Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 2: The Complete and Authoritative Edition (Mark Twain Papers) (Volume 11) - Softcover

Twain, Mark

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0520430913 ISBN 13: 9780520430914

Publisher: University of California Press, 2026

Synopsis

Mark Twain's final and uncensored masterpiece, presented in three volumes, is a landmark publication in American literature.

“Twain will begin to seem strange again, alluring and still astonishing . . . in ways that still resonate with us.”—New York Times
 
“His crystalline humor and expansive range are a continuous source of delight and awe.”—Los Angeles Times Book Review

Mark Twain’s complete, uncensored Autobiography was an instant bestseller when the first volume was published in 2010, on the centennial of the author’s death, as he requested. Published to rave reviews, the Autobiography was hailed as the capstone of Twain’s career. It captures his authentic and unsuppressed voice, speaking clearly from the grave and brimming with humor, ideas, and opinions.

The eagerly-awaited Volume 2 delves deeper into Mark Twain’s life, uncovering the many roles he played in his private and public worlds. Filled with his characteristic blend of humor and ire, the narrative ranges effortlessly across the contemporary scene. He shares his views on writing and speaking, his preoccupation with money, and his contempt for the politics and politicians of his day. Affectionate and scathing by turns, his intractable curiosity and candor are everywhere on view.

Editors: Benjamin Griffin and Harriet E. Smith
Associate Editors: Victor Fischer, Michael B. Frank, Sharon K. Goetz and Leslie Diane Myrick

About this title

About the Author

Benjamin Griffin and Harriet Elinor Smith are editors at the Mark Twain Project, which is housed within the Mark Twain Papers, the world’s largest archive of primary materials by this major American writer. Under the direction of General EditorRobert H. Hirst, the Project’s editors are producing the first comprehensive edition of all of Mark Twain’s writings.

From the Back Cover

Praise for Volume 1

“It feels like a form of time travel. One moment you’re on horseback in the Hawaiian islands — or recovering from saddle boils with a cigar in your mouth — and the next moment you’re meeting the Viennese maid he called, in a private joke, ‘Wuthering Heights.’ We can hardly wait for Volume 2.”— New York Times

“Twain's autobiography, finally available after a century, is a garrulous outpouring—and every word beguiles.”— Wall Street Journal

“I start reading Twain’s Autobiography at any page and don’t want to stop, for the sheer voluptuous pleasure of the prose.”— Roger Ebert

Edition details

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0520430913
• ISBN 13: 9780520430914
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 772
• Editor: Myrick Leslie Diane, Smith Harriet E., Griffin Benjamin, Goetz Sharon K., Frank Michael Barry, Fischer Victor