Mark Twain

Born Samuel Longhorne Clemens in 1835, Mark Twain spent his boyhood like so many other young American boys, living and working in a small river town. From these humble beginnings emerged an American icon whose works are - over a century later - still among the most widely read around the world. As an adult, Sam Clemens' professions were as varied as his talents...becoming a river pilot, newspaper reporter, silver miner, and eventually, author and humorist. During his lifetime, he became America's first worldwide celebrity. His famous lecture tours packed auditoriums from England to Africa and his books were translated around the globe. His most enduring works today - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Advertures of Huckleberry Finn - echo the memories of the small town where he grew up and the people and places he shaped into the literature adored by millions.