Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer. Among his novels are The Adventures of Tom Sawyerand its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the latter often called "The Great American Novel"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth30 November 1835
CountryUnited States of America
witty humorous stories
The humorous story is American, the comic story is English, the witty story is French. The humorous story depends for its effect upon the manner of the telling;the comic and the witty story upon the matter.
summer shining sun
Warm summer sun, shine kindly here.
land names california
I will remark in the way of general information, that in California, that land of felicitous nomenclature, the literary name of this sort of stuff is "hogwash"
time smoking cigar
More than one cigar at a time is excessive smoking.
men soldier he-man
I could have become a soldier if I had waited; I knew more about retreating than the man who invented retreating.
work years i-can
I can't do no literary work for the rest of this year because I'm meditating another lawsuit and looking around for a defendant.
dream eye sight
This is the fairest picture on our planet, the most enchanting to look upon, the most satisfying to the eye and spirit. To see the sun sink down, drowned in his pink and purple and golden floods, and overwhelm Florence with tides of color that make all the sharp lines dim and faint and turn the solid city to a city of dreams, is a sight to stir the coldest nature, and make a sympathetic one drunk with ecstasy.
hilarious tree opponents
Why waste your money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics and your opponent will do it for you.
morning communication apology
This morning arrives a letter from my ancient silver-mining comrade, Calvin H. Higbie, a man whom I have not seen nor had communication with for forty-four years. . . . [Footnote: Roughing It is dedicated to Higbie.] . . . I shall allow myself the privilege of copying his punctuation and his spelling, for to me they are a part of the man. He is as honest as the day is long. He is utterly simple-minded and straightforward, and his spelling and his punctuation are as simple and honest as he is himself. He makes no apology for them, and no apology is needed.
education school greatness
Out of the public schools comes the greatness of the nation.
life uplifting book
Suppose . . . burglars had made entry into this . . . [library]. Picture them seated here on this floor, pouring the light of their dark-lanterns over some books they found, and thus absorbing moral truths and getting moral uplift. The whole course of their lives would have been changed. As it was, they kept straight on in their immoral way and were sent to jail. For all I know, they may next be sent to Congress.
life ifs
You can't make a life over. Society wouldn't let you if you would.
friends community opinion
Tell me about a person's family, friends, and community, and I'll tell you what his opinions are.
inspirational planning surprise
Always do what's right. That will gratify some and surprise the rest.