Samuel Clemens Alias Mark Twain, age 15

Samuel Clemens, age 15 holding metal type in a composing stick that spells out his first name. He understood that the photographic printing process reversed the contents of an image in the same way backwards moveable type was reversed in printing to give clear copy.
Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was born on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri. Twain became one of the most celebrated American writers, known for his wit, humor, and keen observations of human nature. His early life was marked by hardship, including the death of his father when he was a young boy. He worked various jobs, including as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River, which inspired the pen name "Mark Twain," a term used to signify a safe depth for riverboats.

Twain's most famous works include *The Adventures of Tom Sawyer* (1876) and *Adventures of Huckleberry Finn* (1884), both of which are considered classics of American literature. His stories often explored themes of friendship, freedom, and social justice, with a sharp critique of the society of his time.

As an outspoken and often controversial figure, Twain’s wit extended to his commentary on politics, race, and human behavior, and he gained international recognition for both his writing and his public speeches. Twain's later years were marked by personal tragedy and financial struggles, but he continued writing and lecturing until his death on April 21, 1910. His legacy as a humorist and social critic endures, and his works remain essential to American literary tradition.