Mark Twain: A Life

Written by Ron Powers

Narrated by Ron Powers

“Powers brings to vivid life Twain's America...No biography of Mark Twain could do him full justice. Powers' comes as close as you can imagine." —Los Angeles Times

A magnificent and insightful biography of legendary writer Mark Twain and a great American story.

Samuel Clemens, the man known as Mark Twain, invented the American voice and became one of our greatest celebrities. His life mirrored his country's, as he grew from a Mississippi River boyhood in the days of the frontier, to a Wild-West journalist during the Gold Rush, to become the king of the eastern establishment and a global celebrity as America became an international power. Along the way, Mark Twain keenly observed the characters and voices that filled the growing country, and left us our first authentically American literature. Ron Powers's magnificent biography offers the definitive life of the founding father of our culture.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Sep 20, 2005
• ISBN: 9780743552189

Ron Powers

Ron Powers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning and Emmy Award-winning writer and critic, has studied and written about Mark Twain for many years. He is the author of ten books, including Dangerous Water: A Biography of the Boy Who Became Mark Twain, and the coauthor of two, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Flags of Our Fathers. He lives in Middlebury, Vermont.

Reviews for Mark Twain

[glade1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent biography!

[gayla.bassham · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well-written, insightful biography of Mark Twain, but super-long. I loved it but I was ready for it to be done about 150 pages from the end.

[michaelbartley · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

a nice read about mark twain, he was certainly the voice of the common person. along with henry james he brought amer. lit to the notice of the world. he was a huge figure, a real people mag personality in his age. he was also a supporter and voice of the powerless the helpless, the ones that had no one to speak for them, he spoke for them

[nancygrahamogne · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written and frank account of the writer's life

[joe718_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Mark Twain: A Life" is a highly detailed story of Twain/Clemens' unique life and his development as a man and a writer. Ron Powers offers a tremendously detailed account of Samuel Clemens' life and provides many insights about Clemens as a husband, a father, a friend, businessman, as well as an author. Powers clearly knows his subject and is quite fond of Clemens but offers a balanced portrait that is largely sympathetic but is not afraid to show the tempermental and abrasive side of Clemens as well. Clemens comes off as an often-brilliant writer, a loving husband and father, and an awful businessman. My only criticism would be that a few chapters seem a bit thin where more detailed information about Clemens' life was not available.

[drewandlori · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great biography of my all-time favorite author.

[midlevelbureaucrat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a stellar biography of a fascinating man. As much a history of the time as a history of an American icon, I enjoyed every moment of this book. Though a bit daunting to start this book and its 600-some pages, it was difficult to set aside; only the failure of my eyes to remain open into the later hours of evening prevented me from continuing the saga in a single, long sitting. Powers's writing is smooth, funny, contemporary without being trendy, and Mark Twain is a fabulous wonderful character through every page of this book.

[gwfry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well written biography of Mark Twain. The author captures the life, humor, wit, and pain of Clemons. Ron Powers good book could have been great. He spends too many pages trying to weave the man with his characters. In the end it feels like he is trying to pad the book. Too bad.