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On February 3, 1863, Sam Clemens signs himself "Mark Twain." It's a name that sticks with him for the rest of his life.

Every reporter wanted a quote from Twain about events of the day. He became the sage of the country.

Huckleberry Finn is one of Mark Twain's most beloved characters, and the book his masterpiece. Twain's novel was told from a southern perspective, and took away any romanticism with slavery.

Twain was a passionate man who was able to rise above the personal tragedies he faced in life.

The idea of place formed Mark Twain, and through Mark Twain we see Hannibal, Missouri as something of an Eden, a place of eternal summer.

Arthur Miller discusses the ways Mark Twain included himself in his commentaries and critique of human behavior, and in doing so, achieved greatness in his work.

Mark Twain's irrepressible humor is always colored by the knowledge that horrible things can happen in life. The dark element gave depth to his work.

Hal Holbrook discusses how Twain's writing makes him feel, and the empathy of Twain's writing. It is the humor that Twain finds in mankind that makes his work so enjoyable.

Twain had a divided personality. Twain wanted to be rustic and a rebel, but he also wanted to be wealthy and successful. His house in Hartford, Connecticut was incredibly luxurious.

Arthur Miller discusses the character of Mark Twain. Under the boasting of Mark Twain was a great suffering. He was a symbol of an American dilemma: a great success, with anguish underneath.

Twain was a genius of the stage. He had a long drawl and used silence to his advantage. The pauses were the preludes to a cascade of humor.

The Mississippi River was Twain's Harvard and Yale. It was a sacred place for him. Twain said that every character he came up with he met on the Mississippi.

In July of 1869, Twain's The Innocents Abroad appeared at last. It was a subscription book sold door-to-door, and it made Mark Twain the most successful writer in the world. Instead of going for a cultivated audience, Twain went for the masses. "Great books are wine," said Twain. "My books are water...but everybody drinks water."

Twain made American speech something to be admired. At the time, the European was supposed to be the ideal. But Twain used American vernacular and turned it into literature.

Twain traveled abroad with the idea that America was the center of the universe, and not Europe.

Twain knew if America was going to be a great nation, the problem of race had to be talked about and brought to light. Mark Twain saw what America was about and he was not afraid to hold up a mirror.