About the Author

Mark Twain, an American author and humorist, most noted for his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which would later provide the setting for his popular novels. He apprenticed with a printer and worked as a typesetter and contributed articles to his older brother Orion's newspaper. He achieved great success as a writer and public speaker. His wit and satire earned praise from critics and peers, and he was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty. Twain made a substantial amount of money through his writing, but he lost a great deal through investments, mostly in new inventions and technology, particularly the Paige typesetting machine. It was a beautifully engineered mechanical marvel that amazed viewers when it worked, but was prone to breakdowns. Twain also lost money through his publishing house, which enjoyed initial success, but went broke soon after. Today Mark Twain is among the most popular and widely read authors, who continues to inspire generations of readers of all ages.