Mark Twain, the pen-name of Samuel Clemens, was born in Missouri in 1835. Considered a great philosopher and author even during his lifetime, Twain also achieved lasting fame after his death. He is most well-known as an essayist, novelist, humorist, and satirist. There is some disagreement about whether his masterpiece is Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn; both novels are considered iconic.
Twain grew up the scion of an old family based in Virginia and Kentucky, which had fallen on more meager fortunes. His father was an attorney and salesperson. Twain had many siblings. The family moved to Hannibal, Mississippi, where Twain arguably got a lot of inspiration for his novels. Although briefly...
