A Helpless Situation

by Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called "The Great American Novel". Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which provided the setting for Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. After an apprenticeship with a printer, he worked as a typesetter and contributed articles to the newspaper of his older brother, Orion Clemens.

Genres: Short Stories

26 pages, Paperback

Published January 6, 2016

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.

Reviews

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good point, a good book speaks for itself. But the truth is that it won’t even be allowed to speak unless it has an accompanying celebrity introduction. Witness the Harry Potter books et al viz. to say that editors are asses is to insult asses.

[April Helms · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a feeling this story is likely true, or at least partially true. Twain talks about getting letters, using one as an example, from people who hope he can use his influence to get their books before a publisher. He goes into his response, which may or may not have been sent, in which he points out the flaws in the pleader's logic. A brutal but honest response, and a lesson for any prospective writer.

[Станислав · Rating 2 out of 5]

О том как отвечать начинающей писательнице.