Mark Twain is the one guy I find most intriguing in the history of the United States.
Twain led an adventurous life: steamboat pilot, prospector, newspaper man, author, humorist. On the other hand, his life was full of pain and sadness. His children died: Langdon to diphtheria, Susy of spinal meningitis, Jean of a heart attack. The love of his life, his wife Livy, passed after a long illness.
At times, Twain was wealthy and famous. Other times, he was desperate and broke. What’s certain is he left an indelible mark on literature and my life. I think Ernest Hemingway told the truth: “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.”
If you haven’t yet, delve into the life and writings of Mark Twain. If you did so as a young person, head back that way as a wiser observer of genius. I promise you won’t be disappointed.