Mark Twain

[Frankie Pancakes]

Any favorite quotes or anecdotes or thoughts on this exceptional person?

Via History.com

Samuel Clemens, later known as Mark Twain, is born in Florida, Missouri, on November 30, 1835.

Clemens was apprenticed to a printer at age 13 and later worked for his older brother, who established the Hannibal Journal. In 1857, the Keokuk Daily Post commissioned him to write a series of comic travel letters, but after writing five he decided to become a steamboat captain instead. He signed on as a pilot’s apprentice in 1857 and received his pilot’s license in 1859, when he was 23.


Clemens piloted boats for two years, until the Civil War halted steamboat traffic. During his time as a pilot, he picked up the term “Mark Twain,” a boatman’s call noting that the river was only two fathoms deep, the minimum depth for safe navigation. When Clemens returned to writing in 1861, working for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, he wrote a humorous travel letter signed by “Mark Twain” and continued to use the pseudonym for nearly 50 years.

In 1864, he moved to San Francisco to work as a reporter. There, he wrote the story that made him famous: “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”

In 1866, he traveled to Hawaii as a correspondent for the Sacramento Union. Next, he traveled the world writing accounts for papers in California and New York, which he later published the popular book The Innocents Abroad (1869). In 1870, Clemens married the daughter of a wealthy New York coal merchant and settled in Hartford, Connecticut, where he continued to write travel accounts and lecture.

In 1875, his novel Tom Sawyer was published, followed by Life on the Mississippi (1883) and his masterpiece Huckleberry Finn (1885). Bad investments left Clemens bankrupt after the publication of Huckleberry Finn, but he won back his financial standing with his next three books–Pudd’Nhead Wilson (1894), Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (1895), and Following the Equator (1897). In 1903, he and his family moved to Italy, where his wife died. Her death left him sad and bitter, and his work, while still humorous, grew distinctly darker. He died in 1910.

[Tyy1907]

I find it noteworthy that Val Kilmer got throat cancer shortly after starting doing his Mark Twain shows.

Exceptional he was.

[Frankie Pancakes]

“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”
― Mark Twain
“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.”
― Mark Twain
“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”
― Mark Twain
“A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
― Mark Twain

[thepainterdoug]

THESE ARE GREAT!! There is a clarity of thought by Twain and others , perhaps pre wifi days for sure

[TravelerJim]

This is the one I use when talking to people about Covid, the Vax, and a myriad of other subjects....

Mark Twain — 'It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.'



QUICK ADDITION: I had forgotten this so am adding it now, turns out Twain and Tesla were buds. interesting isn't it......

https://bigthink.com/high-culture/th...-nikola-tesla/

[ExomatrixTV]

Some things are timeless and beyond any identity politics.

Mark Twain is more than often doing exactly that.

• Be like Mark .. be Timeless

cheers,
John

[gord]

Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.

- Mark Twain - Following the Equator, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar

[Bill Ryan]

This hilarious one-man show, based on a long opinion piece written by Mark Twain in 1909, wonderfully illustrates Twain's genius.

Like many others (self included), he didn't believe for a moment that Shakespeare's plays and sonnets were written by the guy of the same name who lived in Stratford-on-Avon. William Shakespeare was a successful businessman, for sure — but was actually totally illiterate and could barely sign his own name. Enjoy.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=cJ72Ew1ujlk

[Mike Gorman]

If you are a fan of Star Trek, I know many are on this forum, in the 'Next Generation' there is an episode where the writer has depicted Samuel Clemens appearing in the story when the gang are transported back in time; yes I know this is liable to earn me the ire of serious Mark Twain historians, 'please, this is a serious community Michael!' but it was very interesting and skillful how the writer of this episode captured the characteristics of Clemens as they are depicted in the popular idiom.
I recall having to read Huck Finn for English Literature, this put me off it I must admit, but the novel is really impressive and I enjoyed it despite Eng Lit.

[Dubsy]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
This hilarious one-man show, written by Mark Twain in 1909, is one of his many inspired works of genius.

Like many others (self included), he didn't believe for a moment that Shakespeare's plays and sonnets were written by the guy of the same name who lived in Stratford-on-Avon. William Shakespeare was a successful businessman, for sure — but was actually totally illiterate and could barely sign his own name. Enjoy.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=cJ72Ew1ujlk

Thank you so much. Mr Bill


Cant tell you how much I enjoyed this I've been delving into the very obvious realisation that Will Shakespeare was not 'the' person history has portrayed him to be ........... or not to be ( apols. could not resist )

That was a tour de force performance by Keir Cutler, he did not miss a beat ... no ums or err's, with every word clearly enunciated - incredible memory performance when we think he did not have another actor to take his cues from and collect his thoughts.

[Dubsy]

I also had to read Huck Finn and found it an almost 'interstellar' experience at the time, due to me being a kid living in cities in England and a zillion miles away from the Mississippi .

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the novel is canceled in the near future. - A young white boy learning from a wonderful teacher is the only thing that's going to save it from the book burners.


Finn's escape from his alcoholic and abusive father and Huck's adventurous journey down the Mississippi River together with the runaway slave Jim .?

I cant see the 'white privilege' in this, yet it's bound to get twisted.


And thanks in advance Mike. for my curiosity getting the better of me and wanting to download the Star Trek episode from Pirate bay and getting into trouble .


Just kidding

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

Posted by Mike Gorman (here)
If you are a fan of Star Trek, I know many are on this forum, in the 'Next Generation' there is an episode where the writer has depicted Samuel Clemens appearing in the story when the gang are transported back in time;

I remember that very well. The two-part episode in question was season 6's 'Time's Arrow'. In it, Jerry Hardin depicted Twain/Clemens, and to high acclaim. Actually, following his role on ST:TNG Hardin went on the road in a one-man show as Clemens - he seemed born to play him - and I think that too was well received.

This is a short clip of Hardin's Samuel Clemens in Star Trek. Even if you're not a Trek fan, you cannot help but delight in his performance.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vf-dKMU-MVA

[ExomatrixTV]

Posted by Mike Gorman (here)
If you are a fan of Star Trek, I know many are on this forum, in the 'Next Generation' there is an episode where the writer has depicted Samuel Clemens appearing in the story when the gang are transported back in time; yes I know this is liable to earn me the ire of serious Mark Twain historians, 'please, this is a serious community Michael!' but it was very interesting and skillful how the writer of this episode captured the characteristics of Clemens as they are depicted in the popular idiom.
I recall having to read Huck Finn for English Literature, this put me off it I must admit, but the novel is really impressive and I enjoyed it despite Eng Lit.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=zh1pfrjikkM

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Xn76PGlfbsA

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vf-dKMU-MVA

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qnT95be9Ec0

[holcaul]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
This hilarious one-man show, based on a long opinion piece written by Mark Twain in 1909, wonderfully illustrates Twain's genius.

Like many others (self included), he didn't believe for a moment that Shakespeare's plays and sonnets were written by the guy of the same name who lived in Stratford-on-Avon. William Shakespeare was a successful businessman, for sure — but was actually totally illiterate and could barely sign his own name. Enjoy.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=cJ72Ew1ujlk

Thank you so much Bill!! A much needed relief.

This is absolutely fantastic!

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by holcaul (here)

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
This hilarious one-man show, based on a long opinion piece written by Mark Twain in 1909, wonderfully illustrates Twain's genius.

Like many others (self included), he didn't believe for a moment that Shakespeare's plays and sonnets were written by the guy of the same name who lived in Stratford-on-Avon. William Shakespeare was a successful businessman, for sure — but was actually totally illiterate and could barely sign his own name. Enjoy.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=cJ72Ew1ujlk

Thank you so much Bill!! A much needed relief.

This is absolutely fantastic!

Yes, it is! Off-topic here, for sure, but it was the opening post in a different thread (a very fascinating one) all about who 'Shakespeare' really was or might have been... not the illiterate commoner from Stratford, 100% for sure.

• Shakespeare did NOT write Shakespeare. (Mark Twain: "Is Shakespeare Dead?")