Mark Twain
Mark Twain, pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1834-1910). US novelist, creator of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Brought up in Missouri, he worked first as a printer’s apprentice and from 1857 to 1861 a Mississippi steamboat pilot. ‘Mark Twain’ was a boat-man’s phrase, indicating a depth of water of two fathoms. Having become famous for his humorous stories, he made his lasting reputation with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884). In later life Twain suffered from financial problems and became known for his lecture tours.
