Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, is an American author and humorist.

He is most noted for his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called "the Great American Novel."

Twain grows up in Hannibal, Missouri, which will later provide the setting for Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.

He apprentices with a printer.

He also works as a typesetter and contributes articles to his older brother Orion's newspaper.

After toiling as a printer in various cities, he becomes a master riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River before heading west to join Orion.

He is a failure at gold mining, so he next turnsto journalism.

While a reporter, he writes a humorous story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," which becomes very popular and brings nationwide attention.

His travelogues are also well received.

Twain has found his calling.

He achieves great success as a writer and public speaker.

His wit and satire earn praise from critics and peers, and he is a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty.

He lacks financial acumen, and though he makes a great deal of money from his writings and lectures, he squanders it on various ventures, in particular the Paige Compositor, and is forced to declare bankruptcy.

With the help of Henry Huttleston Rogers,he eventually overcomes his financial troubles.

Twain works hard to ensure that all of his creditors are paid in full, even though his bankruptcy had relieved him of the legal responsibility.

Twain was born during a visit by Halley's Comet, and he predicted that he would "go out with it" as well.

He dies the day following the comet's subsequent return.