Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was lauded as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," and William Faulkner called him "the father of American literature". His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), the latter often called "The Great American Novel".

Twain was raised in Hannibal, Missouri, which later provided the setting for Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. He served an apprenticeship with a printer and then worked as a typesetter, contributing articles to the newspaper of his older brother Orion Clemens. He later became a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River before heading west to join Orion in Nevada. He referred humorously to his lack of success at mining, turning to journalism for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise. His humorous story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", was published in 1865, based on a story that he heard at Angels Hotel in Angels Camp, California, where he had spent some time as a miner. The short story brought international attention and was even translated into French. His wit and satire, in prose and in speech, earned praise from critics and peers, and he was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty.

Twain earned a great deal of money from his writings and lectures, but he invested in ventures that lost most of it—such as the Paige Compositor, a mechanical typesetter that failed because of its complexity and imprecision. He filed for bankruptcy in the wake of these financial setbacks, but in time overcame his financial troubles with the help of Henry Huttleston Rogers. He eventually paid all his creditors in full, even though his bankruptcy relieved him of having to do so. Twain was born shortly after an appearance of Halley's Comet, and he predicted that he would "go out with it" as well; he died the day after the comet made its closest approach to the Earth.

Marriage and children Twain and Olivia Langdon corresponded throughout 1868. After she rejected his first marriage proposal, they were married in Elmira, New York in February 1870, where he courted her and managed to overcome her father's initial reluctance. She came from a "wealthy but liberal family"; through her, he met abolitionists, "socialists, principled atheists and activists for women's rights and social equality", including Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass, and utopian socialist writer William Dean Howells, who became a long-time friend. The Clemens' lived in Buffalo, New York, from 1869 to 1871. He owned a stake in the Buffalo Express newspaper and worked as an editor and writer. While they were living in Buffalo, their son Langdon died of diphtheria at the age of 19 months. They had three daughters: Susy (1872–1896), Clara (1874–1962), and Jean (1880–1909). The Clemenses formed a friendship with David Gray, who worked as an editor of the rival Buffalo Courier, and his wife Martha. Twain later wrote that the Grays were "'all the solace' he and Livy had during their 'sorrowful and pathetic brief sojourn in Buffalo'", and that Gray's "delicate gift for poetry" was wasted working for a newspaper.

In November 1872, Twain was a passenger on the Cunard Line steamship Batavia which rescued the nine surviving crew of the British barque Charles Ward. Twain witnessed the rescue, and wrote to the Royal Humane Society recommending them to honour Batavia's captain and the crew that manned the lifeboat. Starting in 1873, Twain moved his family to Hartford, Connecticut, where he arranged the building of a home next door to Stowe. In the 1870s and 1880's, the family summered at Quarry Farm in Elmira, the home of Olivia's sister, Susan Crane. In 1874, Susan had a study built apart from the main house so that Twain would have a quiet place in which to write. Also, he smoked cigars constantly, and Susan did not want him to do so in her house.

Twain wrote many of his classic novels during his 17 years in Hartford (1874–1891) and over 20 summers at Quarry Farm. They include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876), The Prince and the Pauper (1881), Life on the Mississippi (1883), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889).

The couple's marriage lasted 34 years until Olivia's death in 1904. All of the Clemens family are buried in Elmira's Woodlawn Cemetery.

Mark Twain Writer - Born November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri, USA

Died April 21, 1910 in Redding, Connecticut, USA (angina pectoris)

Birth Name Samuel Langhorne Clemens

Nickname Sam

Height 5' 8½" (1.74 m)

Mini Bio (1) Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in Florida, Missouri in 1835, grew up in Hannibal. He was a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. Throughout his career, Twain served as a writer, lecturer, reporter, editor, printer, and prospector. Twain took his pen name from an alert cry used on his steamboat - "by the mark, twain".

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Matt Dicker

Spouse (1) Olivia Langdon (2 February 1870 - 5 June 1904) her death 4 children

Characters often hail from Mississippi

Darkly comic view of human nature

Grey hair and thick moustache

Often wore a white suit

He was born in a year when Halley's Comet appeared (1835), and died the year the comet returned (1910).

Pictured on the 10¢ US postage stamp (as Samuel L. Clemens) in the Famous American/Authors series, issued 13 February 1940.

His character of Tom Sawyer was honored by an 8¢ US commemorative postage stamp in the American Folklore series, issued 13 October 1972.

Great-uncle of writer Jean Webster.

Was the first person to write a novel entirely on a typewriter ("Huckleberry Finn").

Only one of his four children, Clara Clemens (1874-1962), survived him. His other children: Jean (1880-1909), Susy (1872-96) and Langdon (1870-72).

Failed to graduate from elementary school.

Great-great-great-uncle of Casper Van Dien and Sudi Van Dien, and great-great-great-great-uncle of Cappy Van Dien, Grace Van Dien, Maya Van Dien and Celeste Van Dien.

Suffered from bipolar disorder.

Although he was not monarchist or aristocratic, he was descended from nobility and, inclusively, from a bastard son of King Alexander II of Scotland.

Inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians in 1982 and the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame in 1998.

Was good friends with Serbian-American scientist Nikola Tesla.

Worked for the "Territorial Enterprise" newspaper from 1861-64.

One of his favorite books was "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas (VII).

When he proposed to Olivia Langdon, her father wanted to be sure of his good character. Since they had no friends in common, Twain offered the names of several friends he had made out west. Langdon wrote to ask them what they thought of the match. All wrote back condemning Twain as a louse and a freeloader; two predicted that he would fill a drunkard's grave. Twain bitterly remarked that apparently he didn't have any friends. "Then I'll be your friend myself," Langdon said. "Take the girl. I know you better than they do." Langdon was right, for Twain proved to be a faithful and loving husband to Olivia.

He actually had red hair, which of course does not show up in black and white photographs.

Upon hearing of his death, President William Howard Taft said, "Mark Twain gave pleasure--real intellectual enjoyment--to millions, and his works will continue to give such pleasure to millions yet to come . . . His humor was American, but he was nearly as much appreciated by Englishmen and people of other countries as by his own countrymen. He has made an enduring part of American literature".

Once lived in a cabin on a spot of land called Jackass Hill.

A complete bibliography of his works is virtually impossible because he was published far and wide, often in obscure newspapers. New examples of his writing have been discovered as recently as 1995.

A friend once told him that he was going to go the Holy Land, climb Mount Sinai, and recite the Ten Commandments. Twain said, "I've got a better idea. Stay at home, and obey them.".

Loved to speculate with his money, but almost always unfortunately. This led to his filing for bankruptcy in 1894.

His short novel, "Adam's Diary", was published at the beginning of his career. Its companion novel, "Diary of Eve", was written near the end of his life. The differences between the two are striking, especially in the maturation of his style.

Pictured on a nondenominated ('forever') USA commemorative postage stamp in the Literary Arts series, issued 25 June 2011. Price on day of issue was 44¢.

Inducted into the International Mustache Hall of Fame in 2015 (inaugural class) in the category Historical Figure.

He was interred in his wife's family plot at Woodland Cemetery in Elmira, NY.

He was the first person to refer to Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller's teacher, as "Miracle Worker".

An asteroid discovered on September 24, 1976, has been named 2632 Mark Twain in his honor.

Thought Joan of Arc was the greatest human being who has ever lived, second only to Christ, and considered his historical novel "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, by Sieur Louis de Conte" (1896) to be his best work.

I have been told that Wagner's [Richard Wagner] music is better than it sounds.

[his definition of a "classic"] Something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.

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

The English are mentioned in the Bible: "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth".

As to the adjective: when in doubt, strike it out.

The report of my death was an exaggeration.

I can live for two months on a good compliment.

Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

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

All you need is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.

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.

Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths.

No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century.

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

It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.

When in doubt, tell the truth.

Always do right. That will gratify some of the people, and astonish the rest.

Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel. He is the only one that inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it.

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.

Where prejudice exists it always discolors our thoughts.

I have been an author for 20 years and an ass for 55.

An author values a compliment even when it comes from a source of doubtful competency.

Comedy keeps the heart sweet.

Fleas can be taught nearly anything that a Congressman can.

Whatever you say, say it with conviction.

I learned long ago never to say the obvious thing, but leave the obvious thing to commonplace and inexperienced people to say.

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

Education consists mainly in what we have unlearned.

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.

Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.

There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it, and when he can.

The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are in the right.

The man who is ostentatious of his modesty is twin to the statue that wears a fig-leaf.

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got.

I am not "an" American, I am "the" American.

I love to revel in philosophical matters--especially astronomy. I study astronomy more than any other foolishness there is.

When the world ends, I would like to be in Cincinnati, because it's always 20 years behind the times.

America is built on a tilt, so anything loose slides to California.

History doesn't always repeat itself. Sometimes it rhymes.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect.

Golf is a good walk spoiled.

You can tell German wine from vinegar by the label.

October is one of those dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November and December.

Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.

Good breeding consists in concealing how much we think of ourselves and how little we think of other persons.

France has neither winter nor summer nor morals. France has usually been governed by prostitutes. Apart from these drawbacks, it is a fine country.

If we were meant to talk more than listen, we would have two mouths and one ear.

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.

Grief can take care of itself; but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.

[on babies] A soiled baby with a neglected nose cannot consciously be regarded as a thing of beauty.

[on babies] Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the principal one was that they escaped teething.

[on adaptability] If you don't like the weather in New Engalnd, just wait a few minutes.

[on children] When a teacher calls a boy by his entire name, it means trouble.

[on experience] We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it--and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot-stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again--and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.

[on fact] Get your facts first; then you can distort 'em as you please.

To be busy is man's only happiness.

It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.

Training is everything. The peach was a once a bitter almond; cauliflower is but a cabbage with a college education.

Let us be grateful to Adam, our benefactor. He cut us out of the "blessing" of idleness and won for us the "curse" of labor.

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been.

It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.

Most people are bothered by those passages in Scripture which they cannot understand, but as for me I always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me are those which I do understand.

When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to 21, I was astonished by how much he'd learned in seven years.

Religion began when the first con-artist met the first fool.

If you would be good, you will be lonely.

Even a bargain costs money.

All that is necessary is ignorance and confidence, then success is guaranteed.

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.

When I get to the other side I shall use my influence to have the Human Race drowned again, but this time drowned good. No exceptions, no Ark.

Beware of reading Health Books, you may die of a misprint.

Give a man a reputation as an early riser, and that man can sleep till noon.

The common eye sees only the outside of things, and judges by that, but the seeing eye pierces through and reads the heart and the soul, finding there capacities which the outside didn't indicate or promise, and which the other kind couldn't detect.

Its name is Public Opinion. It is held in reverence. It settles everything. Some think it is the voice of God

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live

What a man wants with religion in these breadless times surpasses my comprehension

I always did hate for anyone to know what my plans or hopes or prospects were-for, if I kept people in ignorance in these matters, no one could be disappointed but myself, if they were not realized.

We chase phantoms half the days of our lives. It is well if we learn wisdom even then, and save the other half

Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.

The world owes you nothing, it was here first.

Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.

You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.

Not reading gives you no advantage over people who don't read.

It is easier to fool people than it is to convince them that they have been fooled.

When I was young, I could remember anything whether it happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now, and soon I shall be so I cannot remember any but the latter. It is sad to go to pieces like this, but we all have to do it.

There's nothing worse than a young pessimist. Except an old Optimist.

One cannot succeed merely by being stupid, one must be well-mannered as well.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.

The Jabalites . . . They worship no god; and if we in goodness of heart do send a missionary to show them the way of life, they listen with respect to all he hath to say, and then they eat him. This doth tend to hinder the spread of light.

If you don't read the papers you are uninformed, if you read the papers you are misinformed.

I have a higher and better standard of morality than George Washington (V). He could not tell a lie. I can, but choose not to.

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.

A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on.