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Real name and origins -

Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He adopted his pen name in early 1863 while working as a newspaperman in Nevada. It was inspired by his steamboat days, when the term "mark twain" signified a depth of two fathoms, or 12 feet (3.6 meters). 

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Missouri roots -

He was born in Florida, Missouri, in 1835, but grew up in the bustling river town of Hannibal, which inspired the setting for 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' (1876) and 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' (1884). Twain is pictured here outside his home in Hannibal. 

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Halley's Comet -

Twain was born shortly after Halley's Comet appeared in 1835 and famously predicted that his death would coincide with its return. Remarkably, he passed away on April 21, 1910, just one day after the comet's closest approach to Earth.

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School dropout -

Twain left school at age 11 after his father's death to become a printer's apprentice, starting his career in writing and publishing.

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Steamboat pilot dream -

He fulfilled his boyhood dream of becoming a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the Civil War disrupted river traffic.

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Confederate soldier (briefly) -

Twain served for a few weeks in a Confederate militia during the Civil War before deserting and moving west.

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Mining failure -

He sought fortune in Nevada's silver mines but failed, leading him to journalism and eventually to storytelling.

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First typewritten manuscript -

He claimed in his autobiography that 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' (1876) was the first book manuscript submitted using a typewriter, which he wrote on a Remington machine.

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Cigars and cats -

Twain was an avid smoker, reportedly smoking up to 40 cigars a day. He was also a cat lover and owned up to 19 cats at once.

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Inventor -

He patented three inventions, including an adjustable strap design to replace suspenders and a history trivia game. His most successful invention was a self-pasting scrapbook, which sold over 25,000 units.

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World traveler -

Twain traveled extensively, including to Europe and India, often turning his observations into popular books. One such work, 'The Innocents Abroad,' was published in 1869.

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Bankruptcy and recovery -

Twain's investments in failed inventions led to financial ruin, but he recovered by embarking on a global lecture tour.

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Friend of Nikola Tesla -

Twain befriended the famous Serbian-American inventor (blurred at the center) and was fascinated by his experiments with electricity. 

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Anti-imperialist -

During the Spanish-American War, Twain emerged as a fervent anti-imperialist, joining the Anti-Imperialist League and voicing strong opposition to the US annexation of the Philippines.

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Tragic family life -

Twain outlived three of his four children and his wife, Olivia, which deeply impacted his later writings.

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Pseudonym before Mark Twain -

Before settling on Mark Twain, he used the pen name "Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass" and "Quintius Curtius Snodgrass" for humorous articles.

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Unfinished manuscripts -

Twain left several unfinished works, including 'The Mysterious Stranger,' which was completed and published posthumously in 1916. 

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Lifelong humorist -

Despite personal tragedies, Twain's public persona remained comedic and satirical, earning him the title "Father of American Literature."

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Late-life celebrity -

Twain became a cultural icon in his later years, frequently photographed in his trademark white suit.

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Mark Twain's legacy - Twain's enduring legacy is celebrated at The Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, Connecticut, which preserves his life and work. The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor honors those shaping culture with comedy.

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Memorable quotes -

Twain's quotes, rich in wit and wisdom, have a timeless quality. His sharp humor continues to influence literature and culture. 

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Anger -

"When angry, count four; when very angry, swear."

'Pudd'nhead Wilson' (1893) 

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Character and personality -

"Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody."

'Following the Equator' (1897)

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Courage -

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear."

'Pudd'nhead Wilson' (1893) 

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Facts -

"Facts, or what a man believes to be facts, are always delightful...Get your facts first, and...then you can distort 'em as much as you please."

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Fools and foolishness -

"Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed."

'Following the Equator' (1897)

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Freedom and Liberty -

"It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them."

'Following the Equator' (1897)

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Friends and friendship -

"The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money."

'Pudd'nhead Wilson' (1893) 

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Opinion -

"It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races."

'Pudd'nhead Wilson' (1893) 

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Virtue -

"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest."

Sources: (ABC News) (Britannica) (Mark Twain House) 

See also: Censored stories: popular page-turners that were banned

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