Mark Twain chronicled his experiences living and working out West in his book Roughing It, published in 1872. In this excerpt from the book's fourth chapter, Twain describes his 1861 journey by ...

We tend to think of celebrity as a modern phenomenon, but Mark Twain first mapped out this territory more than a hundred years ago. So vivid was his presence and captivating his wit that he is that ...

The Mississippi Valley is "as tranquil and reposeful as dreamland, and has nothing this-worldly about it … nothing to hang a fret or worry upon." It's a beautiful sentiment, and yet it contrasts with ...

Today, we celebrate the 190th birthday of the “father of American literature,” Mark Twain, a storyteller whose wit, wisdom, and honesty spoke to the heart of our Nation. Through humor and imagination, ...