Mark Twain Quotes

"She is easily and by far the most extraordinary person the human race has ever produced."--Mark Twain regarding "Saint Joan of Arc"

"Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die, even the undertaker will be sorry."--Mark Twain

"The introduction of homeopathy forced the old school doctor to stir around and learn something of a rational nature about his business. You may honestly feel grateful that homeopathy survived the attempts of allopaths (the orthodox physicians) to destroy it." -Mark Twain

Within the past week, I have been deluged with random, unsolicited quotes by the 'father of American literature', Mark Twain.  I have always found him to be delightful, and I mention him in my first novel with respect to his anti-Imperialist stance.  Well...I suppose that it isn't true that I've 'always' found him delightful.  I had a bit of trouble getting through his Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court the first try, but, a few years later, I loved it.  Not sure what the issue was...

The 'endeavor to live' quote was happened across in an e-mail, and the homeopathy quote in the flap of a family homeopathy guide.  The homeopathy quote was of particular interest, since I'd also mentioned homeopathy in Silk. 

Anyhow, I suppose I've just had my curiosity about the progressive fellow kindled.  I didn't realize just how progressive he was and had known him primarily as a humorous author of Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn note.  A recent perusal of the wiki article about him revealed a couple of random but fascinating facts about him, which I'll mention here.  One--he was neighbor to Harriet Beecher Stowe (author of the compelling novel Uncle Tom's Cabin and termed by Lincoln as the 'little lady who started this great big war').  Two--he was born as Halley's Comet passed through the sky and died the day after it passed again, as he'd predicted the year before!

Of most recent note in my random exposures to Twain is a small biographical blurb that I listened to last night about Joan of Arc. I was surprised to hear that Mark Twain spent 12 years researching her life--the only 'research' he ever did for his books. He considered his novel about her to be the best he'd written, but I do have reservations about that, as the novel is purportedly more mature and devoid of humor...Mark Twain's writing devoid of humor? Not an appealing thought. I may give it a shot, though, as he's intrigued me with his passionate praise of the young woman!

[Moments later]

Ohh...I see...  Well, perhaps the novel about Joan of Arc is his best work, but perhaps personal issues color this matter.  Upon a bit more perusal, it seems that Twain was stricken with grief at the death of his most beloved daughter, Susy, who had wished for him to present himself as a serious author and not just a 'funny man'.  It seems that he wrote Joan of Arc whilst mourning extensively for his daughter, who he largely modeled after his memories of his daughter.  So, perhaps this explains the passionate fervor he felt for the French heroine, as he likely projected those feelings about his daughter onto her. 

How sad, hmm? 

Oh well, perhaps I'll give his 'greatest work' (as he saw it) a go sometime, but not today.  I'll let you know if Twain continues his constant random surfacing in my life! 

 

P.S.  On a very loosely related note, I find it interesting that Michael has been called 'Mark' repeatedly and consistently by folks since I've known him.  Very strange.  At one point in Washington I'm pretty sure more folks were calling him Mark than Michael!  I've asked other 'Mike' and 'Michael' fellows about this phenomenon, and they deny it happening to them.  Anyhow, with my fascination regarding former lives, you know where my mind takes me...

Regarding that general topic of misnomers, a church acquaintance called to me today, "Hey, Sophia!"  I was surprised and waited for her to mention my books, but she had a question about the kids.  To my knowledge, she doesn't know about my writing at all...  Curious, isn't it?  Maybe she's heard through the grapevine, I suppose.  No, that doesn't happen often.  In fact, I haven't been 'accidentally' called that name, ever, really, though Sonya is supposed to be a derivation of Sophia (hence the choice for my pen name).  I'd say that the names I've most often been mistakenly called are Sondra (ugh, I get shudders with that one, for some reason!) and Sarah (a sweet name, isn't it?  Fiona uses it quite often as her character name in games).