Mark Twain - The Early Years | Biographical Documentary

One of the best loved writers of all time, Mark Twain, had a tough childhood in rural Missouri and had to leave school at the age of 12 after his father died. He worked as a printer and then a Mississippi steamboat pilot before heading out west to try his luck as a silver miner in Nevada, where he found his true vocation as a writer.

His colourful descriptions of a new and evolving nation and the rollicking tales of his travels around the globe are full of his irrepressible humour, but late in life his optimism deserted him when he faced financial ruin and lost his wife and two of his daughters. His writing turned darker, and he developed a strange fascination with teenage girls.

In this biography of one of America’s most beguiling characters, we explore whether Mark Twain, the eternal optimist, became a bitter and twisted old man as some have suggested, or retained the cheery, light-hearted persona that produced the books that have entertained and enchanted millions for over 150 years.

Part One focusses on the first 32 years of life, with Part Two to be released soon.

Finding Out More

Academic References
Amare, N., & Manning, A. (2017). The Mormon Entombed in Mark Twain’s Heart: Ina Coolbrith and Samuel Clemens. Mark Twain Journal, 55(1/2), 159-192.
Csicsila, J. (2018). The England Trip of 1872: Mark Twain's First Season in Hell. The Mark Twain Annual, 16(1), 1-10.
Gribben, A. (1972). Mark Twain, phrenology and the" temperaments": A study of pseudoscientific influence. American Quarterly, 24(1), 45-68.
Harris, S. K. (1985). Mark Twain's Bad Women. Studies in American Fiction, 13(2), 157-168.
Jones, A. E. (1956). Mark Twain and sexuality. PMLA, 71(4-Part-1), 595-616.
Richers, J. E., & Cicchetti, D. (1993). Mark Twain meets DSM-III-R: Conduct disorder, development, and the concept of harmful dysfunction. Development and Psychopathology, 5(1-2), 5-29.
Selby, P. O. (1980). Osteopathy and Mark Twain. Mark Twain Journal, 20(3), 24-25.

Copyright Disclaimer
The primary purpose of this video is educational. I have tried to use material in the public domain or with Creative Commons Non-attribution licences wherever possible. Where attribution is required, I have listed this below. I believe that any copyright material used falls under the remit of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this, I will not hesitate to immediately remove that content. It is not my intention to infringe on content ownership in any way. If you happen to find your art or images in the video, please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.

Images
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Wellcome Collection
Library of Congress
Mark Twain House and Museum, Hartford, Ct.
Internet Archive

Music
Louis Moreau Gottschalk - Le Bananier Public domain
Louis Moreau Gottschalk - Tournament Galop - Rampart Winds of the United States Air Force Academy Band Public domain
Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne op 32 no 1 - Constantin Stephan CC4.0
Arabian Epic music - World Music official – CC3.0
Luau, Hawaiian Ukulele Music – Mikecolemusic – CC4.0
The Cow Boy Rag – Bobby Heath, Charley O'Donnell The Cowboy Rag
Claude Paul Taffanel - Wind Quintet in G minor -Andante -The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet CC2.0
Johann Sebastian Bach - Partita For Solo Flute, a minor (BWV 1013). Scott Goff, flute
Debussy Rêverie - Arr for Soprano saxophone and piano - David Hernando Vitores
Riding into the Sun Telecasted CC0
Bone Dry Telecasted CC0
Mark Gustavson A Fool’s Journey CC3.0
Ludwig van Beethoven - Octet The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet CC2.0
Growth/Decay Density and Time CC0
City Walk John Pattucci CC0 YouTube
Video produced by Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston.

[TuckerSP]

Oh what a wonderful subject! One of the best writers that I have ever read. You're doing him great justice Professor!

[TheLolapuff]

“When I get the urge to exercise, I lay down until it passes.” Twain

[elliepascoe]

Love this beautiful doc about Mark Twain!I grew up with Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn❤🇳🇱

[stoobydootoo]

I could never fathom his work. Well, maybe twice I could.

[loriedmundson]

Twain's daughter Suzy wrote a biography titled, "My Papa, Mark Twain." A must read for Twain lovers.
Enjoyed part 1, and waiting with strained patience for part 2. Love you channel.

[ginnylorenz]

Very interesting and entertaining. I like your calm voice, too. Thank you. I'm eager for part 2!!

[Leslie.]

It is great learning more about this famous writer. He did so much which he folded into his writing. Thank you!

[riomartinez.]

Thank you, professor ❤this is a good way to learn American history. There is no need to pay for an expensive university. Watching and listening to your channel is PRICELESS ❤

[bretfisher]

My earliest memories of enjoyment in reading were made reading Mark Twain. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I can still vividly recall my fascination with his exquisite prose. He began my love affair with language.

[michaelfritts]

When I was in Junior High and my Dad realized that grounding me for "whatever" was a pointless and never-ending exercise, he started assigning books instead.. 1-3 depending on the offense with a timeline. I could go to the beach if I wanted but had to determine a balance.. I often went to the beach with a book.
He would give me a "quiz" on each book afterward, Cliffs notes would not suffice, as he had read the books himself.
Anyway, he suggested early on that I read Huck Finn every 5 to 10 years..
"You will get something new out of it every time.."
Last time I read it was about 6 years ago.. I guess I may be "due".. 🤔

[Uahoj]

Great video. Favorite Twain quote (on his return from Germany):
Journalist: "Mr. Twain, do the Germans have a sense of humor?"
Twain: "Yes they do, but it's no laughing matter." 🙂

[SherryHill-ky]

Thank you so much! Your voice adds so much. Mark Twain left us so much food for thought-- which is rare among a lot of writers.

[eileenbauer]

Very much enjoyed this presentation, lots of things about Twain I didn’t know before. From the mid 1980’s- early 1990’s my husband and I (Americans) lived in Switzerland. Just about all of our American ex-pat friends and we read Twain’s “The Innocents Abroad”.. Amazing how applicable and funny this book was even though it was written so long ago! We all used to laugh at some of the parts and how we had similar experiences. Twain was funny in a rather snide way, but at the same time making serious points. Fond memories……….

[jilkat]

Where is Part 2? Please post a link. Excellent presentation! Love the typed quotes! Roughing It is one of my all time favorite books!
When are you going to tackle Charles Dickens?

[granthurlburt]

Excellent. You have a marvelous reading voice. Great cadence. I recently listened to Vol. 1 of Twain's autobiography and am listening to recorded versions of the The Innocents Abroad and Life on the Mississisippi. The death of his wife and particularly one daughter really broke him up. Except for the damage it did him, it is almost amusing how he kept investing the money he had in inventions and projects that don't work. He had two great talents (at least) writing and lecturing- and yet turned to trying to invest in businesses for which he had no talent or ability. He was also taken advantage of by people who were publishing his work. Truly a great man. Too many don't understand the extent to which his description of Jim and Huck's attitude in Huckleberry Finn was an unequivocal condemnation of slavery and the notion that blacks were in any way inferior.

[vanquocbui-ed]

You make complex topics so easy to understand. 📚 Thank you for being an incredible educator!

[nonprofitgirl]

This is so well done! Thank you! Love from California 🌺

[MichaelLeBlanc-pf]

Love -'Twain'. He speaks to me over time - much like his good friend Kipling.
Both proved Shakespeak was right. Nothing changes escept for cast and scenery. The script remains eternally the same.

[TedSawyer-vo]

This just popped up on my YouTube feed. Very enjoyable so I subscribed.

[tombotelevision]

Knew the broad strokes of the Master's life.... enjoyed your insights in this video. Thank you.