The funny man who saw the world as it really was. His humor masked a deep understanding of human nature.
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) is considered the "father of American literature." Known for his sharp wit, white suits, and wild hair, he defined the American voice in the 19th century. But behind the humor was a life full of adventure, tragedy, and brilliant observation.
1. He was born and died with Halley's Comet
Twain was born in 1835, shortly after Halley's Comet appeared. Fittingly, he predicted he would "go out with it" when it returned. He was right. He died of a heart attack on April 21, 1910, one day after the comet famously returned to Earth's skies.
2. "Mark Twain" is a river term
His pen name comes from his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. "Mark Twain" means "two fathoms deep" (12 feet), indicating that the water was safe for the boat to pass.
3. He was a bad investor
Despite earning vast sums from his books and lectures, Twain lost a fortune investing in new inventions. He poured money into the Paige Compositor (a typesetting machine) which failed, but famously turned down the chance to invest in Alexander Graham Bell's telephone.
4. He loved cats
Twain was a crazy cat man. He sometimes owned up to 19 cats at once and gave them fantastical names like Appollinaris, Beelzebub, and Blatherskite. He once said, "If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
5. He wore white suits to be noticed
His iconic white suit was a deliberate branding choice late in life. He started wearing them year-round (even in winter) in 1906 to ensure he stood out in a crowd and grabbed headlines.
6. He was a desertion soldier
When the Civil War broke out, Twain briefly joined a Confederate militia. However, he had no interest in fighting. After two weeks of retreating from Union troops and enduring constant rain, he quit and headed West to Nevada.
7. He was a psychic?
Twain had a vivid dream about his younger brother Henry lying in a metal coffin with a bouquet of white flowers. Weeks later, Henry was killed in a steamboat explosion. At the funeral, Twain saw his brother in the exact metal coffin from his dream. This event sparked his lifelong interest in the paranormal.
8. He patented a scrapbook
Twain invented a self-pasting scrapbook (with pre-gummed pages). It was actually his most profitable invention, earning him $50,000 (a huge sum at the time), far more than many of his books.
9. He was friends with Nikola Tesla
Twain and Tesla were close friends. They spent much time together in Tesla’s lab. Twain even participated in some of Tesla’s experiments, including one where he held a vacuum tube that was illuminated by wireless electricity.
10. He hated Jane Austen
Twain was a harsh critic of other authors, but he had a special hatred for Jane Austen. He once wrote, "Every time I read 'Pride and Prejudice' I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone."