From the article: All About Mark Twain
In his time, Mark Twain was one of the best-known living Americans, and today literary minds continue to laud Huckleberry Finn as one of the greatest American novels. Are you a fan of Twain's work, or do you wonder what the hype's all about? Share your thoughts here.
A writer's model
- To focus on just one aspect of Mark Twain would be an offense. Let me mention of significant aspects of his. First, he could tell a story without relating obvious messages as the Jumping Frog and Kicking Mule that drew you in. Second, he was bitingly satirical approaching and passing the invisible borderline. Third, the later works, i.e., Letters From the Earth, also define him as dark, the same man who wrote Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and Connecticut Yankee. And fourth, he had strongly held views of writing and style, along with Ambrose Bierce, that would have torn apart the popular writing of today. I see him less as a god and more as an example of a splendid storyteller. On my gravestone, I would love to be able to inscribe "Storyteller" for that is what we write.
- —Darkenwulf
Mark Twain, pertinent more than ever.
- Mark Twain, a writer whose works are more relevant today then ever. His writings were at times crude (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) and were received with much controversy. Even though a masterpiece, the blunt reporting of the young outcast made some uneasy and prompted emotional and erratic responses that may have brought more pain and controversy. That America has repented for its lack of discernment. The America of today has proven again to be a great nation with great compassion who has forgiven the shortcomings of the time. The rest of the world admires today's America more than ever and is grateful to Mark Twain for his providential help getting America past the controversy.
- —Guest Karla Taylor
my childhood
- I live in iran and about 20 years ago the story of his best book as you know was one of the best cartoons that was showing in my country.I yet have it in my mind...
- —Guest maryam
"Cooper's Literary Offences" a Hoot!
- I admire how Mark Twain wrapped wisdom inside wit and humour. The anti-bigotry / anti-slavery messages in "Huckleberry Finn" still bite. "James Fennimore Cooper's Literary Offences" should be next to every writer's bedside table if not next to his/her writing desk / computer screen, and read every other month. In that essay, Twain was both a master of the insult and a master teacher of writing. I love how he skewers Cooper 'Indian lore' - those poor braves waiting until the houseboat [too wide for the river] passes beneath the trees in which they are hidden, then each one dropping short of the deck, further short of the deck, still further short of the deck.
- —marylinusca
Simply a Hymn
- I love that he referred to Tom Sawyer as "simply a hymn, put into prose to give it a worldly air." What a humble and celebratory way to think of a novel. But hymns are also somewhat holy, and I think there can be something of that in the act of novel writing as well, especially when the writer is returning to his roots, as Twain was.
- —Lucy