Overview
At age fifty-five Mark Twain told a friend that he had been a printer, riverboat pilot, miner, newspaper reporter, and lecturer. We remember Mark Twain mostly for his books, which bought him worldwide acclaim in his lifetime and remain landmarks in literature today, but we should not forget that he was one of those rarities of modern society-a celebrity worthy of respect.Synopsis
At age fifty-five Mark Twain told a friend that he had been a printer, riverboat pilot, miner, newspaper reporter, and lecturer. We remember Mark Twain mostly for his books, which bought him worldwide acclaim in his lifetime and remain landmarks in literature today, but we should not forget that he was one of those rarities of modern society-a celebrity worthy of respect.
School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up-This colorful biography traces Twain's life from his birth in frontier Missouri through his many adventurous pursuits and triumphs as a writer and lecturer. Lyttle does not focus on the humorist's literary career; rather, he integrates it into his portrait, introducing Twain's major works chronologically. Excerpts from his books, journals, letters, and reminiscences give insight into the man as a satirist and philosopher. The narrative is smoothly written and richly detailed. Average-quality black-and-white photographs and reproductions are scattered throughout. A longer and more sophisticated account than Jim Hargrove's Mark Twain (Childrens, 1984), this volume offers an excellent overview of the subject's life and times.-Pat Katka, San Diego Public Library