past the carriage house, onto the main house porch and to the front door.

I’m a mellow guy, but walking into the foyer was an emotional experience and after years of waiting I was practically giddy. The house is amazing, and imagining yourself let in by butler George to see Sam standing there in greeting (or even staring at you like a stranger) really made it all worth it. The only unfortunate part is that you’re not allowed to take pictures of any kind. However, the house is lit at the brightness of 1880’s gas lamps, so getting clear cell phone pictures in most rooms might be tricky anyway. You’re shown around the first floor in the order an invited guest would see it - entry, drawing room, dining room, library w/ conservatory, and guest bedroom suite. While many items are not original to the Clemens family (and many are), you’d never know. The reproduction from photos and Clara’s recollections has to be just about perfect. Our guide did an excellent job bringing the house to life with anecdotes about the whole family and their employees. (If anyone wants more detail about architecture/design/decor let me know.) You could feel how the Clemenses occupied the space in each room.

Next it’s the second floor, with the family bedrooms and kids’ school room. All interesting with more great stories about the rooms and furniture. The grand finale, though, is the third floor, with George’s room, the men’s guest room, and Sam’s office/billiard room/man cave, where he wrote Huck Finn and several other major works. Really a special place. Just standing in the room and breathing it in felt profound.

Taking the back stairs down, you enter the kitchen rooms where the tour concludes. Now, some advice: I took the same tour again the next day with a different guide, and he wasn’t as good. Not bad, just not as good. He kind of rushed through and skipped over a lot of cool features. So if you’ve got the time, maybe give it a second spin. I was told all the guides write their own scripts.

In between the general house tours, I did a living history tour with an actor playing Patrick, the Clemens’ coachman. The actor was great, the tour was great (helped by having only three of us in tow), and the perspective definitely gave new color to the info even if it covered a lot of the same ground (but not completely, there were still new things to be learned). I can see why some may think the idea cheesy, but I would have gladly done it with each character they had. (At present I believe it’s Patrick, Twitchell, Katy Leary, and Susy, but don’t quote me.) This tour actually had a little bit extra at the end, we got to go in the basement and look over a bunch of photo and document reproductions, old books and knickknacks, etc.

So, impressions. Well, after three tours within 24 hours and spending as much time as possible outside the house, I got up at 5am just to set eyes on it again on my way to the airport. It really is a special, special place for Twain fans and absolutely worth the trip. Even the casual tourists there around me seemed to really like it, the house is objectively awesome.

I’m happy to answer any questions that I can about the house or about visiting Hartford.

I guess I have to add Hannibal, Missouri to my bucket list!