1835–1910 · American humorist and novelist
Mark Twain
Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, an American author born in Missouri in 1835.
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Mark Twain (1835–1910) was an American author and humorist known for adventure and satire. Begin with Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Read or listen here: eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and paperback, hardcover or large print, printed at cost, free to start.
Where to start with Mark Twain
Start hereAdventures of Huckleberry FinnFollow Huck and Jim down the Mississippi through storms, feuds and confidence tricks in a long river adventure.
Read nextThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer, CompleteStart with small-town mischief and games that turn dangerous, in a shorter adventure centred on a boy avoiding chores.
Free to read nowThe Prince and the PauperTry an English setting where exchanged clothes send two boys into unfamiliar lives, with royal customs replacing Mississippi adventures.
Mark Twain's books in order
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Novels
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Listening time | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1873 | The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today Hopes of wealth draw families and schemers into politics. | Novel | 18 h 9 min | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 1876 | The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Complete A mischievous boy’s games lead him into real danger. | Novel | 8 h 16 min | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 1881 | The Prince and the Pauper A prince and a poor boy exchange clothes and lives. | Novel | 7 h 58 min | FreeRead free · no sign-up |
| 4 | 1884 | Adventures of Huckleberry Finn A runaway boy travels downriver with a man escaping slavery. | Novel | 13 h 5 min | Free to startRead free |
| 5 | 1889 | A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court A factory man tries to modernize King Arthur’s England. | Novel | 13 h 24 min | Free to startRead free |
| 6 | 1892 | The American Claimant An American seeks an English title an heir wants to escape. | Novel | 7 h 30 min | Free to startRead free |
| 7 | 1894 | The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson Two babies exchanged in infancy expose a town's racial divisions. | Novel | 6 h 14 min | FreeRead free · no sign-up |
| 8 | 1894 | Tom Sawyer Abroad Three friends cross the African desert in an airship. | Novel | 3 h 58 min | Free to startRead free |
| 9 | 1896 | Tom Sawyer, Detective Tom Sawyer investigates a crime that threatens his family. | Novel | 2 h 44 min | Free to startRead free |
Stories and shorter works
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Listening time | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1875 | Sketches New and Old Comic tales turn everyday troubles into lies and absurd adventures. | Stories | 11 h 9 min | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 1893 | The £1,000,000 Bank-Note and Other New Stories A huge banknote gives a penniless man unexpected credit. | Stories | 7 h 25 min | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 1899 | The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg A stranger tests a town’s honesty with the promise of gold. | Short story | 2 h 3 min | Free to startRead free |
| 4 | 1900 | The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, and Other Stories A town’s pride in its honesty faces a stranger’s test. | Stories | 13 h 58 min | Free to startRead free |
| 5 | 1902 | A Double Barrelled Detective Story Sherlock Holmes faces crime and revenge in American mining country. | Short story | 2 h 13 min | Free to startRead free |
| 6 | 1905 | Eve's Diary, Complete Eve records her discoveries about the world and Adam. | Short story | 46 min | Free to startRead free |
| 7 | 1906 | The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories An expected inheritance feeds dreams of wealth and comfort. | Stories | 10 h 46 min | Free to startRead free |
| 8 | 1909 | Extract from Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven A sea captain finds heaven unlike his earthly expectations. | Short story | 1 h 45 min | Free to startRead free |
| 9 | · | The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories Supernatural encounters and human follies expose the limits of goodness. | Stories | 4 h 42 min | Free to startRead free |
Letters and non-fiction
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Listening time | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1883 | Life on the Mississippi A steamboat pilot recalls his trade and revisits the Mississippi. | Non-fiction | 16 h 34 min | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 1906 | Chapters from My Autobiography A writer recalls his childhood, family, losses, and disputes. | Non-fiction | 12 h 32 min | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 1907 | Christian Science A satirical attack examines religious healing and its founder’s authority. | Non-fiction | 6 h 51 min | Free to startRead free |
| 4 | · | Mark Twain's Speeches Public speeches turn everyday subjects into jokes and social criticism. | Non-fiction | 10 h 32 min | Free to startRead free |
| 5 | · | What Is Man? and Other Essays A dialogue and essays examine human motives and everyday life. | Non-fiction | 10 h 53 min | Free to startRead free |
Read and hear all 23 Mark Twain books
eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and printed at cost price as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Household access for the whole family. Free to start.
About Mark Twain
Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, an American author born in Missouri in 1835. He lived in Hartford, Connecticut, from 1874 to 1891. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Prince and the Pauper (1881). He died in Redding, Connecticut, in 1910.
- Born
- 1835
- Died
- 1910
- Best known for
- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Complete, The Prince and the Pauper
Questions about Mark Twain
In what order should I read Mark Twain?
Read in order of first publication, oldest first, using the table on this page. Or begin with the start picks if you would rather choose an introduction than follow publication order.
Where do I start with Mark Twain?
Begin with Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for Huck and Jim's journey down the Mississippi. Choose The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Complete for small-town mischief, or The Prince and the Pauper for an adventure involving exchanged identities.
What is generally regarded as Mark Twain's most famous book?
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is Mark Twain's best-known book. It follows Huck, a runaway boy, and Jim, a man escaping slavery, as they travel down the Mississippi and encounter danger ashore.
Which Mark Twain books are the shortest?
By listening time, the shortest are Eve's Diary, Complete (46 minutes), Extract from Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven (1 hour and 45 minutes) and The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg (2 hours and 3 minutes).
Can I get Mark Twain's books in print?
Yes. Every book here comes as a paperback, hardcover or large print, printed when you order; start free and you pay only the cost of printing. The Prince and the Pauper and The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson are also free to read.
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