November 30, 1835, Samuel Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri. At the age of 13, he was apprenticed to a printer and later worked for his brother who founded the Hannibal Journal.
Samuel’s writing career began at the age of 22. In 1857, he was commissioned to write a series of comic travel letters , but after writing only 5, he quit to become a steamboat captain.
His career as a steamboat captain ended when the Civil War stopped river traffic. Clemens’ career as a steamboat captain gave birth to Mark Twain. “Mark Twain” is a boatman’s call noting that the river is only two fathoms deep.
Clemens returned to writing in 1861. He found himself again writing humorous travel letters but under the pseudonym Mark Twain.
And as they say, the rest is history!
Mark Twain is one of my favorite authors and I just happen to be rereading the story that made him famous- The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and then I’m reading The Innocents Abroad published in 1869.
What is your favorite Twain story?
Here is a link to the Mark Twain House & Museum list of his most famous books. How about joining me in reading Twain this month? Let me know in the comments!
