The Singular Mark Twain: A Biography - Hardcover

Kaplan, Fred

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385477155 ISBN 13: 9780385477154

Publisher: Doubleday, 2003

Synopsis

The Singular Mark Twain presents the first fully integrated portrait of this great American icon. Fred Kaplan shows definitively that Twain's ferociously progressive ideas about race informed all his later works and absolve him from absurd charges of racism laid in recent years. Kaplan also details the darker side of Twain's story - the illnesses and death that plagued his family and darkened his vision, his almost comically terrible business sense that lost him his great fortune, and his paranoid sensitivity to slights and betrayals.

About this title

Review:

"The clearest, most comprehensive portrait yet. . . . It is almost unprecedented for a truly definitive biography of a writer of Mark Twain's stature to appear after so many years, but here it is." -The Philadelphia Inquirer"A singularly excellent biography." -The New York Sun"A real contribution to what we know of the writer who made the American language safe for literature. . . . A great glory of information." -The Atlanta Journal-Constitution" 'Singular' Twain is doubly good reading." -Fort Worth Star-Telegram"An even-handed narrative, fully aware of all the biographical and critical currents at work . . . but owing allegiance to no particular theoretical or psychological school of criticism." -Richmond Times-Dispatch"A delightful read and a storehouse of information and ideas that will be consulted for generations." -Portland Sunday Telegram"Refreshing. . . . Full of new material." -St. Louis Post-Dispatch"Lively. . . . Clemens feels whole because Kaplan takes the time to show him in so many different settings and situations." -The Oregonian"Comprehensive. . . . Thoroughly researched. . . . Highly readable." -Fort Worth Star-Telegram"A vividly detailed account. . . . Kaplan clearly shows the connection between Twain's writing and the people and events that surrounded his life." -Library Journal"Utimately, Kaplan's major contribution may be in what he has taken out of the Twain mythology. No longer will Twain be referred to as an inspired primitive." -Houston Chronicle"[Kaplan] has researched more fully and completely than any other has been able to do before. . . . Deeply detailed . . . rich with anecdote, facts and the humor that filled the man we have come to know as Mark Twain." -Wichita Falls Times Record News

About the Author:

Fred Kaplan is Distinguished Professor of English Literature at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City of New York.

About this edition

• Publisher: Doubleday
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0385477155
• ISBN 13: 9780385477154
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 726