New Delhi: His original name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens but he is popularly known by his pen name Mark Twain. He was an American humorist, journalist, lecturer, and novelist and is widely considered to be one of the greatest US authors ever. A distinctive humorist, gifted raconteur and irascible moralist, he overcame the apparent limitations of his origins to become a popular public figure and one of America’s best and most beloved writers.
Mark Twain as a riverboat pilot
Born on November 30, 1835, Mark Twain was raised in Hannibal, Missouri and it formed the setting for both Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, his famous books. Early in his career, he was an apprentice with a printer. Later, he worked as a typesetter and contributed articles to the newspaper of Orion Clemens, his older brother. Later, he worked as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River and from that experience he wrote Life on the Mississippi. He went to join Orion in Nevada and referred humorously to his lack of success at mining. After that, he became a journalist for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise.
Becoming a famous writer
As a writer, Twain had his first success with “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” a humorous story published in 1865. The story was based on something he heard at Angels Hotel in California’s Angels Camp where Twain worked as a miner. Twain gained international fame and went on to write both fiction and non-fiction. He became a much sought-after speaker as his popularity increased. Critics and peers praised his wit and satire and Twain was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty.
All the money Twain earned was mostly lost by investing in ventures like the Paige Compositor, a mechanical typesetter. He filed for bankruptcy but later overcame his financial troubles with the help of Standard Oil executive Henry Huttleston Rogers. Twain’s birth took place shortly after Halley’s Comet appeared, and he predicted that his death would accompany it as well. He passed away on April 21, 1910, at the age of 74, a day after the comet was at its closest to Earth. Two of his greatest novels are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884).
Mark Twain was an American humorist, journalist, lecturer, and novelist and is widely considered to be one of the greatest US authors ever. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
