The Complete Letters of Mark Twain

These collected letters by Mark Twain are arranged in six volumes by Albert Bigelow Paine, Samuel L. Clemens's literary executor, as a supplement to Mark Twain, A Biography, which Paine wrote. They are, for the most part, every letter written by Clemens known to exist at the time of their publication in 1917. Table of Contents: Volume I — Letters 1853-1866 Volume II — Letters 1867-1875 Volume III — Letters 1876-1885 Volume IV — Letters 1886-1900 Volume V — Letters 1901-1906 Volume VI — Letters 1907-1910 Mark Twain (pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens) (1835-1910), quintessential American humorist, lecturer, essayist, and author wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Mark Twain, the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, stands as one of the titans of American literature. Born on November 30, 1835, in the small town of Florida, Missouri, Twain grew up in Hannibal, a Mississippi River port that would later furnish the backdrop for many of his most beloved works such as 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' and 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'. Twain's prolific career spanned writing, lecturing, and entrepreneurship, but it is his mastery of humor and satire, and his unerring eye for the foibles of human nature that endear him to readers worldwide. Much of Twain's best work is characterized by an uncanny ability to capture the speech patterns and colloquialisms of 19th-century America, providing a vivid window into a bygone era. His literary style combines social criticism and a keen observation of the everyday life, often reflecting the contradictions of the 'Gilded Age'. 'The Complete Letters of Mark Twain' is a collection that offers intimate insights into Twain's life, showcasing his wit and intellect across personal correspondence. His letters provide a rich context to his literary output, adding depth to the understanding of his narrative voice, and revealing the man behind the indelible myth. Twain passed away on April 21, 1910, but his legacy endures, with his works continuing to challenge, amuse, and inspire. His deep influence on the American literary canon makes him an inescapable reference point for the scholars and general readers alike.