Mark
Twain

Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri, the man who would become Mark Twain emerged from modest beginnings to become one of the most celebrated figures in American literature. Raised in Hannibal, Missouri, a town that would inspire the setting for some of his most famous works, Twain's early life was marked by a mix of adventure and the challenge of contributing to his family's income after the death of his father in 1847. His varied careers, from a printer's apprentice, a typesetter, to a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River, provided rich material for his future writings. Twain's literary career took off with the publication of "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" in 1865, a humorous tale that gained him national attention. His masterpieces, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" (1876) and its sequel, "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (1884), often dubbed the "Great American Novel," showcased his unparalleled wit and deep understanding of human nature and American society.

Beyond his prolific career as a writer, Twain was a keen observer and critic of the American life, often using his sharp wit to critique the social and political issues of his time. Despite facing financial difficulties in his later years, Twain's legacy as a cornerstone of American literature was already cemented. He died on April 21, 1910, one day after Halley's Comet reached its closest point to Earth, fulfilling his own prophecy about his death. Twain's work remains a vital part of the American cultural fabric, celebrated for its humor, narrative innovation, and deep humanity.