This is an enjoyable biography that provides numerous samples of Twain’s funny phrases and platitudes. It illustrates how he was a master of the language, because much of his humor was not just what he said, but how he said it. It was ironic, and pure genius, that even though he possessed this supreme command of English and had such a deep vocabulary, his characters like Huck Finn spoke in such a backward vernacular. Clemens had a unique brand of eloquent irreverence. He was also shown to be a man of high moral fiber, tenderly devoted to his wife, delighting in children, and softly contemptuous of southern culture. His sharp humor wasn’t just pointed at the South; he would poke fun at anybody. It was a way of playfully mocking human foibles of all kind, including his own. Apparently Hemingway said that “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” was the most influential book in American literature. That’s a big claim, and probably true. Dead over 100 years, he is still very much alive in many aspects of American culture and language. Huck Finn deeply affected me. When I was ten years old, I ran away from home, partly because I wanted to escape and live a nomadic existence like Huck. I still want to run away from home and live on a raft and float down a river.

Wonderful book! I am impressed with Mr. Powers -- he has a nice writing style and I was captivated by this life story of someone I've known about most of my life, but only now really understand the man, Samuel L. Clemens. . .

. . . one bit of inspiration I gained from reading this biography (really, one should be discouraged by this) is the agony that Mark Twain exhibited early on each time he gave birth to a story. He put his all into it. That inspires me to trudge on and work harder at my own writing. --From A Reader's Journal, by d r melbie.

I thought the first half of this book was quite a bit better than the second half. There was plenty of good information contained throughout, but the author's modern day political bias intruded a few too many times . . . the politics of 100 years ago were vastly different than they are nowadays and it's offputting to find callow jabs at 21st century pundits and politicians in a book about a man who died a century ago. It also has a bit of a flippant, MTV outlook on events occasionally.

All that is to say that I might recommend you to read it, but caveat emptor.

On page 38, a quote defines Mark Twain quite well. From Powers book, Twain wrote, "When I was a boy everybody was poor but didn't know it, and everybody was comfortable and didn't know it." In his journal 1883, Twain asked what the difference between an Englishmen and an American were. When Samual Langhorne Clemens entered this world on November 30, 1835, the prognosis was not too positive for his childhood. Even Jane Clemens, Sam's mother, did not see potential in her son. Powers provides an explanation that premature babies often live in between a dream world and reality. Perhaps Sam's creativity originated as a premature baby.

Jane Clemens was wrong about her son's expectations in this world. Sam was born into a large family. The father, John Marshall Clemens, reminds me of the Father from Sherwood Anderson's short story "The Egg." Both men had high ambitions of finding the American dream. In each story, both men were unsuccessful. The Clemens did not live the large, lavish Victorian lifestyle that was predominate in that time period. In fact, the Clemens were a poor frontier family that suffered from fatalities resulting from early deaths of their children. Jane made her children touch the face of their deceased siblings. Powers assumes this ritual came from Jane's Kentucky background. After the deaths of more children, Jane decided her children needed some Jesus. So, she took her children to a Presbyterian church.

As a boy, Sam did not flourish well in the Church. In fact, the fire and brimstone approach scared young Sam. There did not seem to be much communication in the family in this area. Sam already felt guilty for his siblings' deaths. This new religious persecution confirmed his worst fears. Orion, Sam, Pamela, and Henry survived past adolescence.

There was no mention of the Clemens seeing their grandparents. If so, this was never recorded. Marshall doted on Orion, the eldest, the way Sam doted on his eldest daughter, Susie, before her untimely death. Henry Clemens was seriously injured from the worst steamboat explosion in history and passed away. Orion made business ventures that turned out to be dead ends like his father. One thing I did admire about Orion's political campaign was his determination in supporting the prohibition movement. He was not too popular afterwards, however.

In later years, Sam married a lady named Olivia, who went by Livy. As I read about the Clemens marriage, I realize the pair was not a good match. Livy was born into the Victorian lifestyle. She grew up surrounded by books, the arts, music, and wealth. Victorian values did not fit Sam too well. Sam made his living being Mark Twain. As an author, Twain was a traveling lecturer. As a woman, Livy lived with a physical disability. Livy needed a husband who would be at home at night and provide physical love to the family. Instead, she would be rushed to a city with her husband or sent home to rest.

I don't understand Jane at all. I think Jane may have thought Livy was not good enough for her son, so she kept a distance. There is no mention of Jane being a loving grandmother to her grandchildren. I think the grandchildren and children were afraid of Jane. She seemed like a difficult person to relate to and get along with. When Jane sees Sam as an older adult, she is unable to recognize him.

I think if Jane had not made her son promise to not further his education, Sam would have been an entirely different person and never been a writer. Sam loved his Mississippi ties. This is evident in his great American literature. I also believe if Sam had been single and free of obligations as an older man, he would have bought a house on the Mississippi where mud was mud. The Mississippi symbolizes a naturalism. This is where Sam can be free of death, debt, slander, and lawsuits. This is his wealth and comfort. Memories run free and active.

It was a good read. A lot of information. Good but seems a little slow at times.

After finding a gorgeous copy of a Harper & Row 1935 edition of The Family Mark Twain boxset at a yard sale for a staggering two dollars, I was reminded that I still needed to read the massive biography I bought years ago about Mark Twain. So here we are.

Mark Twain: A Life is a well-researched and detailed biography that examines the complexities of Samuel Clemens better-known-as Mark Twain. The book provides an overly detailed and daunting exploration of his life, from his humble beginnings in Missouri to his rise as one of America's most beloved and influential writers. Powers paints a vivid picture of Twain’s personality, blending his sharp wit and humor with the deep sorrow and personal struggles he faced, with the loss of loved ones and financial hardships, capturing his inner turmoil, his triumphs, and his flaws.

For Sammy Clemens, reading became metanoiac, life changing. Words became objects of almost physical beauty to him, tooled and precise and as distinct from one another as snowflakes, each with its unique function and value in the universe. -page 27

Powers carefully deconstructs Twain’s career, his travels, and the iconic works he created; highlighting Twain’s social commentary and his critical views on issues like race, inequality, and human nature, showing him as a man ahead of his time.

I really enjoyed the depth of historical backdrop Powers included on Twain's life, weaving in significant events and figures that influenced his development as a writer and a public figure; it’s rich in context for understanding how historical events and figures shaped Mark Twain’s personal life, beliefs, and the literary works that made him a central figure in American history.

The Civil War probably being the biggest one, shaped his experiences during this time and influenced much of his later work, especially The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Gilded Age being a period of rapid industrialization, economic disparity, and political corruption in the United States, Twain, known for his satirical commentary on society, used his writing to criticize the excesses and injustices of this era, and his observations were deeply connected to this historical moment. The Gold Rush, frontier life, and the transformation of the American West; Twain's opposition to imperialism during the Boer War and Spanish-American War; and his relationships to prominent historical figures, such as Ulysses S. Grant, who became a close friend of Twain’s, and Theodore Roosevelt, with whom Twain had complex interactions—are a few others.

While the style was informative and detailed, it occasionally felt dense or academic, particularly when Powers delved into the minutiae of Twain's later years and the particulars of his publishing, lecturing, inventions and investment endeavors. However, the overall tone remained engaging, and Powers’ descriptive flair ensured that the biography was not just a dry account of events but also an immersive exploration of one of America’s greatest literary figures.

Although I have thoroughly enjoyed spelunking into the tempestuous journey of Mark Twain's life, having spent a little over two weeks getting to know him, I find myself with a touch of departing wistfulness, despite feeling a quiet relief in reaching the final page of this hefty tome.

I finished it. It was a monster. The use of primary sources was wonderful and it was fun to learn things about the man behind one of my favorite books. The author goes on tangents and his points seemed convoluted in his wordy explanations. Learn a lot, but it was incredibly hard to get through.

Mark Twain has always been an intriguing character for me. I've read lots of his books, and they generally have been good, not great. But Twain was such an incredible character who stood up to the powers that be. This is a very detailed book that captures the feel and tone of the day. By giving Twain's story this texture and depth, it really adds complexity that I'd never known about. His early years were captivating - who knew the lost love of his life had such an impact on him. Right through the tragic end.

Overly wordy and DETAILED. I learned a great deal about Twain, but had to slog my way through the book.

A reader of this book could not, I think, complain because Powers did not include enough facts about Mark Twain. They could, however, accuse him of incorporating too much. Mark Twain was a very restless soul and was constantly on the move from place to place, but some of his travels were not, in my opinion, worth wasting paper and time on.

However, because of Powers inclusive bent I learned a great deal about Twain, his family, friends, illnesses, writing, stage craft, finances, feuds, and lousy business acumen. I was distressed to learn about his temper, his unkindness to his brother, Orion, and that he held grudges. However, he probably would not have been as good a writer if he had not been such a complex individual. Powers obviously spent many years studying Twain and the incredible amount of written material that was left by him and those whose lives were touched by him, but on occasion he bored me with information which was too similar to what I'd already been given. This book would have been improved by being cut by at least 100 pages.

So much! I am only 1/4 of the way into the book, and admittedly, it is not a fast read. So far, however, every minute has been worth the effort. What an incredible man, far different that the sterotyped figure we studied in high school and even college. His desire to be where history was happening, even at an early life, so shaped his writing throughout his life. To think that he produced what he did with no education to speak of -- save from his mother who was a teacher and a very bright woman -- exhausts the mind. Suffice it to say that I am enjoying this book tremendously and recommend it highly, whether you liked reading Huck Finn in high school or not.

Just could not get in to this, dropped it at 20% or so.