My Mark Twain

Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.2

Word count: 148K words
Chapters: 15

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.My Mark Twain (from Literary Friends and Acquaintance) by William Dean HowellsAuthor: Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Oct 22, 2004

Editor's review

This book, My Mark Twain, is not an autobiography by Twain himself, but a memoir written by Howells from the perspective of a literary friend, originally a piece in Literary Friends and Acquaintance. Howells was an important promoter of American literary realism. The Twain he depicts has both the humor and stage charisma known to the public and a more delicate, everyday side in private interactions. For Chinese readers, the unique value of this book lies in providing a close-up observation by a contemporary writer and editor, which can be read alongside Twain's works and the history of nineteenth-century American literature. The text is in the English essay style, not long, and leisurely in narration, suitable as supplementary reading for understanding Twain the person and his circle of literary acquaintances, and also suitable for readers interested in writers' biographies and literary memoirs to read slowly in fragments of time. It should be noted that it is a memorial essay rather than a systematic biography; readers expecting a complete life narrative should adjust their expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Mark Twain's life and the nineteenth-century American literary scene
Those who enjoy writers' memoirs and literary essays and prefer a close, personal perspective
Learners with some English reading ability who want to experience the feel of nineteenth-century prose in the original
Readers studying American realism who need to understand Howells's interactions with Twain

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping for a complete, systematic biography of Mark Twain or in-depth analysis of his works
Beginners with weak English reading skills who need Chinese annotations
Readers who prefer strong plot and tightly structured narratives

Reading tips

Read it once for an overall impression, then compare it with Twain's works or related biographies to appreciate the differences in a contemporary's observations.
Jot down the Twain works and scenes mentioned in the text as clues for later reading of Twain's originals.
The English original is not long; read it in two or three sessions. Skip unfamiliar cultural background at first to keep the reading rhythm.
If using it for writing or research, highlight Howells's descriptions of Twain's personality and conversational details.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book an autobiography of Mark Twain?

No. It is a memorial piece written by Howells, originally included in Literary Friends and Acquaintance, recording his interactions with and impressions of Mark Twain from a friend's perspective. It is a literary memoir of another person, not Twain's own account of his life.

Do I need to know any of Mark Twain's works before reading this book?

Not strictly, but having read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, or other major works will make it easier to understand the creative background and topics involving the characters, and to sense the weight of Howells's evaluations more keenly.

Is this the original English edition? What reading level is it suitable for?

This edition is in the original English and is a public-domain e-book. The text is in the nineteenth-century essay style, with longer sentences but generally plain overall. Readers with college-level English or a habit of reading English essays will find it accessible; beginners can read slowly with a dictionary.

How is it different from a typical writer's biography?

A typical biography seeks completeness of life events and a clear chronological thread, whereas this book is a close personal memoir, short in length, focused on interaction details and personality impressions, and more subjective. It is better as a supplement to, not a substitute for, biography reading.

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About the author

Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920 Author

William Dean Howells (1837–1920) was an American author and literary editor, with 107 works held in the collection. His writing spans novels, travel books, memoirs, and literary essays, and his representative works include My Mark Twain, Indian Summer, A Boy's Town, A Modern Instance, and A Hazard of New Fortunes. Howells drew on close observation of everyday life, writing in a plain style with gentle irony and attending to moral questions and human situations amid social change; his travel book Venetian Life and his memoir Literary Friends and Acquaintance record his journeys and personal recollections of American literary figures. Public information is limited, so biographical details are not elaborated here; readers may turn to the works above to learn about his subjects and style.