Mark Twain and the Year 2010

April 21, 2010, ushers in the 100th anniversary of the death of America’s greatest humorist, Mark Twain. Born in Florida, Missouri, November 30, 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens–Twain’s real name–saw the arrival of Hailey’s Comet as a harbinger of his demise. He noted that he had come into this world when the comet appeared in 1835 and that he would go out with it when it returned in 1910. His prophecy came true.

So, 2010 seems like a good year to bring out a Mark Twain book, though a publisher seeking to do this would need to act within the next three months to have it in a spring catalog.

I’ve given up. I thought at least a couple of academic publishers might be interested in The Boy’s Life of Mark Twain by Twain’s official biographer, Albert Bigelow Paine. But the academic process of making a decision is a long one, and I’ve decided to put this project idea out there for anyone. There is a $14.95 paperback listed from Amazon, but I think this title deserves hardback treatment. The Boy’s Life contains unique material on Twain from Horace Bixby, the river pilot, and other acquaintances of Twain about his personal characteristics and antics. Twain started being funny long before he became known for it.

This book is probably the only source for reminiscences from some of the more obscure observers of Twain’s long and adventure-filled life. First published in 1916, The Boy’s Life was issued when many of his friends were still around to tell their tales.

I can’t help but believe that one of our greatest writers will be acknowledged in the anniversary year of his death, so to anyone out there who wants to give it a shot: have at it.