MarkTwainanAmericanIcon“MarkTwainwasalifelongcreatorandkeeperofscrapbooks.Hetookthemwithhimeverywhereandfilledthemwithsouvenirs,pictures,andarticlesabouthisbooksandperformances.Butintime,hegrewtiredofthelostglue,rock-hardpaste,andtheswearingthatresultedfromthestandardscrapbookprocess.So,hecameupwiththeideaofprintingthinstripsofglueonthepagestomakeupdatesneatandeasytodo.In1872,hepatentedhis“self-pasting”scrapbook,andby1901,atleast57differenttypesofhisalbumswereavailable.Itwouldbehisonlyinventionthatevermademoney.”Inspiredbyhisinventionofthescrapbook,thiselectronicscrapbookrecordsinformationaboutprobablythemostfamousandbelovedhumorist,satirist,andentertainerinAmericanhistoryandillustratessomeofMarkTwain’squotationsabouteveryaspectofourlives.AsayoungmanTwainworkedasariverboatpilotontheMississippiRiver.Whenhestartedhiswritingcareer,SamuelClemensadoptedthename“MarkTwain,”whichmeanttwofathoms,asafedepthforariverboat.Picturesfrom“reports”thathadtobetakenwithagrainofsalt.Soon,hebeganusingthenameMarkTwainandaffixingittosketches,reportage,andanoccasionalhoax.Itwasatimewhenhefirstdiscoveredhistalent,hiscalling,andhisvoice.Picturesfrom’swealthyelite.Shewouldbepartner,editor,andfellowtravelerinsuccessandfailureforthenextthirty-fiveyears.Shewouldalsofurnishhimherfamily’shomeinElmira,NewYork,aplacewherehevisitedoftenandwrotemanyofhisbest-lovedbooks.Picturesfrom“Ivividlyrememberseeingadozenblackmenandwomenchainedtooneanother,once,andlyinginagrouponthepavement,awaitingshipmenttotheSouthernslavemarket.ThosewerethesaddestfacesIhaveeverseen.”–MarkTwainThoughhismostfamousnoveliscriticizedforbeingracist,MarkTwainneverexpectednorintendedthecontroversythatarosewiththepublicationofHuckleberryFinn.MarkTwainwasnotracist,butdepictedlifeinhistimes.Picturesfrom’sforemostcelebrity.Hewasinvitedtoattendshiplaunchings,anniversarygatherings,politicalconventions,andcountlessdinners.Reportersmethimateveryportofcall,anxioustoprintanewquipfromthefamoushumorist.Toenhancehisimage,hetooktowearingwhitesuitsandlovedtostrolldownthestreetandseepeoplestaringathim.Picturesfrom:Howells,Sherman,Cable,Harte,andothers.ButitalsosawClemensinvolvehimselfinfancifulinvestmentschemesthatledtohisbankruptcy—andeventualdeparture.Picturesfrom“Thewholeworldismourning.”Bythen,SamClemenshadlongsinceceasedtobeaprivatecitizen.HehadbecomeMarkTwain,aproudpossessionoftheAmericannation.“Iwassorrytohavemynamementionedasoneofthegreatauthors,becausetheyhaveasadhabitofdyingoff.Chaucerisdead,Spencerisdead,soisMilton,soisShakespeare,andI’mnotfeelingsowellmyself.”—MarkTwainPicturesfrom“IcameinwithHalley'sCometin1835.Itiscomingagainnextyear(1910),andIexpecttogooutwithit.ItwillbethegreatestdisappointmentofmylifeifIdon'tgooutwithHalley'sComet.TheAlmightyhassaid,nodoubt:Nowherearethesetwounaccountablefreaks;theycameintogether,theymustgoouttogether.MarkTwaindiedin1910,theyearHalley’sCometappeared.Picturesfrom“Wisdomteachesusthatnonebutbirdsshouldgooutearly,andthatnotevenbirdsshoulddoitunlesstheyareoutofworms.”“FleascanbetaughtnearlyanythingthataCongressmancan.”ItcouldprobablybeshownbyfactsandfiguresthatthereisnodistinctlynativeAmericancriminalclassexceptCongress.Picturefrom“Getabicycle.Youwillnotregretit.Ifyoulive.”PicturefromDaveThomsoncollection:“Everyoneisamoon,andhasadarksidewhichhenevershowstoanybody.”PicturefromDaveThomsoncollection:“Nothingismadeinvain,buttheflycamenearit.”“I'dratherhavetensnakesinthehousethanonefly.”“OfallGod'screaturesthereisonlyonethatcannotbemadetheslaveofthelash.Thatoneisthecat.Ifmancouldbecrossedwiththecatitwouldimproveman,butitwoulddeterioratethecat.”PicturefromDaveThomsoncollectio