Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens

1835 - 1910 American Author & Humorist

One of America's greatest writers and humorists, known for his wit, social observations, and iconic characters.

Mark Twain: A Short Biography

Samuel Langhorne, known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, publisher, and lecturer. Twain was raised in Hannibal, Missouri, which later provided the setting for his novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

After an apprenticeship with a printer, Twain worked as a typesetter and contributed articles to the newspaper of his older brother, Orion Clemens. He later became a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River before heading west to join Orion in Nevada. Twain earned a large amount of money from his writings and lectures, unfortunately he invested these successess in losing ventures.

Famously, Twain was born shortly after Halley's Comet appeared. He predicted that he would "go out with it" as well. He died the day after the comet made its closest approach to Earth.

As a Public Speaker

Mark Twain was renowned speaker. He delivered speeches across America and internationally. He was a master of timing, deadpan delivery, folksy humor, and sharp social criticism. His speeches were so popular that he was high sought after to speak at banquets, ceremonies, and society events. Additionally, Twain's lectures were very popular, often selling out theaters and lecture halls.

Twain's expectional skill as a speaker was his ability to present himself as casual and conversational while delivering carefully crafted speeches. Often he would make remarks that appeared to be offhand, but really were meticulously prepared before hand. This created an atmosphere of spontaneity that endeared him to audiences while disguising the effort and practice that went into the performance.

Notable Speeches

A chronological collection of Mark Twain's most significant speeches

December 23, 1876

New England Weather

Humorous

Twain complains about New England weather in a funny way. Filled with classic weather jokes.

Literary Contributions

Using vernacular American speech he was able to depict American life with a distinctive voice. Often his novels pain realistic portrayals of ordinary people and the struggles they face. His range and depth as an author, combined with this distinctive American voice led William Faulkner to call him "the father of American literature," and Ernest Hemingway wrote that "all modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.

Oratorical Impact

Although mostly remembered as an author, Twain helped establish the tradition of public lectures being both entertainment and social commentary. His speaking style, which combined folksy humor with witty observation, influenced generations of American humorists, public speakers, and comedians, from Will Rogers to contemporary stand-up comedians.

Social Criticism

Twain was also a social critic who used his writing and his speeches to address an array of political and social issues of the time including slavery, imperialism, and human nature. He confronted hard truths and challenged the conventional wisdom of American society. His social commentary continues to influence public discourse today with many of his works used in classrooms and lecture halls to spark discussion and debate.

Notable Quotes

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.

— From "Pudd'nhead Wilson," 1894

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.

— From "The Innocents Abroad," 1869

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

— From a speech at The Engineers Club of New York, 1901

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.

— From a lecture tour, 1895

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