Mark Twain: A Biography. Volume II, Part 1: 1886-1900

In Short

This volume of biography details Samuel Clemens’s mid-career era, chronicling his rise from popular humorist to global literary figure between the late 1870s and 1900. Author Albert Bigelow Paine traces Clemens’s creative triumphs—including The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—alongside his turbulent ventures as a publisher and inventor. Broadening into domestic life, political campaigns, and international travels, the narrative balances Clemens's public fame with his private struggles. It endures as an intimate, eyewitness account of a complex American icon navigating the height of his fame and the harsh realities of middle age.

The Story

The narrative opens with Samuel Clemens at forty, having achieved widespread public fame as Mark Twain. Widely quoted and incessantly sought after by an eager public, he finds himself besieged by fans, hopeful writers, and opportunists seeking his backing or advice. Amid this attention, Clemens engages passionately in national affairs, actively campaigning for Rutherford B. Hayes in the 1876 presidential election and delivering widely quoted political speeches.

Driven by an appetite for varied experiences, Clemens travels across Europe, recording his impressions of Germany and Italy. Though he struggles with traditional art and sights, his observations yield rich material for A Tramp Abroad, featuring famous essays on the German language. Returning to the United States, he remains a commanding presence at major public events, notably delivering an audacious speech on "the babies" at a 1879 Chicago banquet honoring General Ulysses S. Grant.

Clemens continually seeks new creative and financial horizons. He revisits his steamboat days during a voyage down the Mississippi River to collect material for Life on the Mississippi, reuniting with old river pilots like Horace Bixby and literary friends like George W. Cable in New Orleans. His literary energy culminates in the completion and release of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a process closely supported by his family. Concurrently, Clemens expands into publishing, establishing Charles L. Webster & Co., which undertakes the publication of General Grant’s personal memoirs. Clemens personally supports the dying General through the writing process, securing a massive critical and commercial success.

Alongside his publishing ventures, Clemens invests heavily in new talents and technological inventions, funding the art education of sculptor Karl Gerhardt and pursuing copyright law reforms to protect authors from Canadian piracy. However, his relentless business enterprises bring severe financial strain and anxiety. Through all these endeavors, his home life at Quarry Farm and in Hartford remains his primary refuge. His daughter Susy begins a childhood biography documenting her father's philosophical nature, capturing his true temperament behind his public persona. As the century draws to a close, Clemens balances the burdens of aging, business pressures, and personal reflection, remaining a relentless worker and deeply humane figure to the end.

How It Unfolds

A life at its peak Samuel Clemens enters middle age amidst immense public fame, inundated by endless mail and requests from strangers asking for favors, advice, and endorsements.

Political passions engage Clemens throws himself into the 1876 Hayes-Tilden presidential campaign, making widely publicized speeches for Hayes and corresponding intensely with William Dean Howells.

European travels and trials Taking his family abroad, Clemens explores Germany and Italy, grumbling over tourist obligations and old art masters while gathering observations for A Tramp Abroad.

Saluting the General Attending a grand Chicago reunion for General Grant in 1879, Clemens delivers a memorable speech toasting "the babies" that delights the vast military audience.

Return to the river Clemens revisits the Mississippi River to re-experience his piloting days, gathering fresh material in New Orleans alongside writers George W. Cable and Joel Chandler Harris.

A masterpiece takes form Supported by his family's reading sessions at home, Clemens finishes The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, preparing it for careful publication and canvassing.

Publishing a national hero Clemens establishes a publishing firm and works closely with a dying Ulysses S. Grant to publish the General's famous personal memoirs.

Patronage and literary games Generous with his wealth, Clemens sponsors young artists like sculptor Karl Gerhardt while collaborating with Howells on new plays and lobbying for copyright reform.

Reflections at fifty Celebrating his golden jubilee, Clemens receives poetic tributes from figures like Oliver Wendell Holmes while his daughter Susy records his private character in a home journal.

The People

• Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain): A renowned author and humorist who wants to create enduring literature, protect his work, and build financial security through ambitious publishing ventures. He faces relentless public demands, bad business investments, and the onset of middle age, ultimately remaining a deeply sentimental, generous, and fiercely independent thinker.
• Olivia Clemens: Samuel’s devoted wife who seeks to maintain family harmony, cultivate artistic appreciation, and gently temper her husband’s explosive outbursts. Standing against his sudden impulses, she acts as a wise, steadying influence on his writing and business choices.
• William Dean Howells: A close literary friend, author, and critic who wants to collaborate on plays and support Clemens's career. He struggles with his own writing failures, such as a poorly selling campaign biography, yet remains Clemens’s trusted sounding board and loyal literary peer.
• Ulysses S. Grant: The famed General and former President who wants to complete his personal memoirs before succumbing to a terminal illness. Facing severe physical suffering and race against time, he completes his manuscript through sheer willpower, forming a bond of deep mutual respect with Clemens.
• Susy Clemens: Samuel’s insightful young daughter who wants to capture her father's true character in a personal journal. Observing him beyond his public persona, she reveals his thoughtful, philosophical nature before her writing comes to an abrupt halt.

In Its Own Voice

"The symbol of the race ought to be a human being carrying an ax, for every human being has one concealed about him somewhere, and is always seeking the opportunity to grind it." Reflecting on the overwhelming barrage of unsolicited mail and constant demands for favors from strangers, Clemens captures his cynical yet humorous view of human nature.

"I'd rather be a pilot than anything else I've ever done in my life." Writing to his former mentor Horace Bixby after returning to the Mississippi River, Clemens reveals his enduring nostalgia for his youth on the water.

"By what right has the dog come to be regarded as a 'noble' animal? The more brutal and cruel and unjust you are to him the more your fawning and adoring slave he becomes; whereas, if you shamefully misuse a cat once she will always maintain a dignified reserve toward you afterward..." In a letter responding to an inquiry about animals, Clemens characteristically challenges popular sentimentality with his preference for cats over dogs.

What It's Really About

Behind the chronicle of literary fame, the book explores the tension between an artist's public celebrity and his private identity. It examines how a writer navigates the pressures of commercial success, the financial anxieties of publishing and inventing, and the desire to be recognized as a serious thinker rather than merely a popular entertainer. Through its account of Clemens's friendships, family life, and political convictions, the narrative investigates the nature of American integrity, showing how sympathy and an unyielding sense of justice consistently drove Clemens's personal and creative decisions.

Why Read It Today

This biography appeals to readers seeking an authentic, unvarnished look at the peak years of one of America’s greatest writers. Rather than offering a distant historical summary, the text draws on immediate personal notes, candid letters, and household memories that bring Clemens’s vibrant personality directly onto the page. The narrative excels at capturing his sharp wit, volatile temper, and deep generosity, making his daily life feel remarkably immediate.

Readers should note that the volume reflects the leisurely, detailed biographical style of the early twentieth century. Its extensive length and inclusion of minor correspondence require patience, and its period attitudes and casual references to nineteenth-century politics may feel distant to modern audiences. Yet what lingers is the vivid picture of a literary icon navigating the chaos of success. It offers an engaging, affectionate portrait of a man whose humor and humanity remain thoroughly alive.