Mark TwainMark Twain
What it's about
Ron Chernow, author of the biography behind Hamilton, tells the whole life of Mark Twain: a boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri, years as a Mississippi riverboat pilot and Western journalist, his fame as a humorist, his marriage and family in Hartford, the investments that bankrupted him, the deaths of his wife and daughters, and his angry, brilliant final years.
Why it's worth reading
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's the fullest portrait yet of the man behind Huck Finn.
You'll love it if you liked
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The House of Morgan
Einstein: His Life and UniverseGood to know
It's well over a thousand pages. It doesn't hide Twain's faults.
By the numbers
- Readers68 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller46 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz15 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #166 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #185 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1068 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Ron Chernow
Alexander Hamilton
Grant
Washington: A LifeThe House of MorganIf you like this, read next
I'm Glad My Mom Died
King: A Life
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Things in Nature Merely Grow
Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice
Liliana's Invincible Summer: A Sister's Search for JusticeExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Mark Twain worth reading?
Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #1,068 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Mark Twain about?
Ron Chernow, author of the biography behind Hamilton, tells the whole life of Mark Twain: a boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri, years as a Mississippi riverboat pilot and Western journalist, his fame as a humorist, his marriage and family in Hartford, the investments that bankrupted him, the deaths of his wife and daughters, and his angry, brilliant final years.
How long does it take to read Mark Twain?
About 30 hours (1200 pages), or about 9 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Mark Twain?
If you liked it, try The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The House of Morgan by Ron Chernow or Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson.