About The Author

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), popularly known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher and lecturer. Mark twain is one of the most often quoted figures in literature. His wise words and tr

uisms resonate today as much as they did at the time he wrote them. With lines such as, "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything,' he champions the positives of a total lack of vanity or pretence about one's self.

He used a pseudonym because he originally worked as a journalist and wanted to keep his two careers separate. The phrase "mark twain" was shouted by river men to indicate a water depth of two (twain) yards marked on a stick, as that was sufficient draught for the hulls of boats to pass by without fear of grounding.

He grew up in the Mississippi delta and that is where he based his famous novels. What characterizes these stories is that they comprehend the world through the eyes and ears of a child and Twain's use of a child's perspective gives the prose a quality of naivety, honesty and charm.

He is one of the most widely quoted novelists, such was his habit of erudition. 

Some of his famous quotes include:

Golf is a good walk spoiled.

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.

All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.

Kindness the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. 

Mark Twain's other best novels include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Life on Mississippi and The Prince and the Pauper.