Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 - April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called "The Great American Novel." Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which provided the setting for Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. After an apprenticeship with a printer, he 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. He referred humorously to his singular lack of success at mining, turning to journalism for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise. In 1865, his humorous story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," was published, based on a story he heard at Angels Hotel in Angels Camp, California, where he had spent some time as a miner. The short story brought international attention, and was even translated into classic Greek. His wit and satire, in prose and in speech, earned praise from critics and peers, and he was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty. Though Twain earned a great deal of money from his writings and lectures, he invested in ventures that lost a great deal of money, notably the Paige Compositor, a mechanical typesetter, which failed because of its complexity and imprecision. In the wake of these financial setbacks, he filed for protection from his creditors via bankruptcy, and with the help of Henry Huttleston Rogers eventually overcame his financial troubles. Twain chose to pay all his pre-bankruptcy creditors in full, though he had no legal responsibility to do so. Twain was born shortly after a visit by Halley's Comet, and he predicted that he would "go out with it," too. He died the day after the comet returned. He was lauded as the "greatest American humorist of his age," and William Faulkner called Twain "the father of American literature."

Originally published: Berkeley, Calif; London: University of California Press, 1969.

For deft plotting, riotous inventiveness, unforgettable characters, and language that brilliantly captures the lively rhythms of American speech, no American writer comes close to Mark Twain. This sparkling anthology covers the entire span of Twain’s inimitable yarn-spinning, from his early broad comedy to the biting satire of his later years. Every one of his sixty stories is here: ranging from the frontier humor of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” to the bitter vision of humankind in “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg,” to the delightful hilarity of “Is He Living or Is He Dead?” Surging with Twain’s ebullient wit and penetrating insight into the follies of human nature, this volume is a vibrant summation of the career of–in the words of H. L. Mencken–“the father of our national literature.”

Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain (1835-1910), was in great demand as a public speaker. This anthology, spanning the years from 1866 to 1909, collects 82 examples of Twain's best "spoken" work. Topics include American mythmaking, the Hawaiian Islands, masturbation, the art of war, New York morals, stage fright, and much more.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'John Inglefield's Thanksgiving' is a captivating tale that delves into the themes of guilt, forgiveness, and redemption. Set in the puritanical society of 17th century New England, the story follows John Inglefield as he grapples with the consequences of a sinister act committed in his youth. Hawthorne's intricate and evocative prose style creates a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the final page is turned, making it a prime example of American Romanticism literature. The depth of moral ambiguity explored in the narrative reflects Hawthorne's enduring fascination with the complexities of human nature. 'John Inglefield's Thanksgiving' is a thought-provoking exploration of sin and retribution, showcasing Hawthorne's mastery of psychological insight and moral introspection. Readers are invited to ponder the enduring significance of past actions on the present, and the transformative power of forgiveness in the face of past misdeeds.