Mark Twain is an extremely well-known name in literature, and for good reason. He lived in the 1800s and had an extraordinary life, accomplishing many amazing feats. Though most everyone has heard his name and knows about his books or quotes, not a lot of people know these facts about him.
Number Fifteen: Mark Twain is a Pen Name
Everyone knows about the famous name, “Mark Twain”, but not everyone knows that it was not his real name. He was actually born as Samuel Langhorne Clemens in 1835 and did not go by anything else until years later.
Number Fourteen: He Quit School at Age 11
When his father died of pneumonia in 1846, young Mark had to quit school and take a job to help support his family. He worked as a printer’s apprentice.
Number Thirteen: He Educated Himself at the Library
Even though he had to leave school early and did not receive a very long formal education, he knew that he could teach himself all he needed to know. He often spent evenings reading.
Number Twelve: His Writing Reflects Real Life Events
While some authors create mostly fiction, Mark Twain drew from real occurrences in his life for inspiration. Most of his stories contained at least some aspects of events he experienced personally.
Number Eleven: Mark Twain Published 28 Books
Quite an impressive feat for anyone, this talented man had 28 of his books published. Writing books wasn’t all he did, though; he also created essays, short stories, and articles
Number Ten: Created the ‘First Great American Novel’
He won this impressive label with his well-known book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This story is thought to be based largely on the author’s own life. An extremely well known and loved story, this epic was later on made into a film.
Number Nine: He Loved Cats
Mark Twain was known to be a cat-lover, and to want them around him as often as possible. Perhaps he drew creative inspiration from the presence of these furry friends. We hope you enjoyed part one of 15 interesting Mark Twain facts. Don’t forget to return for the second part!