Chapters from My Autobiography

'When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not.'

Part memoir, part philosophical text, Chapters From My Autobiography comprises 25 works published by Mark Twain in the North American Review between September 1906 and December 1907.

Twain recalls his boyhood in Missouri, his early adventures as a printer and riverboat pilot, and the odd, unforgettable characters who shaped his life. He reflects on fame, ageing, and the craft of storytelling, often with a wink, sometimes with surprising tenderness.

The author sets aside the conventions of the memoir, resulting in a wonderful collection of memories, portraits, digressions, and confessions—told with the wit, mischief, and candour that made Twain a literary legend.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain (1835–1910), grew up along the banks of the Mississippi River, and his early experiences inspired many of his most famous works, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Widely celebrated as America's greatest humorist, Twain captured the spirit of a rapidly changing nation, and his sharp wit, keen eye for human nature, and gift for storytelling made him not only a beloved novelist but also a popular lecturer and essayist.

Twain's innovative style, character-driven storytelling and ability to interweave humour with profound social critique laid the groundwork for modern American literature and has inspired countless authors, including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Indeed, Hemingway famously declared that 'all modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.