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Mark Twain (real name Samuel Clemens) spent his easily influenced years in Hannibal Missouri where many of his novels are centered, most notably "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". After the death of his father in 1847 he worked for his brother's newspaper in Hannibal, then was a wandering printer in many cities. In 1857 he went to New Orleans on his way to make his fortune in South America, but instead he became a Mississippi River boat pilot. His pen name was actually the river call for a water depth of two fathoms ("Mark Twain"). Mark Twain stopped piloting the riverboat in 1861, at the start of the Civil War, to join the Union. The Civil War ended river traffic and Clemens in 1862 went west to Carson City where his brother had been appointed territorial secretary. He failed in get rich quick schemes and turned to writing for the Virginia City Enterprise. Later he was a newspaperman in San Francisco. His first success was a short story, a masterpiece of western humor, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". When he returned from a trip to Hawaii, financed by the Sacramento Union in 1866 he first became a successful humorist speaker. He also published "The Innocents Abroad" which was another of his many famous books. In 1870 he married Olivia Langdon of Elmira New York and settled down in Hartford Connecticut. Some critics have argued that his wife and her New England friends most exceptionally William Dean Howells, impaired his talents. Yet he wrote excellent books after he moved to Hartford, including his two signature novels "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". Some of his later works are forced attempts at humor. His attitude changed later and was reflected in the surely bitter tragedy of "The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson", even though he continued to create humorous works. In the 1890's Twain made some bad investments and soon found himself heavily in debt. He continued to lecture around the world, which led to his "Following the Equator" books. He also had to deal with the death of his two daughters and the long illness and death of his wife in 1904. Some critics think that the great discouragement of his later works were the result of his personal tragedy. This beloved American author will long be remembered for what many call the most "American" of authors.
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