Mark Twain

November 30, 1835 - April 21, 1910

The American author and humorist, Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), was a successful writer and public speaker whose most noted novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the Science Fiction classic A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The theme from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court of a time traveler in contemporary America eventually became a common feature of a subgenre of Science Fiction called "alternate history".

Twain had many trades before he settled on writing including apprenticing with a printer, working as a typesetter, becoming a master riverboat pilot, and gold mining. The inspiration for his pen name, Mark Twain, came from his time as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River. Twain did not start writing regularly until after he failed at gold mining.

During his time as a reporter, Twain wrote his first successful story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, a humorous tale that was published in the New York Weekly. Much of his writing was filled with wit, satire, and social and political commentary. His wit and humor led him to become a speaker across the country doing acts that are similar to modern day stand-up comedy. Unfortunately, some of the language Twain used in his writings has led to them being restricted in some schools.

Twain loved science and scientific inquiry and this passion was fueled by his friend, Nikola Tesla. Despite this, Twain also had an interest in parapsychology. Throughout his life, he claims to have foreseen events such as his brother's death and even his own death. He was born two weeks after Halley's comet was closest to Earth and predicted that he would die when Halley's comet returned. As he foretold, Twain died of a heart attack the day following the comet's return. Was this a coincidence or was Twain really psychic? Does anyone have a DeLorean or a Tardis so we can find out?

See bibliography: Mark Twain