The Quotable Mark Twain: His Essential Aphorisms, Witticisms & Concise Opinions [Paperback]

R. Kent Rasmussen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0809229870 | ISBN-13: 978-0809229871 | Publication Date: April 1, 1998 | Edition: 1

Here are more than 1,800 quotations, organized from A-to-Z, from America's consummate author--Mark Twain. A must-have for all Twain collectors, The Quotable Mark Twain is filled with his opinions about the people he knew, the places he's been, and the books he wrote, as well as more far-ranging topics, such as writers, billiards, smoking, his family, and more. The book also includes 150 illustrations taken from the original editions of Twain's publications, source citations for each quotation, an annotated bibliography, and a complete index.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From the author of the encyclopedic Mark Twain A to Z comes Mark Twain, accident ("the greatest of all the inventors") to Zola ("The manliest man in France"). This is certainly not the first compilation of Twain witticisms. Nor is it the second or third. But of the 1,800-plus quotations included in The Quotable Mark Twain, more than half do not appear in any other collection. This is because the book's editor, R. Kent Rasmussen, is a committed Twain-ophile who has read and reread nearly everything Twain ever wrote. In these pages Rasmussen offers up Twain's trenchant and provocative words on such wide-ranging subjects as fried chicken ("the art cannot be learned north of the line of Mason and Dixon, nor anywhere in Europe"), Hinduism ("It is a good and gentle religion, but inconvenient"), the multiplication table ("that odious and confusing and unvanquishable and unlearnable and shameless invention"), and stealing ("It is better to take what does not belong to you than to let it lie around neglected"). A browser's bonanza. --Jane Steinberg --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

R. Kent Rasmussen has published two books on Mark Twain: Mark Twain's Book for Bad Boys and Girls and Mark Twain A to Z, which won a special citation by the Reference and Adult Services committee of the American Library Association as one of the best reference books published in 1995.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809229870
• ISBN-13: 978-0809229871
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mark Twain (1835-1910) was an American humorist, satirist, social critic, lecturer and novelist. He is mostly remembered for his classic novels The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mark Twain - Timeless Book - As Important as Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn, March 30, 2010

By 

Adam Justus "CLCLEATHER.com" (Grand Island, NY USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Quotable Mark Twain: His Essential Aphorisms, Witticisms & Concise Opinions (Paperback)

I love this book and use it often, especially when posting quotes on my Twitter profile. I am able to properly quote Twain, providing context and date of quote, thereby getting more read for each quote.

The more I read this book, the more I realize the value of Twain's experience and his words. Although not schooled, Twain is by far one of the most educated personalities in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.

His extensive travels around the world and around the US allowed him to come up with witty yet profound truths about people, life and nature, along with a plethora of other subjects, ranging from Alligators to Zeus...

A great bed time book and wonderful reference companion.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Memory book, July 31, 2010

By 

MAM - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Quotable Mark Twain: His Essential Aphorisms, Witticisms & Concise Opinions (Paperback)

My friend who is in a nursing home, and who has fond memories of receiving from her mother-in-law a book of Mark Twain's stories, has shared memories with me of reading Mark Twain to her children - hence the gift of the above-mentioned book of Mark Twain's quotes. Delightful all the way around.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Collection! I have enjoyed it very much, April 3, 2010

By 

K. V. Bergland - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Quotable Mark Twain: His Essential Aphorisms, Witticisms, & Concise Opinions (Hardcover)

This is a very concise collection of quotes, easy to find quotes. I highly recommend it.