Description
Book SynopsisA voracious pack-rat, Mark Twain hoarded his readers' letters as did few of his contemporaries. This title collects 200 of these letters written by a diverse cross-section of correspondents from around the world - children, farmers, schoolteachers, businessmen, preachers, con artists, and even a former president.
Trade Review"Well-selected, thoroughly researched and thoughtfully annotated-a surprising, welcome addition to the apparently endless Twain shelf." Kirkus Reviews "It is a special delight to read Twain's interactions with the readers who made him 19th-century America's most popular writer." -- Alexander Nazaryan New York Daily News "Kent Rasmussen has done it again: he has come up with a book that will give every Twainiac and lots of others with only a casual interest in Mark Twain much enjoyment and a non-trivial amount of insight into one of the most remarkable writers the world has ever known." -- Shelley Fisher Fishkin Mark Twain Forum "A magnificent, remarkably researched book." -- Maria Popova Maria Popova, Brain Pickings "The content is diverse and intriguing... Verdict: Rasmussen is clearly an expert curator and researcher. Fans of Twain and most libraries will want to secure a copy." -- Stacy Russo Library Journal "A devoted Samuel Clemons/Mark Twain fan will want to pick up this book and will appreciate Rasmussen's research." -- Chris Stuckenschneider Missourian "This series of letters makes delightful reading." -- Aron Row San Francisco Book Review and Sacramento Book Review "Over the past two decades Kent Rasmussen has consistently produced some of the most useful, practically minded, and accessible scholarship in Mark Twain studies. With Dear Mark Twain: Letters from His Readers, Rasmussen comes through again... Rasmussen enlarges what we know of Mark Twain from his correspondence as it provides the most substantive understanding yet of who were buying his books and reading him in newspapers and magazines at the turn of the century. As such, this collection will be of interest to Mark twain specialists, students of American literary and cultural studies, and general readers alike." -- Joseph Csicsila Mark Twain Annual
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword by Ron Powers Introduction Note on Texts Letters 1861--1870 1871--1880 1881--1890 1891--1900 1901--1910 Note on Sources Acknowledgments Index
