Twain, Mark

Introduction

Twain, Mark, pseud. of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835–1910, American author, b. Florida, Mo. As humorist, narrator, and social observer, Twain is unsurpassed in American literature. His novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a masterpiece of humor, characterization, and realism, has been called the first (and sometimes the best) modern American novel.

Sections in this article:

Introduction
Twain's Masterpiece: Huckleberry Finn
Later Life and Works
Mature Works
Early Life and Works
Bibliography

See more Encyclopedia articles on: American Literature: Biographies