Mark Twain

American, 1835–1910

Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835–1910), an American author, humorist, and lecturer often called the father of American literature. His masterpiece Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is celebrated for its vivid vernacular prose, sharp social satire, and unflinching examination of race in America. Twain's wit, irreverence, and gift for storytelling made him the most popular American writer of his era.