Introduction Summary

Introducing this volume in 1959, editor Charles Neider attempts to give the reader an account of Mark Twain's autobiography. Twain began making notes for it as early as the 1870's, but it wasn't a completed work when he died in 1910. By that time, he had switched to dictating his memories to a secretary. Twain found that when he used his pen, the narrative was more literary that he wanted it to be.

Twain wanted to create a new kind of autobiography. Its main difference from other such books was its focus on the everyday events of life. Since Twain himself was so famous, there are episodes in his life that feature other famous people. Twain was most interested, however, in sharing the ordinary events of his life that he found interesting. He thought his readers would relate most to those.

Twain experimented and struggled...